Thank you to all those who attended the UBC vs. University of Tokyo Baseball Game on August 13th 2019, the feature game of UBC’s first ever International Collegiate Baseball Classic! The UBC Thunderbirds defeated the University of Tokyo 8-2 in front of a crowd of 3,300 — the Baseball Classic marked the first time that a Japanese Varsity Baseball team has ever played on Canadian soil.
Game day started out with the School of Kinesiology holding a demo and seminar on the science of sport for all tournament players and coaches from Japan and the U.S., led by Rob Boushel and Carlos Cantu.
The School of Kinesiology has a long history with UBC’s Baseball program — the Thunderbirds played competitively in the PNW since the 1950s, but disbanded in 1966 due to budget cuts. It was only recently that the Thunderbirds Baseball team was rebuilt. KIN Alum Terry McKaig, BHK 1997, became Baseball’s head coach in 2000 and shaped the program into what it is today.
The UBC Baseball brand now involves youth player clinics, camps and training programs, and is home to the Vancouver franchise ‘UBC Thunder’ of the British Columbia Premier Baseball League. Today, the Thunderbirds are the only Canadian University competing for a US National championship in college baseball. UBC is producing some impressive professional baseball talent, with some 27 Major League draft picks and non-drafted free agents.
To read the recap of the game, click here.