Gus Pantel was born in Notre Dame, Manitoba on November 20, 1932. Pantel started playing senior baseball in 1946 with Notre Dame. Early in his career, however, Pantel also played in many tournaments throughout the surrounding area, including in Belmont, St. Jean, La Broquerie, and St. Pierre. While pitching with Notre Dame from 1947-49, Pantel and his team won the South Central League championship every year. He did this alongside fellow inductee Gerry Vigier. In 1950, Pantel signed with the Carman Cardinals of the Mandak League, where he played one year. During this year, he pitched a one-hit victory over Minot in a packed Osborne Stadium during semi-finals. In 1951 Pantel returned to Notre Dame, where his strong pitching performances helped them to be a dominate team in tournaments for 5-6 years. Pantel was one of the premier pitchers in central Manitoba during this era, and was known for his wide array of pitches, including a pretty awesome fastball.
