BATTLEFORD - In the words of Billy Beane, “It’s hard not to be romantic about baseball.”
Aug. 17, a great crowd of inductees, family, friends and baseball enthusiasts were on hand as the 39th edition of the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony took place in Battleford.
Community, camaraderie, connections and most of all, gratitude, was everywhere. MC, Ray Beck, grandfather to one of the stars of the inaugural Saskatoon Berries baseball team, Carter Beck, led the program along.
Every speaker that came to the microphone expressed appreciation and gratitude for 90-year-old SBHOF curator, Jane Shury.
Many stories shared talked about the community that baseball creates and the connections it fosters. Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie said his daughter who didn’t watch baseball was at an event where inductee Andrew Albers was speaking and was sure to get his autograph for her dad, who was out of town, waiting up into the early morning hours for his return to present him with it. Leslie says this showcases the impact these inductees have on their community and its residents.
Andrew Albers, former MLB player, and inductee, guest speaker
Guest speaker, and 2024 inductee, Andrew Albers, talked about Saskatchewan’s rich history of baseball and his pride in being part of that history. He referred to the grass roots of baseball in the province, even mentioning Marysburg, that only has one church and one baseball field, yet helps produce great teams and great players.
Albers referred to the Regina little league team who made it to the Little League World Series in 2023, only the second Saskatchewan team to do so, and the impact that appearance would have on hundreds of other young players’ baseball dreams.
- With files from Averil Hall
“Saskatchewan baseball is like farming, and many other aspects of this province. People put in the time and the work to see the desired outcome,” said Albers when referring to the career of fellow inductee, Dustin Molleken, who spent 12 years in the minors before making it to the big leagues in 2016.
Albers also gave accolades to Stu Scheurwater who worked his way up the officiating ranks which resulted in a career in the major leagues as an umpire, making his MLB debut in 2014 and began working full time in the majors in 2017.
Giving thanks to so many volunteers, coaches, minor baseball executives and others who make it possible for kids like himself to dream big, he said, “I am thankful my dream came true.”
Community and provincial support were evident throughout his professional career as Albers talked of continued messages directly to him or passed on from his family of the pride in their hometown product achieving his baseball dream.
Reliving with humour his surprise, Albers said when at his MLB debut in Kansas City he heard his name chanted as he came out of the dugout only to see his buddies with the letter of his name painted on their chest. The rest of that game was the history for both Albers the pitcher and the Albers fans who became famous on the television screens that day.
Dan Reynish, CHAT TV, Medicine Hat, introduced each inductee with enthusiasm and effervescence. Inductees from small communities of Unity and Turtleford as well as those from larger centres, all whose bios read showcased their role in baseball history in the province.
Inductee Stacy Walker outlines the healing power of baseball
With all the metaphors and references to baseball heard throughout the night, none brought more emotion than the closing remarks delivered by inductee Stacy Walker.
Walker enjoyed some jovial moments and memories with the crowd before he brought about silence and emotion while reliving his most powerful baseball journey that resulted in healing.
While games and moments in those games still were fresh in Walker’s mind, no moment was more powerful than when he suffered an ischemic stroke in 2022 that left him having to re-learn how to walk and use his left arm.
Although he tried to convince the doctors to release him the next day as he had a baseball game to play, it was the fundamentals of baseball that got him back to where he is today.
“When grasping my diagnosis, I was so sad and disappointed to not be able to talk to my family and talk about baseball.”
He begged his therapists to pitch him a ball so he could hit and using non traditional equipment, Walker describes this first moment with baseball since his stroke as incentive and a moment he’ll never forget.
He then asked for a ball which he bounced hundreds of times and he couldn’t catch. But repeated practise with a drive to get back on the field, and he caught the ball three times in a row. The pure love of baseball and these fundamentals are what Walker described as healing him.
Even though he hasn’t played ball since, he continues his goal to be back on the field some day, all the while with continuing the fundamentals of baseball helping him along in his healing journey.
The metaphors delivered that baseball and life have in common were evident, be humble, be thankful, respect others and never stop improving.
Jane Shury delivered closing remarks for the night with heartfelt thanks to attendees, sponsors, volunteers and those who help her continue to capture and build on Saskatchewan’s baseball history.
