BATTLEFORD - It really did seem like it was āBack to Normalā for the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame on Saturday night.
It was the night of the 36th Annual Induction dinner at the Alex Dillabough Centre, an event that had been long delayed due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions over the past year.
As a result, it was a long wait for the current group of inductees to be entered into the Hall. Almost all of them had been slated to enter the Hall last year, but they finally got their long-awaited recognition this weekend with family and friends in attendance in Battleford. Many of them also got to enjoy a look at the newly-repainted Hall of Fame building during the day, where a display was set up showing pictures of all the nominees inside.
Some inductees or their representatives were unable to be in Battleford this weekend: Allan Fitzsimmons of Saskatoon, representatives for the late Roy Taylor of Visalia, California, and the Kamsack Cyclones were not in attendance. However, the rest were on hand to accept their induction personally, and they are as follows:
The Late Father Leonard Albers, represented by Don Albers.
Fred Curts of Holdfast, SK.
Al Greschuk of Saskatoon.
George Guillaume of Moose Jaw.
Elemer Jerkovits of Regina.
Rick Johnston of Maidstone.
Kevin Kusch of Lloydminster.
Rocky Nickel of Caronport.
Neil Erlacher of Okotoks, AB, formerly of Macklin.
The late āGoldieā Wiggins, represented by his nephew Larry Wiggins.
Members of the Aquadell Flyers Baseball Team, 1947-1972.
Members of the Edam Blue Sox, 1985-1994.
The Village of Gray, Saskatchewan.
There were also special sponsor presentations as well as the presentation of the Dave Shury Cup to the late Gil Bellavance, a longtime supporter and director of the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
For the inductees and those representing them, it was a time for them to reminisce and reflect on the game.
āHe was a pretty good batter as well as a pitcherā said Larry Wiggins, nephew of the late Goldie Wiggins who was being inducted. Larry also remembered Goldieās time as a coach.
āOne particular practice, there was a left-handed guy and when he comes to pitch, the first pitch he threw wasnāt a strike. But Goldie came to the mound and said āletās do this right ā Iāll show you how to wind upā,ā Larry said.
Those at the induction ceremony expressed their appreciation that the induction ceremony was able to go off without a hitch.
āIām certainly appreciative of all she has done,ā said George Guillaume, referring to the Hallās President Jane Shury. He was impressed with what he saw at the Hall of Fame and Museum that day.
āI didnāt know it existed until five years ago. Now that Iām here and seen it all, Iām sure glad I was at the sport for 30 years.ā
Guillaume recounted that his own personal highlight from baseball was as a spectator -- when he and four teammates went to New York and Brooklyn to see the 1955 World Series, won by the Brooklyn Dodgers. āI saw all seven games and got all seven stubs, Usually a guy at 22 years old throws everything away but I didnāt!ā
Elemer Jerkovits, who has been umpiring for 46 years, said it was āa great honour to be involved in the sport for so long and to be recognized as a contributor to the sport through the umpiring side of the game.ā
As for the delay due to COVID-19, Jerkovits said it did not bother him. āCOVID is what it is and we have to make adjustments,ā said Jerkovits. āItās here now and its just such a great honour, and Iām really thankful for the people who felt I deserved to belong here.ā
āAfter the last year and a half, itās wonderful to have a gathering and see so many baseball players and umpires and friends,ā said Rick Johnston, who called it a great honour to be voted in. āItās worth the wait.ā
āYou spend a day at the museum and itās quite humbling to able to be part of an honoured groupā¦ to see the history of the game right in front of you, itās fantasticā said Kevin Kusch, who is known as āMr. Baseball in Lloydminsterā as the former president of minor baseball there.
It was Kusch who gave the reply address on behalf of the 2021 inductees. āAs inductees we hope this will continue for years to come. Baseballās a great, challenging game,ā he said. āIn true Saskatchewan fashion letās continue supporting the good work being done to strengthen the sport we love.ā