The Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame announced their induction class for 2020 Friday. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Home Run Class

Sask. Baseball Hall of Fame announces 2020 inductees

May 1, 2020 | 5:02 PM

Baseball fans across the province craving some positive sporting headlines received a home run announcement Friday, as the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame announced its 2020 induction class.

The announcement featured 12 individuals, one team and one community who will all be enshrined.

Inducted in the Individuals category will be Fred Curts (Holdfast), Allan Fitzsimmons (Saskatoon), Al Greschuk (Yorkton), George Guillaume (Moose Jaw), Elemer Jerkovits (Regina), Rick Johnston (Maidstone), Kevin Kusch (Lloydminster), Rocky Nickel (Caronport), Neil Urlacher (Okotoks, AB/Macklin).

Posthumously inducted will be the late Father Leonard Albers (Bengough), the late “Goldie” Wiggins (Fillmore), and the late Roy Taylor (Visalia, California/Saskatoon).

In the team category, the Aquadell Flyers of 1947-1972 will be enshrined. The Village Of Gray, Sask. will round out the 2020 class in the community category.

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Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum CEO and President Jane Shury, said the induction process was a bit of a unique situation this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than gathering as usual, members of the selection committee instead came together via Zoom conference, to vote in the selection process.

Shury said she is still hopeful restrictions on gathering will be lifted at some point later this summer so the organization can host its banquet celebration and induction ceremony.

“We’re very pleased that we had a good selection of candidates again and we have continued to plan for our 36^th annual induction Aug. 15,” she said. “Of course, if we can’t hold it at that time, we will have it later in the fall.”

Shury said another outstanding class of inductees signifies the continued importance of baseball as not just a sport, but a community fixture throughout the province, over the last number of decades.

“Having received as many nominations as we did certainly indicates that baseball is still very alive,” she said. “Baseball was here, and is still here with us and we’re happy for that at the Sask. Baseball Hall of Fame, that we can honour these people that have contributed to our rich baseball history.”

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Martin.Martinson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: MartyMartyPxP1