Elmwood Giants 2000-2005

The Elmwood Giants excelled in the Winnipeg Senior Baseball League, Manitoba playoffs, and Western Canada Senior championships from 2000-2005. The Giants were Winnipeg Senior League champions in 2000 and 2005, and Manitoba Senior AA champions in 2000, 2001 and 2003. The Giants represented Manitoba in Western Canada tournaments in Saskatoon 2001 winning a silver medal, and captured Gold medals in 2002 at Winkler and 2004 at home.

 

Elmwood Giants Senior AA Baseball Club

2002, 2004 Western Canada Senior AA Champions

2001, 2003 Manitoba Senior AA All-Stars Champions

2000, 2005 Winnipeg Senior Baseball League Champions

(pictured: 2002 Western Canada Champions)

Wawanesa Brewers 2006–11

After winning three straight Pembina Valley Baseball AA League championships from 2003-05 the Wawanesa Brewers switched to the Southwest Senior AA Baseball League for the 2006 season. They continued their dominance in their new surroundings by winning pennants in four of six seasons, from 2006-11 and finishing second the other two years. They went on to win the Manitoba Senior AA provincial crown two years, 2007 and 2011, while also twice being Senior AA finalists and semi-finalists once. The Brewers were managed and coached by two Manitoba Baseball Hall of Famers, Ron Seafoot and Wayne Gullet. The team also featured two Manitoba Senior AA Player of the Year, Cutis Seafoot (2007) and Mark McGregor (2011).

Waskada Orioles 1984–89

The Waskada Orioles dominated the Southwest Baseball League in the six years from 1984-89. They captured the league championship five of those years and were finalists in the sixth. In Manitoba playoffs the Orioles were almost as good as they won three Provincial “B” Championships and were finalists twice. Over the six years the team was comprised of 27 local players as well as five extra players from the SWBL that were added for provincial playoffs.

All-Century Team

Manitoba’s All-Star Dream Team of players was selected by a special MB Baseball Hall of Fame committee for inclusion in the book “The Northern Game, Baseball the Canadian Way” written by Toronto Sun baseball columnist and 2015 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Bob Elliott and published in 2005 by Sport Media Publishing, Toronto.

The 17 members are as follows,

Ross Tycoles

  • Born in Reston, MB in 1954
  • A significant player, coach, and builder in the history of Manitoba Baseball
  • Perennial South West Baseball League All-Star in the 1980s as a slugging first baseman and pitcher
  • At the Provincial Championships, Ross hit five home runs including three grand slams and three doubles en route to the Deloraine Royals Championship
  • As a coach, Ross’s teams have made 17 provincial playoff appearances since 1991
  • Manitoba Baseball Association’s High-Performance Coach of the Year 2003
  • Three-time Manitoba Senior Baseball League Coach of the Year
  • High involvement in promoting and reviving baseball across Southwestern Manitoba
  • South West Baseball League President for 10 years and President of Reston Minor Baseball for 12 years
  • Manitoba Baseball Association Director and Vice-President of High-Performance for three years
  • Inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Association Honour Society in 2012

Ross Tycoles Newspaper Article 1980

 

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

Jeff Trager

  • Born in Winnipeg, MB in 1969
  • A local star in Winnipeg for 25 years in Junior and Senior Leagues form 1987-2011
  • Jeff had a 4-year junior career in Elmwood, winning the Provincial Championship in 1987 and 1990
  • Jeff, with a few friends, formed the Kildonan Mudcats and joined the Winnipeg Senior Baseball League
  • The Kildonan Mudcats won the League Title in their first year, and Jeff was named MVP
  • Jeff also won awards such as the Outstanding Pitcher Award with the Winnipeg South Chiefs in 1995
  • Winner of the All-Star Utility Player with the Winnipeg South Chiefs Seniors in 2005
  • In 2005, Jeff won the All-Star Short-Stop Award with the St Boniface Black Sox
  • Won All-Star Third Baseman Award with the Winnipeg South Chiefs Seniors in 2009
  • Jeff was on five Provincial winners and played in two Western tournaments
  • Also coaches AA and AAA levels

Melbourne Stoughton

  • A hard-working and valuable coach who had an amazing ability to work with youth through sports
  • Spent over 20 years organizing teams and tournaments, preparing diamonds, and coaching in his hometown of Gilbert Plains, MB
  • Mel’s teams won five Manitoba Championships and three Western Canada Championships at two different levels in the four years from 1965-1968
  • Mel became the director of the Manitoba Baseball Association in the 1960’s and spent 9 years as the scorekeeper and statistician for Grandview Lakers Senior Ball in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League in the 1970’s

Newspaper Article 1978

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

Gerald Palidwor

  • A respected player, coach, and organizer for baseball in Manitoba
  • Played for Springfield in the Manitoba Junior Baseball League
  • Reorganized and developed the Winnipeg Junior “B” League, where teams Gerry coached have won multiple titles
  • Organizes minor baseball in Oakbank, MB
  • Gerry has served several terms as President of the Winnipeg Senior Baseball League
  • Promoted and developed baseball programs for the 40+ age group
  • Gerry’s teams have won numerous championships in the Winnipeg Junior Baseball League
  • As a computer professional, Gerry worked to develop league-wide sites for league statistics that are still in use today

Larry Nicholls

  • Larry started playing and winning baseball at a very young age
  • A strong pitcher, catcher, and first baseman
  • In 1968, Larry began playing for Holland and helped coach the town’s A team
  • Instrumental is organizing the Santa Clara League and having it associated with the Manitoba Baseball Association
  • In 1976, Larry started umping senior ball and eventually became the Umpire-in-Chief of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League
  • Became President of Killarney Minor Ball in 1983
  • Awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award from the Manitoba Baseball Association in 1986
  • Larry left coaching in 1987 to become a full-time umpire
  • Was an official at National Championships and Western Canada Championships numerous times and at the World Championships twice

Rod Ledochowski

  • Rod was a talented hitter, shortstop, and pitcher as well as an influential coach
  • One of very few athletes who could play with four teams in one season
  • Won the Western Canada Championships with the Elmwood Giants in 1987 in Edmonton, Alberta
  • Had a successful four-year college baseball career in North Dakota (1986-1989)
  • Distinguished career in senior baseball with the Teulon Cardinals
  • In 1999, Rod won the Manitoba AA Senior Player of the Year Award
  • Rod also coached many Teulon Minor Baseball teams, winning multiple medals and leading numerous teams to championships
  • Since 2001, Rod has been in charge of Teulon Minor Baseball
  • Rod has served for over a decade on the Interlake Minor Ball Executive