The Canadian Polish Athletic Club sponsored a 12-and-under Little League program in the core area of North Winnipeg.

The CPAC Little League program sent a team of all-stars to the City Championships and won the title in 1965. The all-star team moved on to the Provincial Championship and defeated Brandon in a dramatic single elimination game later that year. After claiming the Provincial Title, the CPAC all-stars made Manitoba baseball history by defeating a team from British Columbia to win the 1965 Western Canada Little Canadian Baseball Championship in Winnipeg.

A film, 1965 Behind in the Count – A Baseball Life, was released recently which outlines the CPAC team. This film can be viewed on the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame Website.

Despite Clearwater’s low population, it has fielded many talented baseball teams and hosted many prestigious tournaments. In 1984, Clearwater won the Provincial Senior AA Championship under colourful manager Harold Orr at Grosse Isle. They then went on to win a second provincial championship at Sinclair Park in Winnipeg in 1987. In 1985, Clearwater was a league finalist, and in 1986, they captured the Border West Baseball League title. In 1988, they were West Division champions.

The Elmwood Giants were a highly competitive team in the Redboine Senior League from 1979 to 1997. They finished second in the Redboine League for five straight seasons from 1989 to 1993, losing to the previously inducted St. Boniface Native Sons each time.

The Elmwood Giants won the silver medal at the 1989 Western Canadian Senior Championships in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

In 1994, the Giants finally captured the Redboine League Championship and competed at the Western Canadian Championships in Kelowna, British Columbia. Between 1989 and 1994, the Elmwood Giants compiled a record of 174 wins and 69 losses.

Dennis Wiebe was born in Rivers, Manitoba in 1947. Wiebe was a strong fielder, a fierce pitcher, and consistent hitter. He threw a deceptive curveball and perfected the “Wiebe Pickoff”. Wiebe was an all-star first-baseman in 1973 and 1974. He was a great team player, and was previously inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame as a part of four teams, including the 1964-69 Rivers Comets, the 1967 Brandon Parklane Juniors, the 1966-71 Brandon Cloverleafs, and the 1988-92 Giroux Athletics.

 

Dennis Wiebe, Newspaper Article 1970

Dennis Wiebe Newspaper Article 1974 (2)

Dennis Wiebe Newspaper Article, 1974

These articles are gathered from the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections, Winnipeg Tribune Collection

Tom Thompson was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Thompson began his coaching career with the Isaac Brock Royals. With this team, he won provincial bantam titles in 1973 and 1974, and provincial midget titles in 1975 and 1976. Thompson was a founding member of the reformed Manitoba Junior Baseball League in 1977. He then became owner, operator, and coach of the South End Chiefs for a decade. During this stretch, Thompson coached Team Manitoba at the 1981 Canada Summer Games. In 1987, he captured the Western Canada Junior Championship title during his first year as the coach of the Elmwood Giants. Just a few years later, in 1990, he led another team to the Manitoba Junior Baseball League title. Thompson served on the Manitoba Baseball Association in multiple executive positions, and he served in similar capacities in the Winnipeg Minor Baseball Association.

Tom Thompson Newspaper Article 1975

This article was gathered from the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections, Winnipeg Tribune Collection

Gordon Riddell was born in Warren, Manitoba. Riddell began his baseball career with his hometown. He was catcher for the juvenile Warren team when they won the 1957 Winnipeg League title. After an electrical accident ended his playing career in 1964, Riddell coached in Warren and St. James. With Warren, he won the Interlake title in 1975 and developed the Interlake Blazers junior baseball team in that era. He initiated the resurrection of the Optimist Park sports facility when he coached in St. James. While coaching in St. James, he set up local indoor baseball clinics both locally and in America. Riddell was also known for coaching minor hockey and curling, as well as for his volunteer work at major sporting events.

Bob Kutzan was born in Grandview, Manitoba on March 24, 1944. Kutzan began his senior baseball career with the Dauphin Redbirds in 1958. He pitched in both starting and closing roles while his team advanced to 1961 Manitoba Senior Baseball League (MSBL) and provincial titles. Twice, Kutzan was invited to the Detroit Tigers’ training camp while he was playing at North Dakota State University. He later played for the Binscarth Orioles from 1969 to 1974, during which years he won the Senior B title from 1969-71. He went on to pitch in the winning MSBL title game against the Riverside Canucks. Kutzan showed immense dedication to baseball throughout his career, even making regular 12-hour commutes to support his teams. Previously, Kutzan has been inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame as a team member of both the 1959-93 Dauphin Redbirds and the 1969-74 Binscarth Orioles.

 

 

Bob Kutzan Newspaper article, 1975

Bob Kutzan, Newspaper Article (2) 1975

These articles are from University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections, Winnipeg Tribune Collection

Sam Katz was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on August 20, 1951. Over the course of his childhood, Katz developed an immense love for baseball, and he committed himself to bringing professional baseball back to Winnipeg. He later promoted a game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Canada’s national team in Winnipeg in 1987. Then, he signed a deal to start an independent professional Northern League expansion team in Winnipeg in 1994, and became the owner and president of the Winnipeg Goldeyes expansion team that year. Katz saw his team capture the Northern League championship in that year. He then went on to oversee the first phase of construction of CanWest Global Park in 1999. In 2012, two years before his induction into the MBBHOF, his Goldeyes captured the American Association of Independent Baseball Clubs championship.

Kris Holmstrom was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Known as “Homer”, Holmstrom was one of the most powerful and talented left-handed hitters in his 20 years of highly competitive baseball. He was named to many all-star teams at the midget, junior, and senior levels. Holmstrom batted .438 in his rookie season with the senior Elmwood Giants in 1993, and won the provincial title with them in ’94. He later went on to play with Legion 141 in 1998 where he drove in 8 of the team’s 19 runs in two straight provincial senior championship wins against the Birtle Blue Jays.

Ab Hansford was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on March 25, 1936. Hansford began playing organized baseball in Norwood, Winnipeg. He had tremendous arm and was a relief pitcher in critical games. Hansford led Norwood to championships in the midget, juvenile, and junior ranks before playing with the Elmwood Giants senior team from 1958-60. He was named tournament MVP of the Winnipeg Junior League in 1956. Hansford played a game with the Northern Leagues Winnipeg Goldeyes and attended the Washington Senators Baseball School in Florida in 1957. While in Washington, Hansford was named the Outstanding Shortstop. He went on to play in the Georgia-Florida Class D League in 1957.