The Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame has announced their 2017 inductees and two local teams are in the mix.
The Ebb and Flow Lakers (1990-96) are honoured as the Small Community Team inductee, while the Gilbert Plains Legion Bantams (1965-68) will be added to the Special Category.
The 21st annual induction banquet takes place June 3, 2017 in Morden.
The pride of Ebb and Flow First Nation, the Ebb and Flow Lakers have been an integral part of their community. The early 90s Lakers were a dominant tournament team with an estimates .900 in Manitoba, and in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and even Minnesota.
Minnesota is where the Lakers achieved their greatest success in 1995: a win in the North American Indigenous Games final 4-1 in Blaine, MN over a state selected Minnesota team. Archie McIvor pitched a three-hitter for the Lakers in the win.
The Gilbert Plains Legion Bantam dominated bantam ball in Manitoba and Western Canada for a four-year period during the 1960s. Coached my MB Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Mel Stoughton, the team won five Manitoba baseball titles in four years, and three Western Canada championships.
The team advanced to a Bantam 'A' classification after winning the Manitoba and Western Canada titles as a 'B' team in 1965 and 1966, and 1967 provincial title. In 1967 they played in the 'A' playoffs, winning the province, but were finalists in the Western Canada title.
In 1968 they captured the Manitoba and Western Canada Championships.
