I'd Play the Game for Free -seems an appropriate title for a documentary on Gibsons' Ryan Dempster produced by Coast TV to be aired next week.
Ed Hill, along with Steve Sleep and cameraman Jim Brown, travelled to Seattle last June where Dempster and the Chicago Cubs played a three-game series at Safeco Field against the Seattle Mariners. Hundreds of Cubs and Dempster fans from the Coast made the trek for the games and got a glimpse of their hero in action as he pitched the middle game of the series.
The documentary is a wonderful look at Dempster, his family life and the people who helped him along the way, from his coaches on the Sunshine Coast and the North Shore to the minor leagues and eventually the pros.
"I'm thankful for what I have and how I got here," Dempster said. "Every time I take the mound, I want to do proud by the Cubs, but I also want to do proud by my country. I'm proud of where I'm from. I'm just a small-town boy from Gibsons who dreamed of being a baseball player one day."
There are many lighthearted moments in the 40-minute presentation, as Dempster recalls his days growing up in Gibsons, his struggles to get through the minors to "the show", his off-day routines and some special moments playing in the Major Leagues. And there are also many poig-nant moments where Dempster reflects on his family and friends, his wife Jenny and their Dempster Family Foundation, which is dedicated to raising awareness of 22q11.2 deletion (DiGeorge Syndrome/VCFS). The foundation reaches out to families who have children with the disorder and the charities that support them and help them deal with difficult situations they face each day.
Ryan and Jenny's daughter Riley was born on April 1 with DiGeorge Syndrome.
In the documentary, Dempster is very candid about the struggle they went through, the hospital visits and doctors, and more importantly, he shares his story to raise awareness and help other families who are faced with this medical condition.
I'd Play the Game for Free is a must for all baseball fans, and especially fans of Dempster and what he means to this community.
Check it out on Coast TV on April 26 at 7 and 9 p.m. and April 27 at 9 a.m.
