"Keeping it in the family" sounds a bit cliche, but there's certainly no doubt that Macy Earl lucked into some great fastball genes.
Macy is a member of the Estevan Rocket Sales Rockettes, who won the peewee provincial B title in July. She was credited for her stellar backcatching, playing 23 innings in the tournament to help her team to victory.
Her grandmother, Elsie Earl, is a ball star in her own right. Elsie was a member of the Grand Rapids Chicks in the All American Girls Baseball League, and has been inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in North Battleford, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Mary's, Ontario, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY.
Both Macy and Elsie began playing fastball at the age of nine, though for different reasons. Elsie discovered her love of the game after drawing the attention of a teacher with her good throwing arm.
"When I was going to school, there was a teacher there who kind of took me under her wing because she could see that I could throw well. She kind of coached me."
Elsie also grew up in a time where there weren't a dozen different sports offered to children.
"In my time, it was the only sport that was around, you know, because we didn't have all of these other sports," she said.
This is a world away from Macy's experience, as she is not only a talented ball player, but excels in both hockey and volleyball as well.
Macy was encouraged to play fastball by her mother, Shauna Earl, who co-coached the Rockettes this season.
"My mom really wanted me to (play). She started me in it and then I fell in love," said Macy.
Their love for the game is another similarity they share, as Elsie said she enjoys every aspect of the sport. Macy said she really enjoys intense, close games.
"When you're into a game and it's going fast and it's close," she said, describing the ideal situation.
Both Elsie and Macy have played short stop, second base and catcher, and Elsie was an outfielder as well.
In the summer of 1945, Elsie was asked to play hardball for the Grand Rapids Chicks after her team won the western Canada fastball championship. She was playing for the Saskatoon Pats at the time and had a terrific game, helping her team triumph over the Edmonton Pats. A scout for the AAGBL approached her following the final game, and offered her a spot in the league.
Elsie spent the next two summers playing for the Chicks, as well as playing on loan for the Fort Wayne Daisies when the team was short players. In 1947, Elsie helped the Chicks win the league championship.
Macy considers herself lucky to have a veteran player for a grandma.
"It's good to have her around. She can tell me what I'm doing sometimes, and has lots of stories about ball."
These days, Elsie enjoys being able to watch Macy and her team play at home.
"They play good ball here, when they get going," she said. "They have poor days too, like everybody does, but on the whole, they're pretty good. I was amazed with them."
That's definitely high praise coming from a hall of famer.
