Provincial Champions 1968 and
1969
For two fastball seasons,
a group of talented 17 and 18 year-old young men brought excitement and
recognition to the small community of Falun by capturing the Provincial
Juvenile Fastball Championships. Twenty-one players composed the two
teams and eleven of those players played on both teams. The head coach
both years was Clayton Managhan with Keith Anderson serving as
assistant coach in 1968 and Frank (Francis) Reglin and Lorne Ganske in
1969. The Pigeon Lake Playboys of 1968 and 1969 were the first Falun
teams to win Provincial Championships and were the teams that began the
Falun dynasty that continued for the next 25 years and led to Fastball
Alberta calling Falun the “Fastball Capital of Alberta”.
Besides entering the
Provincial Championships their first year in existence, the Falun team
also hosted the 1968 Provincial Championships. That took a lot of
effort from the team, coaches, parents and Community League
volunteers. Besides maintaining the ball diamonds, all of the
game-related details, concessions, and billeting had to be arranged. As
well, the hosting committee wanted the visiting teams to feel welcomed
and coordinated a free dinner, a pancake breakfast and provided parking
and camping areas. The two-day event was a “first class” affair. The
Falun community totally supported the team and well over 400 fans turned
out to the Falun fastball diamond to watch the championship games.
(Click Photos to view Team and Names of Players)
The 1968 team did not
compete in league play and was limited to practicing and tournaments.
All summer long they played in week-end men’s tournaments whenever they
could. This preparation playing against men’s teams gave the boys the
confidence and experience they needed to enter the playoffs for
Provincials. Consequently, the Playboys won the right to represent
Northern Alberta in the Provincial Championships. Three teams
participated in the 1968 championships: the Calgary Bridgeland Riverside
Community team representing Central Alberta, the Lethbridge North Stars
representing Southern Alberta and the Playboys representing Northern
Alberta. In a two day double knockout series the Playboys lost their
first game to Calgary and then went on to win their next three games and
emerge as Provincial Champions. In the final game the Falun boys came
back from a 3-0 first inning deficit and won the game 5-4 in their half
of the last inning.
To increase their
competitiveness, the next season (1969) the same group of players
competed in the Wetaskiwin Men’s Fastball League and were very
competitive against the “big boys”. However, five of the players were
too old to qualify for the Juvenile Provincials so the team had to pick
up additional players for the 1969 playoffs. In order to advance to the
Provincial playoffs as northern representatives, the Playboys defeated
Wye Road with scores of 4-0 and 5-3. The 1969 Provincial Championships
were held in Calgary. Opponents of the Playboys in the north-south
battle were the Parkdale Juveniles from Calgary. In the first game the
Playboys defeated Parkdale 13-4. They wrapped up the title by winning
the second game 8-3. A large number of parents and friends motored to
Calgary for the playoffs to support the team and certainly outnumbered
the Calgary fans. The Calgary hosting did not even compare to the Falun
community’s efforts the year before.
1969 was the last year
that there was a Juvenile Team in Falun. Because there was little
employment in Falun, most of the boys left Falun to attend school or
obtain employment elsewhere. Clayton Monaghan continued coaching but
moved to the Squirt level where his teams continued winning
championships.
It was quite a feat for
teams from the small hamlet of Falun to participate in and win
Provincial titles completing against large centers like Calgary and
Lethbridge. These competitive and high spirited young men, the core of
which had played together since elementary school, laid the foundations
and set the tone for the future teams from Falun. It is with pleasure
that the teams are inducted into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall
of Fame.
Members of the 1968
team were: Don Gamble, Brian Ganske, Lorne Ganske (captain), Brian
Henke, Dwayne Henke, Brian Jackson, Randy Kasur, Dennis Lammie, Bob
Martens, Brian Monaghan, Dan Monaghan, Frank (Francis) Reglin, Dennis
Schmidt, Doug Schmidt, Martin Taje, Lester Walker, Walter Unland Coach:
Clayton Monaghan, Assistant Coach: Keith Anderson, Bat Boy: Lorne
Monaghan
Members of the 1969
team were: Bill Barnett, George Doty, Larry Dux, Brian Ganske,
Brian Henke, Brian Jackson (captain), Randy Kasur, Brian Monaghan, Dan
Monaghan, Dennis Schmidt, Doug Schmidt, Darol Turnquist, Martin Taje,
Lester Walker, Coach: Clayton Monaghan, Assistant Coaches: Frank
(Francis) Reglin and Lorne Ganske, Bat Boy: Lorne Monaghan
(Click Photo to view Team and Names of Players)
Information
about an inductee is collected from published sources,
sports archives, scrapbooks, anecdotal information from
family, friends and fans, and
the athlete.
However,
sometimes the best stories and personal insights are gleaned
at the induction dinner
from the introductory comments or acceptance speech of the
inductee or their representative.
Where
possible we have
included this type of information for your enjoyment.
Read
the introductory comments made by Sandra Wright introducing the
Playboys.
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