Dallas Smith

Born on October 10^th, 1941

Dallas was a power hitting catcher and outfielder who had a .331 batting average throughout his career. He was a first team All-Star in 1962 and 1963. He retired from baseball to play with the Boston Bruins. He won the Stanley Cup twice, playing alongside Bobby Orr.

Don Smith

Born on May 14^th, 1944

Don played the positions of pitcher and outfielder, but often served as catcher. He spent his twelve-year career playing in Hamiota and Dauphin. He won the M.S.B.L. pennant in 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, and 1967. He also played on the Canadian National Team in the 1967 Pan-Am Games. Like his brother he was also an avid hockey player.

Bryan Smith

Born on October 5^th, 1945

Bryan played the positions of outfield, catcher, and as a southpaw pitcher. He won the M.S.B.L. crown in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and was named to the first All-Star Team in 1965, 1970, and 1971. In 1967 he attended the St. Louis Cardinals training camp.

Mel Smith

Born on April 9^th, 1948-October 7^th, 2002

Mel primarily played in the outfield but also served as a pitcher. In 1967 he signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals and attended their training camp in St. Petersburg, Florida. In his fourteen-year career, he hit thirty-two home runs and in one game was intentionally walked five times.

After a 25-3-2 record in the Manitoba Junior League, the Goldeyes advanced to nationals at Sarnia, Ontario. They went 4-0 in round robin play, then lost the gold medal final to the host team from Sarnia. Bob Billing was named to tournament all-star team at second base. Fred Walker coached and Joe Pethybridge managed. in 1970 Carman hosted junior nationals.

The Angusville Cardinals were always a top competitor in the Northwest League, and they travelled extensively to play in tournaments throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Some of the key figures in founding the team were school principal Martin Chalaturnyk and dedicated coach Johnny Parobec.

The Cardinals won one provincial intermediate championship in 1965, and lost in the provincial finals in 1963 and 1968. Later, the Cardinals moved to senior baseball and were highly competitive in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League for nine years.

The top news story from Angusville in 1963 was when the Cardinals won the Ab Richardson trophy, which was presented at their banquet. This was awarded to Angusville as runners-up for the Manitoba Provincial Baseball Championship. During the playoffs, after winning the Northwestern Baseball League, they defeated all opposition until they finally lost in the third and deciding game of the final championship series with Pilot Mound.

The Cardinals relied on the pitching of left-handers Jack Kostuik, Brian McCauley, and Currnie Churchmuch, as well as right-handers Stan Furman, Henry Hrubeniuk Joe Blackbird, and Richard Gallant. Catching duties were sharead by Sill Sidoryk and Barry Wowk until a promising Merril Kiliwnik appeared on the scene. The team was spearheaded by manager John Parobec, who’s love and dedication for the game prompted recruitment of players from neighboring communities. Parobec’s playing, coaching, and managing marked a period of four decades in the Angusville community.

In 1964, the Cardinals won the the juvenile championship, and in 1965, they won the Manitoba Intermediate Baseball Championship by defeating Pilot Mound 4-3 in 13 innings. Currnie Churchmuch provided much of the heroics by delivering a powerful home run in the bottom of the thirteenth inning. In addition to the championship, they also received the D. Stark and Son Trophy, as well as the F. Clement and Sons Trophy.

The Cardinals went on to have a terrific 1966 season, only to be beaten by the Binscarth Orioles in the league finals. In 1968, they won the Northwest League Championship and proceeded to the provincial finals only to lose to the Thompson Reds in the third and deciding game. Another notable year was 1972, when the Angusville Cardinals won the Senior “B” Provincial Championships.

The 1959-1964 Hamiota Red Sox were Central Manitoba Baseball Association champions once, co-champions another time with the Brandon Cloverleafs (1959), and finalists in 1960. The Red Sox were Manitoba Senior Baseball League (MSBL) pennant winners in 1961, 1962, and 1964. They were also MSBL champions in 1962, 1963, and 1964. The team won the prestigious Birtle July 1st tournament for eight consecutive years form 1955-1962. The Hamiota Red Sox of this time were an excellent young team managed by Gladwyn Scott and Lorne Caldwell. Unlike most teams of the time, they had no out-of-province imports.

Bob Williamson was born in Belmont, Manitoba on January 4, 1954. Williamson was an excellent second-baseman and outfielder for 24 years with Riverside in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League (MSBL). He was on the first all-star team eleven times, the second all-star team seven times, and was Batting Champion twice (1977, .442) (1982, .415). Williamson was also on MSBL championship teams eight times, and provincial championship teams five times (1973, ’74, ’78, ’81, ’82). He played for Team Manitoba several times, once even winning bronze at the nationals in 1976. Williamson held two MSBL records at the time of his induction into the Hall of Fame, including one he set in 1980 for runs scored in a season (42), and a record he set in 1982 for being hit by the pitch the highest number of times in a single season (8). He won the Ab Richardson award for dedication to baseball in 1992, became an MSBL Honourary Life Member in 2000, and he was named to the MSBL 40th Anniversary Second All-Star Team as an outfielder. Williamson was known as a fierce competitor, a fine player, and a “great team man”. He is the son of “Wimpy” Williamson, who was inducted into that Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Hal Westberg was born in St. Paul, Manitoba on April 1, 1934. Westberg played pitcher and first base during his 21 years in baseball. In 1951 and ’52, he played for the Morse Place Midgets, in ’53 and ’54 for the Morse Place Juveniles, and in ’54 and ’55 for the Selkirk Juniors. During this time, Westberg pitched two scoreless innings in a Tribune All-Star Game, and in 1956 he led the Selkirk Seniors to a Northeast League championship title. From 1957-58 he played for the St. Boniface Native Sons as their all-star first baseman, during which season they won the Winnipeg Senior League with a 22-0 record. From 1963-64, Westberg played for the Vita Mallards, from 1965-66 with the CUAC (Canadian Ukrainian Athletics Club) Blues, and from 1967-70 for the St. Boniface Seniors. He also played a considerable amount of tournament ball with Lorne Benson and Sam Tascona’s teams. Westberg was later a very active player and volunteer in curling and slow pitch with the Morse Place Flashbacks. Throughout his impressive baseball career, he still made time for hockey.

Gerald Vigier was born in Notre Dame, Manitoba on June 10, 1927. Vigier pitched for Notre Dame from 1946-65, and then managed and coached the team until 1976. Vigier and his team won the South Central Baseball League title twice. They once struck out 16 St. James hitters in one game, and another time they fanned 14 Stan Evans Orioles. Vigier was the main organizer for the prestigious Notre Dame tournament. In 1954, Notre Dame won this tournament with Gerald Vigier and Gus Pantel pitching. On several occasions, other teams would pick up Vigier for tournaments. Vigier fondly remembered many of his catchers throughout the years, including Bill Dunn, Shorty Sanderson, and Henry Daudet.

James Tooth was born in Oakville, Manitoba on May 16, 1924. Tooth went on to join the Royal Canadian Air Force, and he spent four years in Britain, India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Burma (Myanmar). Following the war, went on to pitch for the the CUAC (Canadian Ukrainian Athletics Club) Blues, MacGregor Club, Belmont, Steinbach, and Oakville. With the Blues, he won a Winnipeg Championship, and he pitched a three hitter against the Northern League All-Stars in 1952. Tooth was known for his reliable and versatile pitching.

Jack Thompson was born at Shoal Lake, Manitoba on September 30, 1919. Thompson played minor and senior ball at Shoal Lake, before serving with the Winnipeg Rifles from 1940-45 in Britain and France. Following the war, he coached minor ball in St. James from the 1950s to ’60s. From 1973-82, he served on the Manitoba Baseball Association board of directors, and from 1976-77 he was president of the Winnipeg Minor Baseball Association. Thompson went on to be vice-president of the Manitoba Junior Baseball League (1983-84), a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Kansas City Royals, and a member of the Manitoba Baseball Association Honour Society (1984). In 1985, Thompson started using his own P.A. system to announce minor, junior, and provincial tournaments, which led to him becoming known as the “Voice of Baseball in Winnipeg”.

Jack Raleigh was born in Kenora, Ontario on May 10, 1924. Raleigh was a phenomenal first baseman, second baseman, and shortstop, though first base was always his favorite position. Raleigh was known as a daring baserunner, who once stole home in a triple steal against Winnipeg at Osborne Stadium. In 1941, with East Kildonan, Raleigh won 28 consecutive games with a .300 batting average. His team then went on to be Winnipeg junior champions in 1942 and ’43. Throughout 1944 and 1945, Raleigh played with the Navy team in Victoria, BC. Following WWII, he returned to Winnipeg to play for the CUAC (Canadian Ukrainian Athletics Company) Blues, who were runners up in the Winnipeg League to Transcona in 1946. In 1948 Raleigh had an all-star season with the ANAF (Army Navy Airforce) Vets, and the next year he was their playing-manager. He then spent one more season with the Vets before returning to the Blues, where he led his team to a Winnipeg League title in 1950. Raleigh then spent one more successful season with the CUAC Blues before moving to Portland, Oregon the next year.