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Victoria HarbourCats | Anawim House Sock Toss to be held July 15, 2021

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Despite loss of season, HarbourCats once again providing support to local community organizations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 6, 2021

VICTORIA, B.C. — It is that time of year again, even without a season, when the Victoria HarbourCats do their part to support the local community and with the help of the Knights of Columbus Council 13356, from St. Joseph The Worker, the HarbourCats will be holding their annual SOCK TOSS for Anawim House on Thursday July 15, from 11:00am to 4:00pm.

Normally an event held during a HarbourCats game, this year’s event, as it was last year, will be held just outside the home plate gates of Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park, along Caledonia Avenue, where fans will be able to toss new or used/laundered socks over the fence of the stadium toward numbered prize buckets, with the socks going to use with Anawim’s programs. People can also make cash donations that day to Anawim’s efforts.

Last year’s event raised over $650.00 for Anawim House and resulted in 400 pairs of socks being donated and the HarbourCats, Anawim House and the Knights of Columbus hope to exceed those totals this year.

“Anawim is truly a leader in the North Park neighbourhood and we are proud to be their neighbours and to work so closely with them,” said Jim Swanson, Managing Partner of the HarbourCats. “The people who run Anawim, they get it. They see the needs, and they work to address them. We are sad that we can’t be doing this event in the park again this year, but last year’s event, in the middle of a pandemic, was amazing and we hope to top those efforts this year.”

Fans can bring their own used or new socks to toss, but socks will also be available for purchase at the booth on the day, with all proceeds going to Anawim House. Prizes available will include, but not be limited to HarbourCats tickets and merchandise, golf passes to local courses, gift cards from local businesses and other items donated by the community.

The HarbourCats, Knights of Columbus and Anawim House challenge everyone to make time on Thursday, July 15, to come to Wilson’s Group Stadium and throw socks over the fence and support a great cause!

For details on Anawim House and their mission and programs, please visit https://www.anawimhouse.com/

SUPPORT YOUR HARBOURCATS! WE NEED YOUR HELP MORE THAN EVER!

Two summers in a row without baseball has been simply devastating for us, but we are confident that there will be a celebratory return to the diamond and the ballpark in 2022. To help us get there, we need your support. If you have been doing well throughout this pandemic, please consider supporting us in any of the following ways:

2022 Season tickets — “We’re Brand New in 2022!” Or as the saying goes, “What’s old is new again!” New players, some new coaches, some new seating changes, new promotions! Come and jump on the HarbourCats bandwagon and see the “new” team in town! Purchasing season tickets is the best way to help, one that guarantees you seats to all our games (usually 35 per year or so) plus other season ticket holder perks. Contact chris@harbourcats.com for details.

10-Game Flex Packs / Vouchers — Don’t want to commit, or can’t commit to season tickets? Consider 10-game flex packs – anytime vouchers that can be used in any combination…10 tickets at one game, 1 ticket at 10 games or anything in between. For you, for your friends, for your staff. Season ticket voucher equivalents are also available. Flex Packs can be purchased at the office and are also available on-line at THE CAT SHOP.

Corporate Partnerships – Want to put your company name or brand in front of our 80,000-100,000 fans we anticipate in 2022? Or know someone who does? Consider joining us as a partner. From a simple program ad, to the most complex of game day sponsorship, complete with signage and tickets, we will customize any campaign to suit your needs and budget. And with our new HCATS.TV platform and our ownership group’s expansion of a new team in Nanaimo in 2022, the opportunities are now Island wide! Contact john@harbourcats.com for details.

Fundraising / 50-50 – Have an organization that needs to raise funds now? A $1000 investment buys you 100 anytime 2022 game vouchers for our Premium Reserved seats that you can then turn around and sell NOW for $20 each, earning you your investment back, plus another $1000 in return. We will then hold a 50-50 date for you in 2022 and you can bring your group to the park to sell that game, taking home 50% of the proceeds. Contact chris@harbourcats.com for details.

Merchandise – Consider a HarbourCats merchandise purchase from our store at 1814 Vancouver Street, or from our on-line store, THE CAT SHOP. We have lots of stock that needs to go!

OFFICE HOURS

We are officially open Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, but may be away at meetings, or dealing with other issues. Best to call 778-265-0327 before venturing over to make sure. Closed Saturday and Sunday.

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Summer Collegiate

Pitching Coach Gorm hits a HUGE milestone

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The Nanaimo NightOwls will be using the 2026 season to celebrate Gorm Heimueller — the esteemed pitching coach, one of the best to ever do it in baseball!  The 70-year-old marks a half-century in the game when he suits up in his fifth summer in the West Coast League with the Nanaimo NightOwls.

“First — thank you, Nanaimo,” said Heimueller.  “I’m very grateful to the Nanaimo NightOwls organization for allowing me to come back as pitching coach in 2026. This will be my 50th year since I signed my first pro contract, but I’ve been very fortunate and blessed to be involved in this game that I’ve loved for more than 60 years.  I’m looking forward to working with Jim, Tina, Anthony, and Cody in putting together an exciting and competitive team on the field for our amazing Nanaimo fans!”

Coach Gorm will tuck his golf clubs away in May — he recorded his second career ace recently — so he can do what he loves most, and that’s working with young pitchers.

“We are going to celebrate Gorm in 2026 — our players, our coaches, our staff could not have more admiration for him as a coach and as a human being,” said Jim Swanson, managing partner of the NightOwls, in announcing Heimueller and wife Lee Ann will return to Nanaimo in 2026 to work with Head Coach Cody Andreychuk and assistant Anthony Houk.

“Players love the man, they hang on his every word. Coaches send us pitchers specifically to get to work with him. He’s a gentleman, he relates well to everyone, and he tells the best stories. We have an absolute legend of the game in Nanaimo as the only pitching coach the NightOwls have ever known — and he’s a mentor to so many, in so many ways.

“Gorm has more than earned the opportunity to be celebrated for all he’s done for the game. I’m biased because he’s become a good friend, but he should be in the Hall of Fame.”

The NightOwls are unveiling a special “GORM50” logo that will be ever-present during the 2026 season — from players shirts, to merchandise. There is also a book being written on his stories and exploits, co-written by Swanson and fellow NightOwls owner Helen Edwards — both have authored books in their careers.

Heimueller, a Los Angeles native, who has World Series rings from coaching in the Twins and Phillies systems, started his baseball career as a lefty pitcher at Cal Poly — with a guy named Ozzie Smith as his shortstop.

Heimueller spent 10 years as a professional pitcher, throwing strikes around the globe (Venezuela, Australia, Canada, USA), and spent two years as mostly a starting pitcher with the Oakland A’s (1983-84), a team which featured Rickey Henderson in his prime. As legend has it, the manager at his first MLB spring training was Frank Robinson, with Billy Martin the manager at his second camp, and his first MLB strikeout victim was Cal Ripken Jr. He transitioned directly from playing to coaching in the minors and held pitching coordinator positions later in his pro tenure, including the San Diego Padres until 2020.

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Victoria HarbourCats – ALL-STAR GAME PACKAGES ARE DAYS AWAY — BE READY!

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THIS IS A SPECIAL note for all HarbourCats season ticket holders to get their seats set up next week to be in line for the 2026 All-Star Game festival packages, July 14-15, 2025 – full details soon to be released.

Individual Season Ticket Members who have fully renewed or have initiated a payment plan for their 2026 seats, will have first dibs on securing their seats for the All-Star festivities via a special pre-sale window.

We will also offer this pre-sale window to anyone who has purchased a Season Ticket Equivalent Flex Pack (32-Game Flex Pack).

If you are a 2025 HOST FAMILY, please let us know as soon as possible if you intend to return as a host for 2026 and we will save your seats AND you will also be eligible for the pre-sale window for the All-Star activities.

If your season seats are part of a CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP deal, again please let us know as soon as possible that you will be renewing that sponsorship for 2026 (contact your sales rep) and we will save your seats AND you will also be eligible for the pre-sale window for the All-Star activities.

Once the pre-sale window has passed, any unclaimed Season Ticket seats  (for All-Star festivities only) will be released and we will open up sales to the general public.

**IF YOU ARE a traditional 10/12-pack holder, now is the time to trade up for Season Tickets or a 32-Pack Season Ticket Voucher Equivalent to get All-Star Game privileges!

Contact GM Christian Stewart at the HarbourCats office (778-265-0327 or chris@harbourcats.com) to make arrangements!

The excitement around baseball and the 2026 season has hit new heights!

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. BE SURE TO LOCK IN YOUR SEASON TICKETS TODAY to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria.  These will be going on sale SOON!

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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Victoria HarbourCats – Haney, HarbourCats bring back former player to lead pitching staff

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October 28, 2025

For immediate release

VICTORIA, BC — A very familiar name and face is returning to Victoria to lead the pitching staff of the HarbourCats.

Zachary Swanson — who has served as batboy, pitcher and play-by-play voice of the team — has been hired as Pitching Coach for the 2026 season by Todd Haney, the Head Coach who is entering his sixth season as the Victoria skipper.

Swanson is in his first year as the pitching coach at Hawaii Pacific University (D2) in Honolulu, under Head Coach Dane Fujinaka, a former HarbourCats catcher who coached in the Toronto Blue Jays system.

“After coaching Zach a couple of seasons, I am thrilled for the opportunity to coach with him now,” said Haney, who started Swanson on the mound against the Corvallis Knights in Game 1 of the WCL championship series in 2019.

“Zach brings energy, experience and expertise to the HarbourCats coaching staff. Our pitchers will love working with him.”

Swanson, the son of Managing Partner Jim Swanson, is a Lambrick Park grad who spent time with both the Eagles and Mariners BCPBL programs. He spent two college years with the San Diego Christian (NAIA) Hawks, then moved to the Park-Gilbert (NAIA) Buccaneers in Arizona, under Head Coach Kelly Stinnett, a long-time MLB catcher, to complete his college playing career.

Swanson will work with Bullpen Coach Darius Opdam Bak, who filled the same role last summer under now-retired Scott Anderson, who held the pitching coach job for three seasons. Opdam Bak is a former HarbourCats and Victoria Golden Tide (CCBC) pitcher who is now Pitching Coach of the Golden Tide.

Swanson, who will be 26 by next season, earned his MBA and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Park-Gilbert business program. He served as pitching coach at Skyline High School (6A) in Mesa, AZ before accepting the HPU offer. He is married to Madeline, and they reside in Kailua, HI.

“This is an extremely special opportunity for me, to return home and coach in front of this amazing city is such a privilege,” said Swanson. “I’m excited to coach some great young men and bring a West Coast League championship home to Victoria.

“It is a tremendous honour to have the chance to coach alongside Coach Haney, someone I consider a mentor. His intensity and passion for player development combined with his true joy for the game are traits that I admire as a coach.”

Swanson was 7-3 in his collegiate career, including playoffs and non league, including five starts.

Opdam Bak was a HarbourCat for two seasons and spent four seasons with the Golden Tide, as a dependable starter. He made eight starts last spring for the Tide, going 3-1 — he made 17 CCBC starts overall.

Season ticket memberships and 12-game flex packs (new for 2026!) are now on sale for the HarbourCats 2026 season at http://harbourcats.com/tickets. BE SURE TO LOCK IN YOUR SEASON TICKETS TODAY to get first right of refusal on your seats for the 2026 WCL All-Star game that will be played here in Victoria.  These will be going on sale SOON!

Season tickets, 12-packs and team merchandise are also available at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, Tuesday thru Friday, 10am-4pm.

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