Over 50 years of Major League Baseball experience.
That’s the man chosen to guide the Niagara Ironbacks in their inaugural season playing out of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL).
Richard Griffin has been named Manager of the club.
The Ironbacks, the only Canadian team in the PGCBL begins play next month. and will call George Taylor Field in Merritton – the former home of the St. Catharines Blue Jays and Stompers – as its home diamond.
Founded in 2010, PGCBL is the largest and most successful Summer Collegiate Baseball league in New York State. The league consists of 16 teams competing in the East and West divisions. The PGCBL has produced many MLB players including Ernie Clement, Nick Pivetta, Cedric Mullins, Jordan Westburg and Ramon Laureano.
As for Griiffin, he was born in Jamaica, raised in Montreal, and is now living in Oakville Griffin has worked with a team or covered major-league baseball for 53 consecutive years, starting in 1973 with the Montreal Expos, while attending Concordia University. Griffin has worked with 19 major-league managers, from Gene Mauch to John Schneider, and has attended over 5,000 MLB games, including 39 straight World Series, from 1978-2016. His coaching experience in Ontario spans 20 years and includes seven seasons at the Major Midget (U18) and Junior (U21) levels, with the Oakville A’s, plus one Junior year with the Burlington Bulls. That includes eight times reaching the OBA Eliminations’ final rounds, at various levels.
And working with Griffin will be pitching coach Michael Nightingale.
Born and raised in Oakville, Nightingale comes to the Ironbacks following two years as Bulletproof Baseball Academy Pitching Coordinator, including two seasons as head coach of its 18U Showcase Team. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Eastern Michigan University and as a Facility Management Professional from Sheridan College. Nighty was a pitcher through his playing career in Oakville, until Junior, and became an instructor with the highly regarded Doyle Baseball group for five years. His 20-year coaching career, that began in 1988, includes stints in Oakville, St. Thomas, Wyoming, Winnipeg, Guelph, Burlington and Welland.
Tickets for Ironbacks baseball are now on sale.
In recognition of the City of St. Catharines’ efforts and desire to bring affordable high-quality entertainment to the region, the Ironbacks have pledged to release all General Admission for the 2025 season at the low price of $7.00.
“We are extremely excited that the Ironbacks are bringing such a quality baseball product back to St.Catharines, and
the generous ticket offer provides the community with another affordable summer activity. We can’t wait to see everyone at George Taylor Field!,” Mayor Mat Siscoe said in a release.
The new team marks the return of baseball to the Garden City. Many notable Major League Baseball players, including Carlos Delgado, Pat Hentgen, Vernon Wells, and Jeff Kent, began their careers in St. Catharines and now many future stars will see their path begin in a similar fashion.
This provides a fantastic opportunity for college players, who play at US and Canadian colleges, to play summer baseball in Ontario and face extremely competitive American teams. The league and more specifically the team is full of aspiring and ascending baseball players looking to make it to the next level.
For more information and tickers visit ironbacks.ca

Rod Mawhood is a lifelong Niagara native who has had the pleasure of working in all three mediums – Radio, Print and TV – for over 20 years. His first announcing gig was with the then St. Catharines Stompers. Since then he’s worked in radio and TV in Toronto, and currently is the announcer for the Niagara IceDogs and Niagara River Lions.
Rod also covers the Buffalo Bills for FOX Sports and the Buffalo Sabres for NBC Sports.