Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame announces 2025 inductees

The Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame announced their 2025 inductees on Tuesday. Photo: Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame

November 5, 2024

Official Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame News Release

On the evening of June 14, 2025, the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame will host its 27th annual induction banquet at the Access Events Centre in Morden, Man.

The Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the names of individuals, teams, and groups that will be inducted or otherwise honoured at the June 14 banquet.

INDIVIDUAL INDUCTEES:

CLARK ANDRES (1980- ), ROBLIN.

He grew up in the Roblin district and became a good hockey player but an exceptional baseball player. He was a strong right-handed pitcher and an outstanding left-handed hitter. In 1995 he led the Parkland AAA Bantams to a provincial championship and a national tournament. He played in the Manitoba Junior Baseball League with Winnipeg South Chiefs and Pembina Valley Orioles. He went on to a brilliant three-year college career (2000-2002) in North Dakota with Bottineau State and Mayville State. He was named to three All-Conference teams and two All-American teams, and in 2002 he was chosen by the Canadian Baseball Network for the All-Canadian College team. He then played seven years in the Manitoba Senior League with Brandon Cloverleafs and Birtle Blue Jays. He was part of the Hall of Fame 2013 Birtle team. He was a six-time MSBL All Star with a career batting average of .402 and a career ERA of 2.94. Back injuries shortened his impressive career. He is still involved in baseball as a coach of minor and high school teams.

LINDSEY DAHL (1978- ), WINNIPEG, and MATTHEW DAHL (1978- ), WINNIPEG

Lindsey Dahl and Matthew Dahl are twins who grew up in Portage la Prairie. Both excelled in baseball as youngsters. Lindsey became an outstanding catcher. Matthew developed into a top pitcher and infielder. Both were dangerous left-handed hitters. They played together on many provincial championship teams in youth categories in Portage, Junior in Carman, and Senior with Elmwood. They were part of Manitoba's representatives at many Western Canada or National Championships. Both were on Team Manitoba at the 1997 Canada Summer Games. Both made all-star teams in the different leagues in which they played. In the Manitoba Junior League from 1997 through 1999 they were true superstars. Each of them won a batting championship and when Lindsey won his, he also took the triple crown. Each of them were named to all-star teams. Each was named a Most Valuable Player, Matt in 1997 and Lindsey in 1999. In Senior ball, they were part of the powerful Elmwood Giants teams of 2000-05, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, and went to three Western Canada Championships and won two of them. In addition, Lindsey was part of the 1996 Team Manitoba for the Blue Jays Cup and in 2000, was on the opening day roster of the Winnipeg Goldeyes.

CLAYTON DREGER (1960- ), WINNIPEG.

The Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame does not have a separate media category. If it did, Clayton Dreger would be in it. For four decades, he has been baseball's most important media advocate in southern Manitoba. He grew up in Morris playing baseball and other sports. As a young man, he got his start in radio with Radio Southern Manitoba in 1985, and he has never left. He covered all major sports and some minor ones, and in the summers, he emphasized the sport of baseball. Over the years, Clayton reported on hundreds of baseball events, all the way back to the MSBL and the Redboinne Senior League starting in 1985. Across all the Golden West stations, he promoted the game with information about schedules, results, tournaments, and personalities. He has been the master of ceremonies (MC) of the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame banquet on 22 occasions. He has also been MC of the Baseball Manitoba Awards night every year since 2013. When there is a story to be told, Clayton is there to get the interview. After a long and successful career, Clayton will be retiring from Sports Journalism in January of 2025.

SCOTT KELMAN (1981- ), WINNIPEG.

Scott Kelman was a terrific athlete when young. In baseball, from 1992 to 2016 he played with St. James A's in Pee Wee, Bantam, Midget, Junior, and Senior categories, but missed several years because of hockey commitments or hockey injuries. His baseball resume is incredible. He was Manitoba's Pee Wee Bantam Player of the Year in 1996, Midget Player of the Year in 1997. He was part of Team Manitoba at the Blue Jays Cup in 1997 and 1998. He made Canada's National Junior Team selection camp in 1998. In 2001 he was part of Manitoba's team at the Canada Summer Games. He was MVP of the Manitoba Junior League in 2001, MVP of the Winnipeg Senior League in 2011, and batting champion of the Winnipeg Senior League in both 2007 and 2011. He did all this while maintaining a major junior and professional hockey career.

FRED MATSUBARA (1967- ), WINNIPEG.

Fred Matsubara had a short but brilliant pitching career. He was a right-hander with a terrific curveball. He became prominent as a Midget player with provincial champion Southdale in 1984. Then in Junior, he played four straight years (1985-88) in the Western Canada Championships. In three of those years, he was part of his own St. Boniface club, and in the fourth, he was a pick-up for Elmwood. In two of the Western tournaments, he was named Most Valuable Pitcher. From 1987 through 1990 he played college ball at Mayville State in North Dakota and had 23 wins and 4 losses. He was named to All-Conference teams twice. In his early 20s, he pitched in Senior ball for the strong St. Boniface teams that were inducted in 2007 into our Hall of Fame, and also pitched for Elmwood as a pickup the 1989 National Championship Tournament. In 1990, he made Canada's Senior Men's National Team and competed in a World Championship. After the 1991 season he left competitive baseball because of injuries.

JACK SCOTT (1955----), WINNIPEG.

In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Jack Scott was a high-level catcher at all age levels from Little Canadian to Senior. His nomination to this Hall of Fame is unreservedly supported by many top pitchers he caught over the years, including Doug Freeth, John Melnick, Don Maskiw, Gerry Falk. He was a member of a Little Canadian team that went to a Canadian championship, and part of one PONY league, one 18U league, and two Junior league teams that went to Western Canada championships. When he was just out of Junior, he served as the Manitoba Junior League Commissioner for three seasons. During the same years, he coached the St. Boniface Legionaires Junior club. Then he played Senior from 1982 through 1985 with St. Boniface in the Red Boine League. In other sports, he played hockey, volleyball, and especially football for the St. Vital Mustangs and the University of Manitoba Bisons. He coached Mustangs football for eight years (he is in the Mustangs Hall of Fame). He also coached softball for ten years when his daughters were active in the sport.

RYAN SCOTT (1968- ), Irishtown, New Brunswick.

Ryan played minor ball in Minnedosa. In 1985 joined Hamiota in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League, and he was on the strong Hamiota teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s that were inducted in 2012 into the Hall of Fame. He played for Team Manitoba at the Western Canada Summer Games in 1987 and again at the Canada Summer Games in 1989. In 1990 he was part of Team Manitoba at the Western Canada Senior Championship and was batting champ and a tournament all-star. He played college ball for four years in the USA. In 1990 he was on a Mayville State team that is in the college's Hall of Fame, and in 1991 he was an NAIA All-American Scholar Athlete. He joined the McAuley Blazers in 1993 and was the MSBLs MVP, batting champion, and first-team all-star center fielder. He went to Neepawa Farmers for the years 1994-97, a very good team inducted in 2017 into the Hall of Fame. From 1998 through 2000 he was with the Brandon Cloverleafs. By the 1990s he was coaching as well as playing. He was an assistant coach for Team Manitoba at the 1995 Canadian Youth tournament and at the 1997 Canada Summer Games in Brandon.

JIM WHITE (1956- ), NEEPAWA.

Jim White was a dominant player with Neepawa teams in intermediate ball in the mid-1970s. Neepawa Cubs joined the Manitoba Senior Baseball League in 1974. Later they became the Farmers, and in the 1980s and 1990s Jim White was one of their top players. He was a consistent .300 hitter who was in the top ten in League hitting eight different times. In his 17 years in the MSBL he was named to 13 all-star teams. Over the years, he played wherever needed on the diamond. He could play an impressive shortstop, but he was primarily a catcher and a unique one in that he threw left-handed. He was the main catcher on the strong Neepawa Farmers teams of 1993-97, who were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017. After playing, he coached the Neepawa Cubs and the Neepawa Farmers, and he also coached Senior hockey in Neepawa.

TEAM INDUCTEES

SENIOR CLUB TEAM CATEGORY

BRANDON CARDINALS 2012-18

The Brandon Cardinals were formed in 2009 as an expansion team in the Brandon Senior AA League. By 2012 the Cardinals were a top team, and they remain a top team to this day. In the seven seasons from 2012 through 2018 they won the league's pennant six times and the league championship (including playoffs) five times. In no season did the team lose more than seven games. They won the Clearwater Canada Day tournament in 2012 and 2013. During those two years they enjoyed a 46-game consecutive win streak. In 2012 they won the provincial AA championship, and by 2018 there were four additional years in which they advanced to the semi-final round at the provincial tournament.

MINOR CLUB TEAM CATEGORY

CROCUS PLAINS PLAINSMEN 2003-06

The Crocus Plains baseball program began in 1998 when organized high school baseball in Manitoba was in its infancy. In that year the team was not strong, but it was invited to be the host team from Brandon at the provincial high school championship. Early in the 2000s, coach Rick DeGagne and assistant Darren Hardy were able to recruit good players who had played for several years in Brandon Minor Baseball. By 2003, Crocus had a solid team, and from 2003 through 2006 they won three of four provincial championships. They lost in the final in the fourth year. In the year 2005 the team was undefeated and won both the provincial championship and the championship of the newly-formed Prairie West High School League. Three players were part of all four 2003-06 teams—Eric Truscott, Brent Perrin, and Brock DeGagne. Provincial all-star players over the years were Matt De Gagne, Keith VanWallegham, Zack McMillan, Carson McMillan, Kirk Graham, Eric Truscott, Brent Perrin.

SPECIAL TEAM CATEGORY

MANITOBA'S 1985 CANADA SUMMER GAMES TEAM

The Manitoba team at the 1985 Canada Summer Games brought home the silver medal. Four Manitoba teams have won silver at a Canada Summer Games. No team has won gold. This team was coached by Al Robertson, Ray Mutcheson, and Mike Labossiere. The players were from the Manitoba Junior League and several Senior leagues including the AAA Red Boine Senior League and the AAA Manitoba Senior League. They lost their opening game to Ontario, then won three straight over P.E.I., Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland. This meant they finished second in their pool. They crossed over and beat Nova Scotia in a semi-final, then faced Ontario in the final. In the ninth inning, Manitoba may have scored the winning run on a very close play at home plate. The call went against them. In the extra inning, Ontario scored to take gold.

SPECIAL GROUP

THE CLAYTONS OF KALEIDA/MANITOU/SNOWFLAKE

Stewart Clayton was a farmer from south of Manitou. He played Senior ball from his mid-teens until his early 50s. He was a line-drive hitter who played third base and pitched. He was a player/coach of the Kaleida Ks 1974-78, inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. All three of his sons were also part of that team.

Wilf Clayton was a catcher for Kaleida and Manitou teams for 33 years. He coached minor ball for 13 years and his teams won provincial championships at 15U and 18U levels. He was President of the Border Baseball League for 11 seasons.

Randy Clayton was primarily a middle infielder. He played for Kaleida Ks, for Souris in the Manitoba Senior League, and for the 1977 Canada Summer Games team that won a silver medal. He attended Mayville State College 1977-81 and was part of three Conference championship teams. Since 1981, he has lived in Hinckley, Minnesota, and has been a successful baseball coach there.

Greg Clayton played 33 years of Senior ball for Kaleida and Manitou. He was part of nine provincial championship teams and went to the Western Canada championship eight times. He has been a player/coach of the Manitou Braves, coach with Patti Hacault in the Pembina Hills AAA program, coach or manager of the Pembina Valley Orioles Junior team, and even an umpire intermittently for 20 years.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

ALTONA BASEBALL BUILDERS

Altona now has one of the most attractive baseball parks in the province. This is Access Field, which in 2024, hosted 74 baseball games. It is the home of the Altona Bison Senior team, the Altona Junior Bison team, the Altona U18 AA team, the W.C. Miller Aces High School team, and for some games, the South Central U18 AAA team. From 2008 to the present, the Altona Baseball Builders, known locally as the Field of Dreams Committee, carried out all of the fundraising and much of the construction work for this beautiful ballpark. Over the course of a decade and a half they invested more than a million dollars in the field. They levelled the property, and, especially for the infield, they brought in drain tile, topsoil, pea gravel, and red clay. They constructed concrete dugouts, a backstop, fences, grandstands, foul poles, an umpires' dressing room, and a media booth. They arranged for electricity to the park which meant lights could be installed. They ran a water line to the facility which made washrooms possible and field maintenance much more efficient. Hats off to this dedicated group of volunteers.

HONOURARY LIFE MEMBERS

BILL KIRKUP, SOURIS

Bill Kirkup was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 as recognition for his volunteer baseball efforts for Souris, for southwestern Manitoba, and for the Manitoba Senior Baseball League. He became a director of the Hall of Fame in 2011. He remains a director to this day. He served for many years on our Merchandise Committee. More recently he has been a key member of the Selection Committee, and he has contributed his unrivalled knowledge of players and teams from southwestern Manitoba. He is known for his good humour and also for reminders to directors of the financial consequences of all decisions.

AL ROBERTSON, HAMIOTA

Al Robertson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000 as a player/builder. Al, his wife Lorna, and sons Jeff and Randy, were one of the main reasons Hamiota could claim it was the Baseball Capital of Manitoba. His work on behalf of the Hall of Fame is now recognized in this Honourary Life Membership. Al was an original director of the Hall of Fame, and he remained a director until 2022. He and wife Lorna worked annually at our banquet ticket desk. They still do this even though Al has stepped aside as a director. Al was also a key member of our Selection Committee. His knowledge of contributions made to baseball by people from all over the province have been crucial to this Committee's credibility.

MURRAY ZUK, SOURIS

Murray was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999 as a player/builder. He will now become an Honourary Life Member. He was an original director, and he is still a director. At our banquets, he has been our volunteer photographer. He has also been the only Chairman our Nomination and Selection Committees have ever had. His Nominations Committee has found replacements for retiring directors or officers. His duties as Chair of the Selection Committee have been particularly important because he has received hundreds of nominations, circulated copies of nominations to directors, and then co-ordinated our efforts to select inductees. This has required countless hours of volunteer labour as well as impressive organizational skills.