Swift Current era Swift Current was home to us, for a long time ,from 1975 to 1997,all that time I worked in the Media and played and coached ball.I had officailly retired to give my Radio career first dibs ,and worked hard at it,and did very well I mite add,but ,my past ghosts came back to haunt me as the Leader Post had a hugh writeup about me leaving the Winnepeg Kernals, of the Western Major Fastball League,,pro ball ,anyway ,Winnepeg and I came to terms and I was given my amateur status back!The L-P is well read in SC ,so that day I had 2 calls to come and play ball,one from Frontier Moving,and one from Bill and Harvs.,I chose Bill and Harvs and on with the show this is it!!!! The SC league was known as SC and District Fastball League,teams were from Neville,Burnham,Rush Lake,Bill & Harvs.Frontier Moving,Healy Hotel and the Hondas from Wymark area!Each team actually was in fine shape ,all had 2 pitchers and 3-4 extra players for a nice 14 man roster,Burnham had a great pitcher,Darryl Wallace,and good hitting as well,Rush Lake had Stew Wells and Doug Robertson on the mound and where a threat at the plate at all times,Neville had the Broten boys and good hitting and good defencively as well,.In Swift Current the Frontires had Wilf Montgomery and Ron Giesbrecht on the hill ,and was a real good all around ball team,the Healy boys had workhorseVan Wamer on the hill and perhaps the weakest team,Hondas had Rueben Wiebe as their ace and were a real proud bunch of mennonite boys that never gave up ,Bill & Harvs was by far the most hated team ,because we were good and gave the teams the fits,pitching veterans John Wiebe and Red ,me ,with an all-around veteran ckliky bunch,Ken Thomas,Bruce Klassen,Terry Riddle,Daryl Schlamp and Johnny Pribyl were the backbone of this team!Team manager ,coach Jack Byers was the leader, no two ways about it ,this was His team!!!He ventured where no one walked ,to A tournaments in Saskatoon,Regina,Plentywood,Havre and Great Falls Motana, as well as Medicine hat ,AB. Bill & Harvs also had their own 24 team open class tourney,drawing all A teams from Saskatoon,Regina,Moose Jaw and Aberta , Montana and Noth Dakota!! Bill & Harvs also had their own 24 team open class tourney,drawing all A teams from Saskatoon,Regina,Moose Jaw and Aberta , Montana and Noth Dakota!!! Tour Challenges Mexico ,USA Tour The tour took us to Las Vegas ,then off to Lancaster,home ,against the Edwards Air Base ,went on to Lancaster Chemielions,I received a Replica Air Force ring,which I treasure much. We then played in Corona,Vista, Nogales,Mex,and to Phoenix. We played 18 games and won 11 and lost7. We also played in Oceansde,Chula Vista! Each city treated us like heros ,with the mayors and recreation and ambassadors at the games. We all received momentous and souvenirs,a great all around idea and good will!!!!! :McKaig,Friesen,Heese,Hilderbrand,Ridley,Byers,Wiebe,Peterson,MB: Pallister,Brown,Duggan,Andersun The tour was dedicated to Marty Froese,my cousin,pitcher and friend,He accidentally died in a car mishap at Butte Montana,on the way down to join our tour,Marty was married to Becky, Miss you,Marty .Marty was a great pitcher,a lefty,fast and had the neatest change-up around,He thru a fine drop ball as well. Marty was a dedicated ball player,team man,good hitter and excellent attitude!He was self driven,motivated and a complete player. worked hard at his craft and would have developed into a world class thrower,had he had the chance.T he tour was devastated when nephew Wilf called me about the sad news,I, imediatedly called Martys mom,my aunt and asked what we should do,no hesitation,Marty would want you to go on with the tour. we did so in his Honour!!! Swift Current:: . This was as competitive, rivalry laden league, as they come .The league was made up of City teams and Rush Lake,Neville, Kyle, Burnham,the fan support was great and most games were broadcast on CKSW. Bill & Harvs (sponsor name of Schell Service Station),also hosted a 24 team tourney every year,teams invited were the best of Sask,Alberta and Montana,playing for Three Thousand Dollars in prize money.KTThomas the catcher for Bill&Harvs passed away ,Jan 25/07at age 61,what a competitor ,My condolences to Lynn and family,sorry. These were some of my very best years,pressure was gone ,now,learn to play competitive,but,still have fun. Like I said ,my prime years were over,however I could help to coach,pitch the odd and even games,less travel,and all good guys .My work was most important to me and loved my years in broadcast,very high commitments but I could handle it ,I was young. Primarily,my job was to create revenue,which was very important to owner Elmer Hildebrand of Altona ,Manitoba.I loved Elmer and we worked planned together well!A lot of quiet PRESSURE,however,we all got with the program and won! More-----------Playing with Bill & Harvs,was fun,veteran team and willing to expand horizons,go beyond the norm,KT.DS,JW,LC,ELBK,TR and so on,we went tourneys and hosted our own 24 team ,from all over western Canada and Montana,it was the focus point for summer activities in SW Sask. More====We embarked on a new venture ,creating the Can-Am Fastpitch League,teams from Swift Current,Medicine Hat,Lethbridge, Havre,and two teams from Great Falls. The concept was to play tournaments in each city and allow any players to take part,no fixed rosters and more open to ,so called ,illegal pitching,and a few rules were ignored,as well! We kept it going for thee years ,and all involved were well pleased. Lack of dedication and slowpitch was our enemy ,as is the case all over this country. The time I played A ball,we had residency rules,travel rules ,so it was tougher to have a winner. Today players can sign for Nationals only and play in US or anywhere for that matter. Fastball is a great game,with one problem,no grassroots promotion like baseball,until that happens the game will continue at its hotbeds with imports and carry on. Sure hope that will change ,the sooner the better,what happens when this generation of players retire
sports,fastball,canadian winner,music ,poetry.Sask.,AB.,Weyburn,Swift Current,Medicine Hat, Saskatoon,Johnny Cash,Terri Clark,Paul Brandt,Red Friesen,Pete Landers,Dwight MacMillan,Sask Sports Hall of Fame,Warman,Regina,Calgary