The Unknown Canadian
(Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium - Vancouver, B.C.) - As the rain began falling harder by the minute, everyone knew it was just a matter of time before the game would have to stop. A damp gloss had covered the usually bone dry infield, the outfield grass became slick and shiny and between pitches, hitters would step out of the box to put their bat between their legs to dry the barrel off if even for just a few short seconds.
It was the bottom of the 2nd inning on September 1st, 2016, and the Canadians were in a scoreless tie with the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. It was a "mean nothing" game to some as both the C's and Salem had long been eliminated from the post-season conversation. But it did mean something to the young Vancouver Canadians player who was on-deck waiting for a special moment that never came.
As the Canadians battled Volcanoes starting pitcher Stephen Woods Jr., there was a sense of excitement waiting at the bottom of the Vancouver order. Standing just feet away from his turn at the plate, was Mississauga, Ontario native Owen Spiwak. Spiwak had just been assigned to the Toronto Blue Jays Short-Season affiliate and was a lone batter away from getting his chance to add his name to the ever-growing list of Canadian-born players to suit up for Canada's only affiliated Minor League Baseball team. That moment, never came.
Woods Jr. would leave the Canadians without a run as the second inning came to a close with Mother Nature still making her presence felt. Before Vancouver could even take to the field for the top of the 3rd inning, a two-man umpiring crew finally decided to delay the game. The game would get suspended, and the designated hitter Spiwak would have to wait one more day to take a swing as the lone 'Canadian' playing for the Canadians.
As the sun rose the next day, it spent most of the morning fighting off the remaining clouds that stubbornly stuck around looking for a front row seat to the first of two games set for the final day of the regular season in Vancouver. The clouds must have been smirking as they looked down only to see a Vancouver Canadians front office staff working tirelessly to get the remaining dampness off of the field in hopes of having one last afternoon in the sunshine to enjoy our "Boys of Summer". The field however was too beaten up, and too weary for even one last gasp after the lashing it took the night before.
Those same two umpires came out at 3:35pm on that fateful Friday afternoon, after the Canadians, who were scheduled to start at 1:05pm worked and worked to get the field ready in front of 6,000 fans - and said they could wait no longer. Both Thursday's suspended game AND Friday's regular season finale were stuck in the mud - and Spiwak's last hopes of stepping into the batter's box on home soil were washed away with the controversial decision. The stats and line-ups from that game, gone, as if it had never happened.
The next morning, at 6:00am, the Canadians boarded a bus destined for Pasco, WA as the boys had one final series to play before heading home for the winter. On Saturday night, Canadians manager John Tamargo Jr. didn't have Spiwak on his line-up card, nor did he on Sunday. It leaves Spiwak with one last chance to see his name written in Sharpie on a Canadians line-up card and get the chance to add his name to the storied list of those who have suited up for Vancouver. Without an at-bat, or a registered play on the field, Spiwak will never have his name added to 'the list'.
Without an opportunity in one of the final moments of the 2016 season, the Canadians will have left Spiwak, bat in hand, standing over the on-deck circle, batting helmet soaked from the rain - just steps away from being one of us, even though - he is absolutely 'one of us'. His time in Vancouver without a recorded at-bat or opportunity to take the field will end up much like the box score from that rained out game - gone, as if it had never happened.
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