Entering RCGT Park, decked out in red from head to toe, Judi Haines has been waiting for this day.
“Oh, I’m so happy that baseball is back. I love baseball,” said the 82-year-old, who has been attending games at Ottawa’s ballpark for many years.
The nation’s capital has long had a premier minor league baseball stadium, but the city had been without a team since 2019—now, no longer.
Loyal fans were ready to welcome the Ottawa Titans, who made their debut on the field Tuesday for an exhibition game, defeating the Trois-Rivieres Aigles 5-3.
“I could hardly wait,” said season ticket holder Danielle Sullivan. “I was so excited today.”
“This is what’s given us hope, getting here,” said Christeen Stewart.
“We’ve been missing baseball these last couple of years. My son’s been looking forward to meeting Cappy (the mascot),” said Kyle Fraser.
Bringing the game back to life in Ottawa has been a long time coming. The Titans joined the Frontier League in 2020 and were set to debut in 2021 but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the team to sit out for another season.
“It couldn’t happen. The border was closed. We had to take a knee after all the prep work. Now we’re finally here and we get to see it live on the field,” said Titans vice president and CEO Regan Katz.
With the home opener set for May 24, and family friendly themes planned throughout the season, the club hopes top draw big crowds out to this beloved summer pastime.
After purchasing a pinstriped Titans jersey, Haines is officially set for the season and ready to cheer on the boys of summer.
“If they win, they win. If they lose, they lose. It’s still going to be good baseball,” she said.
