It's one thing to win one Championship in a nine-year span, but, Sifton's Ryan Boguski and the rest of the Brandon Marlins Senior AAA Team won five Championships in a nine-year span.
Thanks to that, Ryan and the rest of the team were inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame for the period of 1999-2008.
Ryan grew up in Dauphin and played all of his minor baseball here, before moving to Brandon and eventually joining the dominant force that was the Marlins.
"We were all young guys getting started in 1995, so by the time those years came around, we really hit our stride," said Boguski. "We had some really good players and some pickups as well."
Ryan and his team were officially inducted into the Hall on June 2 at the Morden Access Centre.
"It didn't really sink in until I was actually there at the supper," said Boguski. "It was then when I kind of realized how big of a deal it was. The supper and speeches were all high class. It all made it sink in, and really made it feel real."
Ryan and the Marlins became the first team to win five Championships in that short of a span in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League, which is no longer around.
"I don't think any of us were aiming to make it to the HOF," said Boguski. "We just were always trying to do our best. As I'm winding down my career now in baseball, I think it's a great way to end it for sure."
Taking a look back at what can be called an extremely successful career, Boguski talks about some of the memories he remembers.
"In 2003, we were down 3 games to one against the Brandon Cloverleafs," said Boguski. "Then, we ended up winning game five and six. Of course, you have to cap it off, and we did by winning game seven. That was pretty incredible, and felt amazing."
On a personal level, Ryan also definitely has a favourite.
"It was game six of that series and they had the winning run in scoring position and they hit a ball hard down the first base line," he added. "I was playing first base at the time, I dove and caught it, stepped on the bag and got the out. Our pitcher then got the next batter out, and we obviously ended up winning that game and then the Championship."
Just because Ryan isn't playing with the Marlins Senior AAA team anymore because the league isn't a thing, it doesn't mean he's not playing the game.
And, the best part? he's still winning Championships.
"I'm playing in the Andrew Agency AA League," said Boguski. "This was really the only other option after the MSBL folded. There are still some players from the Marlins, so it's great to be playing with some familiar players that I'm friends with."
"We won the league last year in just our second season," he added. "It's not as easy with three kids at home growing up, and the body not recovering as quickly. But, it's still fun to be out there, playing the game I love."
