A look in from Saturday's ceremony at the Alex Dillabough Centre. (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

38th Annual Induction

Sask Baseball H.O.F. celebrates Induction Class of 2023

Aug 21, 2023 | 3:47 PM

Over 320 people filled the Alex Dillabough Centre in Battleford Saturday night, for the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame’s 38^th Annual Induction Ceremony.

Thirteen individuals and two teams were enshrined to the Hall with the Class of ‘23. Among them was Kevin Frey from Saskatoon, a former All-American All-Star pitcher at Dana College in Nebraska, and regular representing Saskatchewan, highlighted by MVP honours at the 1986 Western Canadian Playoffs in Kindersley.

Frey called it an honour to receive the call to the Hall.

“Just looking around the room, there’s a rich history of baseball so it’s nice to see players from the past being honoured, and people from my generation, and obviously younger teams from after I was playing,” he said.

“I’m very honoured to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”

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Margaret Smith represented her brother Gordon Campbell of Avonlea, who was inducted posthumously, for his excellence on the mound back in the 1950s. He was a three-time recipient (1953, ’54, ’55) of the Scotty Melville Award for Top Pitcher in the Southern Baseball League during his time with his hometown Avonlea Arrows.

Smith said seeing her brother inducted to the Hall is something that meant a lot to her and the whole family.

“It’s very special for our family because Gordon was a very special person,” Smith said. “As the middle child he was not always recognized for his work, so when I heard he was going to be inducted into this Hall of Fame I had this surge of joy.

“I was just so happy for this humble man, who if he were here to receive the award, would have a half-a-smile and a nod and I know he’d be satisfied; so I’m just here to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for this award for my brother Gordon.”

Sue Mabee represented her father, Ralph Mabee of Stoughton, Sask., who was also inducted posthumously for his role as a face of baseball in Saskatoon and ambassador of the sport across the province and beyond. He also managed Canada’s 1956 entry into the Global World Series in Milwaukee, WI.

Mabee said everything about Saturday’s ceremony made the evening special, right down to its Aug. 19 date.

“Today [Sat] is my dad’s birthday and he would have been 111 years old today, so happy birthday dad,” she said with a warm smile, adding that she couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate her father than honouring his contributions to the game of baseball.

“He was so proud of it. We had pennants hanging in our living room over the years and we grew up with baseball. Just talking to people here and hearing all the names I heard him talk about over the years, it just brings it all home,” she said.

Greg Miazga, who represented the 1972 Saskatoon Midget Raiders team that won the 18U AAA provincial title and Western Canadian Midget Baseball Championship, said it was special to be able to share the evening’s banquet with a number of teammates who made the trip from various communities, some of which he didn’t have a chance to catch up with for decades.

“It’s just great to see some of these guys that I hadn’t seen in 50 or 51 years now,” he said, gesturing to the table where his teammates were gathered. “This brought us all together and to be recognized here with the Hall I think is just fantastic.”

It is a sentiment echoed by Troy Winterhalt, representing the Lloydminster Meridian Sr. Twins team from 2000-2014, which won 10 North Sask. River Baseball League championships in 15 years.

“It’s the fellowship and relationships you build over time with your teammates over the years,” Winterhalt said of what stands out most, looking back. “It’s the time you’ve spent together. You don’t always get to see each other even if you live in the same community, so it’s always awesome to get back together with the team.

“Obviously our province has a huge history of baseball and being a little bit of a younger team inducted, it’s remarkable to see all the people here and the event they put on. Being inducted as a team it’s been good to see all my fellow teammates and the guys who made it here with their wives and families.”

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1