Looking back at the Windsor Chiefs' 80s dynasty

Photo: Baseball Ontario

March 19, 2020

From the Baseball Ontario Website

WINDSOR CHIEFS SENIOR BASEBALL TEAM (1982 - 1991)

The Windsor Chiefs Senior Baseball Team was founded in 1969 by the late Peter (Jock) Papineau. For thirty plus years aside from his family, his pride was the Windsor Chiefs and the development of youth baseball.

The Chiefs began their illustrious history playing in the Essex County Senior Baseball League for ten years, winning six pennants and four league titles.

In 1979, under the leadership of team President, Dr. Denis Page, the club entered the Intercounty Baseball League for three seasons. The Chiefs captured three regular season pennants under managers Mike Hurst (1979-80) and Ris Massetti (1981). The team also captured the Ontario Championship and competed at the National Champions in 1979 and 1980.

Jock Papineau succeeded Mike Hurst in 1982 as general manager and played a monumental role in the Windsor Chiefs dynasty. In 1982, the Windsor Chiefs entered the Detroit Federal League until 1989 when they joined the Pontiac Federal League. They went on to capture nine Ontario Senior Elimination Tournaments, leading to seven Canadian Championships and as well as being silver medalists twice over a ten year period.

The National Championship teams were managed by John Upham (1982), Don Hollerhead (1984), Tom Valcke (1986), Paul Rutckyj (1988, 1989, 1990) and Mike Price (1991). During various seasons the coaching staff included Renzo Anzolin, Jim Dalton, and Armand Mastellotto. Dedicated Executive Directors included Al Carpenter, Frank Hollerhead, Chuck Lloyd, Larry Ouellette and Clayt Tourangeau with John Filipov and David Lesperance handling equipment duties.

In 2007, the Windsor Chiefs were recognized as a National Championship team by the Board of Directors of the Windsor and Essex County Sports Hall of Fame for capturing nine Ontario Elimination Championships, seven national championships and two silver medals from 1982 through 1991.

Members of these National Championships Teams were: Carlo Boniferro, Ritchie Coughlin, Punky Bracken, Dwayne Dawson, Jeff Buchanan, Chico Labute, Pat Dumouchelle, Rob Cecile, Angelo Fantuz, Dave Cooper, Mike Cooper, Larry Leclair, Dave Fitzpatrick, Dave Girard, Jerry Haskell, Pat Hickson, Stew Hillman, Greg Reh, Don Hollerhead, Jim Holmes, John Ivan, Rick Joyal, Mike Kaschak, Mike Price, Dennis McKeegan, Rob Murphy, Terry Murphy, Tom Nelson, Shawn O’Keefe, Kevin Paradis, Ed Petryshuk, Kyle Rudling, Paul Rutckyj, Chris Smeeton, Dave Tronchin, Tom Valcke, Tom Voinaroski, Steve Vorkapich, Mike Willson, Rick Lindquist.

Prominent additions to the championship years were: Shawn O’Conner, Steve Breitner, Kevin Atkinson, Alan Butler and Bob Bush.