GIBSONS native and former North Shore Twin Ryan Dempster was recently announced as the Chicago Cubs' nominee for the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award.
The annual award recognizes a Major League Baseball player who best represents the sport through positive contributions on and off the field, including sportsmanship and community involvement. Each MLB team nominates one player.
Dempster and his wife started the Jenny Dempster Family Foundation after their daughter was diagnosed with DiGeorge Syndrome. The foundation raises awareness, reaches out to families with children suffering from the rare disease and supports DiGeorge Syndrome research.
The award selection includes a fan vote - the winner of a fan poll will receive one vote among those cast by a nine-person selection panel which includes the late Clemente's wife Vera and former players Cal Ripken Jr. and Nomar Garciaparra, among others.
Fans can vote until Oct. 9 at www.chevybaseball.com/ clemente.
Clemente was a 12-time MLB all-star who died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve in 1972 while trying to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
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North Vancouver's Mark Dekanich will have to wait a little bit longer to begin his gig as a full-time NHL goaltender.
The Argyle secondary and Colgate University grad was scheduled to start the season as the backup goaltender for the Columbus Blue Jackets but that's on hold now as Dekanich suffered a high-ankle sprain in an exhibition game Sept. 20 against the Winnipeg Jets. Dekanich was injured late in the first period and then finished the frame but did not return in the second. He's expected to miss at least four weeks.
Dekanich was drafted by Nashville in 2006 but was stuck behind a group of strong goalies and only saw 50 minutes of NHL action with the Predators despite putting up excellent numbers in the minors. This summer he signed with Columbus as a free agent and was expected to start the year as the full-time backup for starter Steve Mason. Until Dekanich heals fellow free agent pickup Curtis Sanford will act as the team's backup.
Columbus begins regular season play Oct. 7 when they host Nashville.
