Local baseball league has passed the test of time

It’s the 86th year in Melrose for the South Hastings Baseball League, the oldest men’s hardball league in Canada. Players, fans and coaches say they are excited to get things going this week. Photo by Alex Mahar, QNet-News.

By Alex Mahar

BELLEVILLE– It’s that time of year again! Baseball players in the Quinte region are grabbing their gloves, lacing up their cleats, gripping their bats and heading to the Tyendinaga Township parks in Melrose to take part in the 86th season in league history.

The South Hastings Baseball League was established in 1933 and over the past five generations has passed the test of time, claiming to be the oldest senior hardball league in Canada. The league has honoured many of its players over the past eight decades with an alumni stone that sits in front of the ball park.

The South Hastings Baseball League honours its players by engraving their names into stone at Jim Uens Field. Photo by Alex Mahar, QNet News.

League president John “Bat” Masterson has been involved in the South Hastings Baseball league for 50 seasons as a player, coach and president. Masterson, who lives right next to Jim Uens Field, can still recall his favourite memory from his very first year in the league.

“My favourite memory was in 1969, my very first at-bat. I hit a ball to centre-field where the grass was so long because we cut the grass by hand back in the day. The outfielder charged in and caught the ball and I was out. He later told me that the ball actually hit the ground first but the umpire couldn’t see because the grass came up to his knees,” recalls Masterson.

There are two baseball diamonds used for league play, the Thornton Portt Field and Jim Uens Field located just north of Shannonville at 363 McFarlane Rd. 

Over the past 85 years, teams have competed for the Thornton Portt Memorial Trophy which comes with league bragging rights, a team flag that flies high above the outfield at Jim Uens field and a chance to play an inter-league playoff series with the Kingston senior hardball champions.

Last season, the expansion team, Bain Excavating Rockies, defeated the Melrose Shamrocks in the final to win the Thornton Portt Memorial Trophy. The Rockies also beat the winner of the Kingston league to become the southeastern Ontario senior hardball champions.

The Bain Excavating Rockies are reigning South Hastings Baseball League champions after defeating the Melrose Shamrocks in Game 5 of the league finals. Photo by Mark Limin

This season eight teams are back to compete for the Gerald Walsh league pennant trophy. The Rockies, Shamrocks, Read Young Guns, Parkhurst Pirates, Uens Pole Line, Melrose Tal Trees, Maclan Designs and the Tyendinaga Mudhens.

The first pitch was thrown on Tuesday night at 6:15 p.m. It was a rematch game between the Shamrocks and Rockies which officially means the 2019 season is underway. Head coach and reigning coach of the year Wyatt Dever says, “It couldn’t come soon enough. I’m just excited to get things going again.”

The Dever family has a long history in the league, like many others who play. Dever says his grandfather Wally was a player and coach in the league over four decades ago. Dever says, “It’s history like that you can’t make up or replace. Just growing up around the ball park and having a league like this in your back yard, it’s great for the athletes in the area.”

The history of the South Hastings Baseball League has been recognized by more than just those around the ballpark. Six years ago, Bay of Quinte MPP Todd Smith commemorated opening day for the league’s then 80th season with a speech at Queen’s Park.