Saskatoon, SK - - 'He was involved': Van Impe was a widely-respected volunteer, builder
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    - Bob Van Impe, whose contributions to softball spanned decades and borders, has died at age 96.
ORIGINAL STORY by Kevin Mitchell, Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Bob Van Impe, whose contributions to softball spanned decades and borders, has died at age 96.
Van Impe — whose name adorns Saskatoon’s famed Bob Van Impe Stadium — started as a player, and soon found his calling as an administrator and builder. His impact was widespread.
“People came from across Canada and across the world to Saskatoon for events, and they’d ask, ‘Where’s Bob?’ ‘How’s Bob doing?’ ‘I need to go for a beer with Bob,’ †Saskatoon Amateur Softball Association president Bryan Kosteroski said Monday.
“You look at the last time we hosted the world championship — 2015. People from across the world came to Saskatoon, and they asked where Bob was. Bob wasn’t involved in it, but he still had that respect, and people still asked about him. I received emails from countries across the world asking for Bob’s contact info, (wanting to) catch up with him.â€
Van Impe was instrumental in growing the sport in Saskatoon, and he also served as president of the Canadian Amateur Softball Association from 1969 to 1986, as well as serving as vice-president of the International Softball Federation.
Bob Van Impe Stadium was named in his honour in 1984.
“Bob’s willingness to grow the sport locally, provincially, nationally, internationally … you don’t put a name on a stadium like that without having that recognition behind it,†Kosteroski said. “There’s a reason — a well-deserved reason — for (Van Impe getting his name on the stadium). When you look at it, Bob Van Impe Stadium has hosted the most world championships of any other stadium in the world. That stadium has hosted the most Canadian championships of any other stadium in Canada.â€
And it did it with that name attached. Van Impe was never one to sit idly by when a need presented itself, Kosteroski says, and he retained a keen interest right to the end.
“We just hosted a Canadian championship here last summer, and guess who was part of the opening ceremonies? A 96-year-old man walking out with a Canadian flag,†Kosteroski says. “That tells you something about the guy. And he phoned me once a month, for updates on what’s going on. He wanted to know. He was involved.
“Bob, at 96 years old, was at Bridges every Tuesday afternoon, at his one o’clock scheduled time. And when he walked into Bridges, the beer was poured for him before he got there; his plate of ribs was made before he got there. Bob was an orchestrator, bringing people together and telling stories. We’d have our Friends of the Bowl Foundation meetings, he’s this 96-year-old man, shows up, seven o’clock in the evening to sit in the meeting, because he wants to know what’s going on. He always wants to be part of things.â€
Van Impe is survived by children Gary, Linda and Susan and four grandchildren, and predeceased by wife Ena.
The funeral service is Wednesday at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Saskatoon.
