Capreol author Matthew Del Papa’s newest book will be launched Thursday at Capreol’s old fire hall as one of numerous events celebrating Capreol’s first 100 years.

The event was originally organized to only launch Del Papa’s newest book, Capreol at Bat; however, the event has since grown and includes over a dozen writers: novelist, poets, short story authors, anthologists, humourists and more.

Almost every author attending the book launch is local. The authors include Del Papa (of course), Bonnie Ouellet-Mathieu and Mark Leslie, who is very well known in the Canadian horror industry. One author from Sudbury Writers’ Guild will be at the launch, including two authors from Latitude 46 Publishing.

The other authors attending the launch include Vera Constantineau, Evelyn Cardiff, Liisa Kovala, Renny deGroot, Frank Silc, Emile Lavinge, Dave Wickenden and Sarah May.

The launch will be held in conjunction with the annual Capreol Days’ festivities from July 27 to Aug. 5. Admission to attend the book launch is free and the fire hall will be open to the public from 5 to 8 p.m.

The event will have popcorn and light snacks for guests and aspiring writers are encouraged to come and get a sense of what being an author entails.

“The evening is a unique opportunity for book lovers and aspiring authors to mingle, ask questions, buy some books, and glory in the written world,” Del Papa said.

The local author was born and raised in the Greater Sudbury’s railway community, Capreol, and his newest novel, Capreol at Bat, will be his seventh self-published book about his hometown.

“And the first to be entirely true “¦ for the most part anyway,” Del Papa said.

The book is about celebrating the town’s sporting past with a focus on fastball for men, women and youth and chronicles the Capreol softball heritage.

“My grandfather use to tell me about the glory days of baseball in Capreol when I was younger,” Del Papa said.

The novel is set in the early 1920s and throughout the glory days of the 50s and 60s when Capreol dominated the provincial scene by winning eight titles in 12 years. The book features pictures, newspaper clippings and first-hand accounts.

His novel focuses on the towns sporting past and was inspired by the towns’ lack of baseball and softball teams since the 2000s.

“We have no men’s league or women’s league, but this year is the first year Capreol created a minor league called Beavers Baseball for kids ages three to 12,” Del Papa explained.

sud.editorial@sunmedia.ca