Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame Inducted 1973
Melville Midget Ekks Canadian Midgets Champions
August 14, 1993
Melville Elks inducted 20 years after National Win
By Wade S. Walz (The Melville Advance)
Bob Stewart will be marking a special anniversary Aug.14.
On that day, Stewart’s Melville Elks will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Battleford, some 20 years after they won the Canadian Federation of Amateur Baseball midget championship in Barrhead, Alta.
Stewart was the coach of the team, the first Saskatchewan squad to win a national baseball crown.
The Elks were basically a team that was many years in the making.
"I started with them when they were little ones. We’d won many championships," Stewart recalls. Included was the Western Canada Bantam Baseball title won in Westlock. Alta. In 1971.
Melville went on to play regularly in the Regina Optimist Midget League and the CKMY Midget League in 1973. Stewart explained the team went on to Regina to play weekend doubleheaders since there was no local midget league.
The Elks eliminated the Regina Pacers, Regina Highnooners, Regina Steelers, and the Viscount Atlases to win the provincial crown. In provincial play Melville won eight games and lost two outscoring its opposition 53-34.
At the nationals, Melville beat Cardale, Man. 14-8 in the final. The Elks won four games and lost one at the tournament which also featured teams from Barrhead, Medicine Hat, Niagara Falls, and Moncton.
Four players were also named tournament all-stars. Named to the first all-star team were catcher John Maserek, right fielder Ross Mahoney, and right-handed pitcher Terry Puhl. Outfielder Mike Stewart was named to the second all-star team.
Puhl also won the best all-around pitcher and the most valuable player awards. Mahoney, who eventually received a U.S. university baseball scholarship, tied for the tournament’s batting crown with a .636 average.
Mahoney was not the only strong hitter on the team. Others with high batting averages included were Puhl, .550; Mark Bell, .428; Dale Marchewka, .400; Stewart, .363; Doug Senyk, .333; Keith Carlson, .333; and Ian Perrin, .260. Maserek hit the three of the five home runs hit during the tournament.
Stewart says he’s unsure what made the team click and adds it’s rare to see so many talented players on one squad.
"They were just good individually, all good sports. All did well in whatever they did. We got the right group together at the right time," he stated.
Obviously winning the championship was the highlight at Barrhead but Stewart says the tournament banquet brings back fond memories.
"At the banquet they were asked to stand because they were the best dressed team. That kind of sticks out," he said.
Wes Stewart, the Elks statistician, nominated the team for induction into the hall of fame and in his nomination letter mentioned the banquet.
"The playing ability of the club was equaled by their deportment off the ball field. They were singled out at the tournament banquet and were asked to stand up and were applauded for their appearance and conduct on and off the field. Their team spirit was excellent….," the letter states.
The baseball careers of many of the Elks ended following the national win "as pretty well all went for their education," Bob Stewart says. The notable exception is Puhl who went on to star with the National League’s Houston Astros. Puhl will also be individually inducted Aug.14.
Stewart is unsure of how many of the Elks will be reunited at the induction ceremony in Battleford as they are spread from Halifax to Vancouver.
The Melville Elks will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Aug.14 in Battleford. The Elks won the national midget title in 1973 at Barrhead, Alta.
FRONT ROW: from left, Lorne Deighton, Brian Polischuck, Terry Graff, batboy Rodney Carlson, Mark Bell, Keith Carlson, Mike Stewart, and Barrett Korpany.
BACK ROW: Coach Bob Stewart, Ross Mahoney, Jason Schoffer, Ian Perrin, Terry Puhl, Dale Marchewka, Garnet Keller, John Maserek, Dick Dempster, Greg Jones, Doug Senyk and manager Frank Puhl.
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