Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame welcomes 2026 induction class

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(Image Credit: Ryan Lambert/battlefordsNOW staff)

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David George, a former Town of Battleford councillor, has done it all in the local baseball community, spending time as a player and coach while continuing to umpire.

“I guess it’s a culmination of your lifetime. It’s a great journey and it’s been awesome.”

He added the people he met through baseball made the experience worthwhile.

“The big thing is all the players and all the kids, and that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “The camaraderie I had with them is just so amazing.”

As well as meeting countless people through the game, George said it has been special to coach and watch the generations that followed him.

“Coaching Andrew Albers and those kids and Michael, my son, playing with him all those years and everything. Then going to watch Andrew pitch his first ball game in Kansas City with my son Michael. Amazing. Those are things that you’ll always cherish.”

(Image Credit: Ryan Lambert/battlefordsNOW staff)

Another Battlefords representative, Troy Winterhalt’s career began in minor baseball and stretched into his mid-40s, including time with teams in North Battleford, Wilkie, Lloydminster and Meadow Lake.

He won 12 North Saskatchewan River Baseball League championships and seven provincial titles.

“The special things were definitely the teammates,” Winterhalt said. “Winning baseball is what drives you and it makes it a lot of fun when you win.”

Winterhalt said the induction brought back memories of the family members, coaches and teammates who helped him throughout his career.

“Whether you played with them for one game or 200 games, they all had an impact in helping get here today.”

(Image Credit: Ryan Lambert/battlefordsNOW staff)

The 1971 North Battleford Junior Beavers were also inducted after hosting the Canadian junior championships and winning bronze that season.

Former North Battleford mayor Wayne Ray accepted on behalf of the team and said reuniting with former teammates made the evening especially meaningful.

“Being asked to represent the Junior Beavers was an honour as well. I guess you could say it’s a full-circle moment.”

Ray recalled homering on the first pitch he saw against Prince Edward Island during the 1971 championships.

“That was a pretty special moment for me at that time. It was pretty special to see the guys back.”

(Image Credit: Ryan Lambert/battlefordsNOW staff)

Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame president Earl Berard credited the event’s success to the volunteers working together.

“The whole team functioned as a team, and that was good to see because it takes a lot of people working together to make it happen,” Berard said.

Along with the Battlefords representatives, the following were inducted into the hall of fame:

• George Dimas
• Trevor Drury
• Peter Duncan (represented by Don Hilsendager)
• Tony Kuffner
• Barry Martin
• Archie Sanderson (posthumously, represented by his wife, Bernice)
• Glenn Winkler (represented by his daughter, Courtney)
• The 1971 Lumsden Cubs
• The 1960s Unity Cardinals
• The Flaman Family

A night filled with laughter, tears, singing and celebration saw people from across Saskatchewan gather in Battleford to celebrate the newest hall of fame class, which will forever be remembered in provincial baseball history.

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ryan.lambert@pattisonmedia.com