A Couple of Baseball Hall of Famers

Correction:  All these years later, I’m reminded that, while Bill Reid did eventually catch for the Angels, the star behind the plate in their glory years was actually Dwight Fansher.  I recall Dwight as a phenomenal athlete.  As a youngster (and a catcher myself at the time), it always impressed me that he could ‘peg’ the ball to second base from his crouch position. I don’t recall specifically, but I’m sure the pitcher would have had to duck.  I also remember that he was a multiple sport star, a key player on the senior hockey team.  Note:  Billy Reid was first baseman in the glory days.

In 1967, at the age of nine, I remember being a baseball fanatic. After all, living in a baseball community like Govan, Saskatchewan, how could you not be a fanatic? With a town population of, oh, I would guess about 3 to 400, we had teams in every age group from 8 & under to senior baseball.

The teams I played on merrit no special commentary, but the Govan Angels Senior team — that’s another story! They were a pleasure to watch and a source of much pride. Half the town followed the Angels around the province during those wonderful winning years. I remember travelling to Prince Albert in 1968 and staying at the Marlboro Hotel, confident that we were there for a coronation of sorts. That year, following the banner year of the 1967 Western Canadian Championship, our hopes were dashed (see article below). Cries of “illegal import” went up from our side, though I’m not sure it was ever challenged (If I close my eyes I can still see the stocky fellow from P.A. knocking the dinger that sealed our fate).

I still remember names like the Davis brothers, Lorne and Rick (pitchers mostly), the Danbrook brothers, Reg and Merv (also pitchers).  Billy Reid (catcher and bad-boy), Robbie McLane, who was an import from Imperial, Sk.  Obscure names that pop into my head for no particular reason. Louis Racoachie (sp?).

Then there was our lanky, rangy center fielder, who it seemed to us could cover the whole outfield singlehandedly. None other than our school principal, Mr N.A. Bruce.  I couldn’t help but smile as I read this article from The Seniors Paper that my wife showed me. Even more than fifty years later, it helped to fill in a few of the blanks.

I also managed to find this article on Canadian Baseball in 1967:

http://www.attheplate.com/wcbl/1967_1.html

Dave Pagan:  https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/paganda01.shtml

It sure would be fun to get some memories from Govanites around this time!

Coincidentally, this was in last week’s local paper (H/T Brenda Fritzler).  The occasion was a 50th class reunion of one of Mr. Bruce’s classes.