CHAMPIONS SPEAK  -  2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Fritz Kirstein - Athlete

Introduction of Fritz Kirstein 2025

by ​ Sandra Kirstein Wright

Honored Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen   

I am so proud to be able to tell you about the athletic accomplishments of Fritz Kirstein.  Many in this room may not know, but my maiden name is Kirstein and Fritz is my grandfather.    

A little bit about the history of his nomination:  In 2005, 20 years ago, there was a write-up in the Wetaskiwin newspapers about the formation of the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame and the article was asking for nominations.  Some athletes, builders and teams in Wetaskiwin’s history were cited as possible inductees.  My grandfather’s name was on the list along with other Wetaskiwin sporting heroes like Val Fonteyne, Al Arner, Norm Brown and Norma MacEachern Chiddy.  I felt compelled to fill out and submit his nomination form and did so.  In 2006, the first year of inductions, he was not among those who were chosen.  In 2006 I volunteered to serve on the board of the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of Fame and the job given to me was to serve on the Nominations Committee.  Being a new member,  I was not comfortable bringing my grandfather’s nomination forward as I thought that might be a conflict of interest, consequently, I stored the nomination in the file box. Nineteen years later, I’m still on the Board and the Nominations Committee but last year I thought I’d waited long enough and finally put my grandfather’s nomination into the mix.  This year he was chosen to be inducted.  

I always believed my grandfather was worthy of being inducted for his sporting achievements, especially coming from the era in which he competed. In 1906 he was on a boys soccer team that won an Alberta Championship.  In his time in the 1920’s and 1930’s he was a top central Alberta golfer and won Wetaskiwin club championships, a couple of Wetaskiwin Open Championships and other Central Alberta open championships.  He was also a pretty good curler and represented Wetaskiwin in Edmonton Bonspiels and central Alberta Competitions and won some of those events.  He even helped to coach the first Colonels  1935-36 hockey team but I’m pretty sure he never played the game.  Please check out his complete story in our program.   

I was not lucky enough to have golfed with my grandfather and I never saw him hit a golf ball or throw a curling rock.  I’m the oldest grandchild and by the time I was old enough to take part in both of those sports he was not able to physically compete as he suffered from edema.  When you see his picture on his plaque,  you’ll see he certainly didn’t have an athletic physique.  However, I did see him cast a fishing line and wield a knife in his meat market and his innate athletic skill was evident……we all know how some people just look “slick, smooth, easy and co-ordinated” when they do things, my grandpa was one of those people.      

I was able to piece together my grandfather’s athletic achievements mostly thru my grandmother’s newspaper clippings along with some of the Wetaskiwin and area history books.  Some of the pictures on our display tables tonight are family treasures and all 90+ years old., my grandfather first golf win was the club championship in 1925, 100 years ago, he was then 34 years old.  The picture on his plaque was taken three years later in 1928 on the day he won the first Wetaskiwin Open golf tournament.  Also on our display tonight is the small trophy he was awarded and the silver tea service that was his prize for winning the tournament…..all of these pieces are over 95 years old.  It is interesting to note, when Fritz won the 1928 open, a gathering was held a few days after the tournament at the home of the president of the Wetaskiwin Golf Club with about thirty of his more intimate friends and Fritz was presented the silver cup and a silver tea service.  I doubt that would ever happen today!    

Grandpa Fritz’s values, his athletic and community involvement and his love of sport have been part of our families heritage and our upbringing and have been passed down intrinsically through the generations.  His sporting legacy continues to this day. His four sons were all athletic and in their youth besides competing on school or community hockey teams all four were competitive speed skaters, they also golfed and skied.  Three were life-long golfers, and two were involved in curling most of their lives.  All of his Fritz’s grand children were athletic and many took up golf as a life sport.  For 12 years during the 1950’s and 60’s the Wetaskiwin High School basketball teams, either the boys or girls team, had a Kirstein on the roster.  Additionally, if you check out the Wetaskiwin Golf Club trophies from the 1920’s to the 1960’s many have the Kirstein name on them courtesy of Fritz, his sons or his grandchildren .  Included in these would be the Junior boys Club championship,, the Men’s Club Championship, the Father & Son Club championship, the Ladies Club Championship and the Ladies Open Championship.      

Grandpa Fritz set the example, his sons, his grandchildren, his great grandchildren and now his great, great grandchildren follow suit.        

Two of my cousins, Debbie Kirstein and Doug Potenetier and my brother Ron Kirstein flew in to Alberta from Vernon and Victoria to attend this celebration.     

Accepting the Fritz’s award tonight will be two more grandchildren,  Debbie Kirstein and my brother Ron Kirstein.  Both grew up and went through school in Wetaskiwin.