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.

Clearwater has hosted an annual Canada Day Baseball Tournament for the past 64 years. Despite the community’s small population, Clearwater has fielded a competitive team in this tournament for the last 50 years.

In 1984, Clearwater won the Provincial Senior AA Championship under colourful manager Harold Orr at Grosse Isle. They won a second championship at Sinclair Park in Winnipeg in 1987.

In 1986, Clearwater captured the Border West Baseball League title. Clearwater were league finalists in 1985 and West Division champions in 1988.

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 was considered a strong fielder and a consistent hitter. He threw a mean left-handed curveball and perfected the “Wiebe Pickoff”. Dennis was considered a great team player with great determination and great passion. Dennis was a member of four teams already inducted in the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame: 1964-1969 Rivers Comets, 1967 Brandon Parklane Juniors, 1966-1971 Brandon Cloverleafs and the 1988-1992 Giroux Athletics. Dennis was named Manitoba Senior Baseball League All-Star 1st Baseman in 1973 and 1974.

 

 

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 began his coaching career with the Isaac Brock Royals. He won Provincial Bantam titles in 1973 and 1974 and Provincial Midget titles in 1975 and 1976. Tom was a founding member of the reformed Manitoba Junior Baseball league in 1977. He became owner, operator and coach of the South End Chiefs for 10 years. Tom coached Team Manitoba at the 1981 Canada Summer Games. He captured the Manitoba Junior Baseball League title and the Western Canada Junior Championship in 1987 in his first year as coach of the Elmwood Giants. In 1990, Tom captured another Manitoba Junior Baseball League title. He served on the Manitoba Baseball Association executive as Competition and Development Chair and 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