Smattville: Baseball Fever

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Baseball Fever

Think the Eston Ramblers only play Hockey? Think again. Yes it's true a Baseball team was put together in 1951. There was baseball fever on the prairies. Thirteen Saskatchewan communities hosted teams in three semi-pro leagues -- the Western Canada League, Northern Saskatchewan Baseball League and the Manitoba - Saskatchewan circuit. The leagues also included one Alberta club and four from Manitoba. Dozens of tournaments would dot the baseball agenda with a series of official tournaments to determine provincial champions.

Medicine Hat and Eston shared the top prize money as rain forced the cancellation of the prairie's biggest tournament, the $7,300 Edmonton event sponsored by Red Nixon. On August 7th Medicine Hat reached the final of the $7,300 Edmonton tournament taking a 6-0 lead over Regina and holding on for a 6-5 win. The Eston Ramblers advanced by defeated the Edmonton Aces 8-6. Belmont appeared to be headed for the final after taking a 6-3 lead over Eston with a five-run 6th inning. However, the Ramblers plated three in their half of the inning and added another trio in the 7th.

So with Baseball in the past, and not as popular as it once was...In Eston at least, we can't say were not all counting down the days until those Rambler skates and sticks once again touch down in our arena.

Standing: A. Locke (RF), Andy Porter (P), Robert McKinnon (U), Orlando O'Farrill (SS), Second row: Fred Hucul (C), Lindy Serpa (C), Rudy Fernandez (P), Don Stevenson (CF). Front: Jack McLeod (1b), Art Ramsay (LF), Rinie Lutcher (2b), Jim Shields (3b), Bob Bertram (Manager), Robert Stevenson (U).

posted by Matt @ 4:25 PM

2 Comments:

At 5:29 PM, Anonymous said…

Baseball...greatest ever?
At 2:44 AM, JDM said…

Re: Eston baseball info. Be nice if you at least recognized the sources from which you have stolen the info, word for word and photo by photo.

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