FASTBALL IN GREATER SUDBURY REGION - A History + Metro Szeryk
June 25, 2008
Sudbury, ON
FASTBALL IN GREATER SUDBURY REGION
Fastball for men has been around in the Greater Sudbury Region since the late 50’s and early 60’s.
In the early days there was the Nickel District Fastball League with such famous players as` Booker Thomas, Metro Szeryk, Ezio Bevalaqua to name just a few. Out at Queens Athletic Park as well as O’Connor Park in the Flour Mill –fastball flourished back then. In both stands no less than 300 to 5oo fans would fill these bleachers each and every night to witness some excellent fastball exhibited by these fine players.
In one case , Metro Szeryk and his opponent Ezio Bevel aqua faced each other for the one and only time combining to strike out 60 batters in a nine inning affair as it was the case way back then for the duration of games .Eventually Metro left in the early 60’s to go play semi pro fastball in the USA till the age of 47.
The new breed of fastball players came into the picture then mostly playing out of O’Connor Park with such names as Mike Chartrand Sr ,Gerry “Push” Gauthier, the Mazzuca brothers from Capreol ,Claude “Mere” Grenier , the Martel clan with Maurice “Moe” Martel and George “Marty/The Candy Man” Martel ,Bernie Gagnnon , Roger “Spuds” Gagnon [deceased] , Bobby “the hustler “ Dolan [still playing at the age of 64 for the 2008 Athletics , part of the Rick McDonald Memorial Fastball League],Tom” the old grouch” Malone , Omer Lavalllee ,Ray Tessier , Rolly Sauve , Marc Forget , Ron Robert , Norm Lalonde ,Bob Tessier , Ray “skip” Chevrette , Normand “Boots” Bodson , Denis “Red “ Dallaire , Roger Cote and many others .At that time there was the Church League run by Roger Legendre and the Royal Trading League of Men’s Senior Ball where eventually the top notch players from the founding Church League would go.Still the fans came in droves four to five times a week to watch these fin e athletes demonstrate all their pitching ,hitting , throwing and fielding skills.These players were the real ones extremely devoted as they would arrive at the park in full uniforms some good 45 minutes prior to game time in order to have batting practice as` well as infield practice prior to game time.The games were nine inning affairs back then and still in one evening we would get a tripleheader in at about 180 minutes – the difference in those days it was constant hustle and dedication on and off the fields-thery were the heroes well worshipped by the community faithfully.
Fastball died somewhat a little after O’Connor Park was closed and the regular patrons had no where to go except to where the present Data Centre is located at the corner of LaSalle Boulevard and Notre Dame Avenue. This was in the late 70’s and 80’s where teams “A” ball only were playing out of the Sudbury Stadium which became the Data Centre that we know today. During those few years it was the following teams and players that brought people to continue their love and passion of fastball. There was the International Hotel with pitcher Gunther Schmith who came via Vancouver BC ; the Carpreol Mezuccas with Rick Tetryna and Ed Hansloe pitching ; the General Texaco Giants with Steve Lebedick (best control pitcher ever) and Paul Lebelle (hurt seriously later in his career and died of cancer); the 76’s with Eddy Blanchard and Junior Reid pitching ; the Levert Electric with Ed Gelinas and Mickey Sr Chartrand (best change drop ever) ; Nolin Shell with pitchers Gerry “Push” Gauthier ,Roger “Spuds” Gagnon ,Bernie Gagnon , Norm Sauve a well as the Martels,Ray Tessier
[this team and players became an “A” team after the defunct Church League of the late 60’s and 70’s ; finally but not the least the Garson Combines with John Monahan at the helm for pitchers.Back in this era the fastball program was nine inning games . Most game during that era includig the playoffs and championship games saw scores of 1-0 and 2-1 because the great pitching and the excellent fielding surrounding these fine pitchers. Several infielders like those at third base and short stop were human vacuums where the batter was already an out just one or two steps out of the box.
In 1983 when fastball seem to be on the downfall , a league of “A” ball was formed to keep it alive and thriving in Sault Ste Marie ,North Bay ,Elliot Lake and the General Texas Giants playing weekend tournaments in cities concerned with Timmins falling out of the loop a little later on .
In the late 80’s fastball had a rebirth out of Rayside /Balfour area with teams such as Levack Richers ,Morgan Reds ,John Baxters , Mickey’s Meat and Ed Blanchard from Park Hotel .Such names as Nelly Natchuck ,the late Paul Lebelle ,Dan Larocque , Boe Thompson as well a Gerald “Pitou “Paquette (still to this day in 2008 , playing with one of this year’s teams , the Dog House North Stars) , Mickey Chartrand ( a great influence these days with the minor program) returning to his roots in 2008 with the Athletics were players from that era .Eventually this league changed its name to th Rick McDonald Memorial Fastball League in memory of officer Sag Rick McDonald a fine player of his own killed in the line of duty on July the 28th , 1999 .This is the league that now stands in 2008.
Fastball has grown leaps and bounds ( I’ve lived through all these decades and saw the best of them as an early teenager getting seriously involved as both a player ,coach and organizer through the influence of my mentors Ron Robert and Marc Forget ) in the past three years since approximately 2004 with several players [old veterans] returning to the fold and a new breed of young men and women leaving slo pitch to once again devote their time and effort in joining fastball. The league in 2008 has presently six teams playing .Game s are played three times a week out of Garson, Whitefish Lake and Azilda.
For the past two years the Rick McDonald Memorial Fastball League has organized and successfully run the Northern Ontario Ladies and Men’s Fastball Championship where for those two years the Greater City of Sudbury has won both the ladies conference [ Sudbury Nickel Selects] and the men’s conference [ Dog House North Stars ] . The Rick McDonald Memorial Sports Complex has been the scene of these two successful championships.
In 2008 there will be no less than four championship fastball tournaments in the Greater Sudbury Region and here they are in order:
1. The Rick McDonald Memorial Fastball Tournament returns after and absence of a year in respect for the passing away of Dan McDonald [the co-organizer] earlier this year. This one will be played out of the Rick McDonald Memorial Sports Complex and Cote Park in Chelmsford in mid or late June
2. The third annual Northern Ontario Ladies and Men’s Championships from August 16th to 19th 2008.
3. Finally the Whitefish Lake First Nation will be applying to host the 2008 All Ontario Native Championship for Ladies and Men and have strong possibility of obtaining it.
4. The third annual All-Star Classic in Elliot Lake on the second Saturday of September 2008.
Fastball has returned to the region and is on the rise.
Yours in better fastball for the Greater City of Sudbury Region, Northern Ontario, Canada and North America,
Roger Legendre
Lets Play BALL!!!
