Team
1979 Huron & Erie Midget Baseball
SPORT | Baseball
LEVEL | Minor Midget
YEAR OF INDUCTION | 2011
Back Row: Rod Couture, Keith Blackford, Frank Stoof, Bob Arnold, Chris Kelly, Rick Kucera, Perry Mader Middle Row: Bruce Hickmott, John Bink, Jeff Green, Todd Langstaff, Blake Alward, Steve Kenney, Dale Dunlop, Scott Ruttle Front Row: John Wall, Wayne Burey, Mike Bennett (manager), Paul Denomy (coach), Barry Brackett, Mike Torrie, In front: Dave Charbonneau (batboy)
1979 Huron & Erie Baseball Team Induction into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame, 2011 Front Row: Paul Denomy (coach), Mike Bennett (manager) Middle Row: Dale Dunlop, Todd Langstaff, Perry Mader, Steve Kenney, Rick Kucera, Jeff Green Back Row: John Wall, Bruce Hickmott, Rod Couture, Mike Torrie, Dave Charbonneau (bat boy)
1979 Huron & Erie Baseball Team Induction into the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame, 2011 Front Row: Paul Denomy (coach), Mike Bennett (manager) Middle Row: Dale Dunlop, Todd Langstaff, Perry Mader, Steve Kenney, Rick Kucera, Jeff Green Back Row: John Wall, Bruce Hickmott, Rod Couture, Mike Torrie, Dave Charbonneau (bat boy)
The 1979 Midget team, under Manager Mike Bennett and Coach Paul Denomy, consisted of a fine group of athletes who excelled not only in baseball but in other sports as well. The team was a definite underdog as they were a ‘B’ ranked team going into the Ontario Baseball Association Elimination Tournament in Hamilton against 25 other teams, the majority of which were ‘A’ ranked.
Backed by strong pitching, timely hitting, and a solid team defence, the Midgets won their first four games over two weekends before losing to Windsor Athletic Association in the first game of the final day. In the semifinals, they defeated Toronto Kingsway to advance to the final, where they met Windsor AA for the third time in the tournament and prevailed 11-5 to win the Ontario Elimination Tournament.
As a result of winning, the Midgets became only the second team in Chatham Minor Baseball Association history to advance to the Canadian national championships. However, a rash of injuries throughout the round-robin led to a 2-2 record, including a 7-4 victory over the eventual champion Quebec All Stars. In the bronze medal game, the Midgets lost to the host Niagara Falls team 8-0 and ended up fourth in the tournament. The Quebec beat Delta BC 3-2 in the gold medal game.