The Steinbach Millers captured the La Verendrye Baseball League Championship three times during the final five seasons of the league. Victories in 1965, 1966 and 1968 were offset by close losses in the 1964 and 1967 playoffs. The 1964 Millers were undefeated in league play and were dominant in weekly tournaments before being upset in the league semi-finals.

The team featured a tight defence, strong pitching from both sides and timely hitting while using only players from the local area. With the demise of the La Verendrye League at the end of the 1968 season, the Millers went on to play in the much stronger Manitoba Senior A Baseball League Eastern Division in 1969, marking the 30th consecutive season of Senior baseball in Steinbach.

The Baldur Regals captured the Border West Senior AA Baseball League title six consecutive seasons (2006-2011) and went on to win the Manitoba Senior AA provincial crown three straight years, 2008-10, while also being the 2011 Senior AA semi-finalists. They reached the pinnacle of Senior AA supremacy by winning the Western Canadian title at Peace River, Alberta in 2009.

Series MVP Darrick Jones was named 2009 Senior AA player of the year, and the Regals’ coach Gerry Janz was selected as the MBA High-Performance Coach in 2009. Pitcher Chris Reykdal was Senior AA player of the year in 2008 and southpaw Anthony Friesen was also a key member of the Regals pitching staff.

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The Stonewall Blue Jays excelled in League, Manitoba and Western Canada Senior championships. The Blue Jays were Winnipeg Senior League champions in 2003, 2008, 2009 and were Manitoba Senior AA champions in 2002, 2005 and 2006.

The Jays were silver medallists in 2006 at Saskatoon and 2008 on their home field complex, Fines Field. Many former players are still active in coaching as a way to give back to the game of baseball.

Born in 1965, Tom began playing senior baseball in 1979 at age 14. He played for the Plumas Pirates of the Santa Clara League for the next 32 years, posting a record of 182 home runs in 480 games and a .440 lifetime batting average. He played for Manitoba at the Western Canadian championships in 1995, ’96 and ’97, and has been coaching minor ball since 1995. His involvement in baseball in his community led him to receive the 2007 MBA Volunteer Award, and in 2012 was named Plumas’ Mr. Baseball by the Santa Clara League.

Born in 1943, Winston began coaching in the 1980s at the AA and AAA levels in Winnipeg South. His coaching career eventually led him to become a member of the Board of Directors of the Winnipeg South Minor Baseball Association. His volunteer efforts expanded to include serving as the Vice-President of Policy on the Baseball Manitoba Management Committee, as well as serving on Baseball Canada’s Bylaws Committee. His involvement led him to the Pan-Am Games in 1999 as a member of the Technical Committee. He was also a representative for the Western Canada Baseball Association at numerous championships, including the 2011 Bantam AAA championship.

Russ pitched for the Brandon Colt All-Stars in 1962-63, helping them win the Western Canadian Championship in 1962. This set him off on an outstanding career of pitching and batting cleanup, playing for the Brandon Canucks in 1964-65 and the Brandon Junior Greys in 1965-66. While he was with the Greys they won two Manitoba Championships and two Western Canada runner-ups. He joined St. Lazare Athletics in 1966, where his pitching record was 4-1. In 1967 he helped the Brandon Parklane Juniors with the Canadian Junior Championship, then moved on to the MSBL to play for the Riverside Canucks in 1968-69. The Canucks were Western Division champs in 1968 and Western Canadian Champions in 1969.

 

Russ Reid Newspaper Article 1966

Russ Reid Newspaper Article 1968

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

Born in 1965, Ken began playing for the Boissevain Centennials when he was 17. By the time he turned 24, he was leading the team as player-manager and off-field organizer. He guided his team to six Southwest Baseball League titles between 1990-96 and three Manitoba Senior AA crowns. He won the League MVP title in 1994 and 1995. From 2008-2014, he coached minor ball and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013 as a member of the Boissevain Centennials.

Art had an outstanding pitching career at the Junior, Provincial, Collegiate and Senior levels. He was named the MJBL’s Most Outstanding Pitcher in 1989 and 1990, and pitched Team Manitoba’s only victory in the 1989 Canada Summer Games. Playing for Mayville State University, he was given the North Dakota Athletic Association’s Most Valuable Graduation Senior award in 1992. He was also named to the NAIA District All-Star team and received an Honourable Mention All American selection. He went on to play for the Elmwood Giants of the Redboine Senior League, and was Assistant Coach to the 1993 Mayville State team.

An outstanding pitcher, John posted a pitching record of 24-6 while playing for the St. Boniface Legionnaires from 1971-73. He was considered one of the premier pitchers in the Redboine Senior League, and was selected to play on the Manitoba All-Stars team in 1978. The All-Stars were crowned Western Canadian Champions that year. During one memorable provincial tournament in Carberry, John pitched two nine-inning games with a torn rotator cuff, leading his team to a win both times. In 1971, he helped start the St. Boniface Legionnaires Junior Baseball Club and was a founding member of the St. Boniface Native Sons in 1975.

Ross played in the MSBL for 11 seasons, where he won the league championship twice – in 1972 with the Binscarth Orioles and in 1975 with the McAuley Blazers. During that time, he also participated in three National Championships. His reputation as one of the most dependable Canadian pitchers in the league led him to success abroad, playing for the Zillmere North Stars in Brisbane, Australia for one season. In 2006, he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

Ross Lynd Newspaper Article, 1973

Ross Lynd Newspaper Article, 1974

Ross Lynd Newspaper Article 1975

Ross Lynd Newspaper Article (2) 1975

Ross Lynd Newspaper Article 1976

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