Looking back - 1998: Baldur Regals show Farmers something different

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Photo Courtesy of the Neepawa Banner & Press Archives

HERE’S THE PITCH: Baldur’s Mike Johnson baffled the Farmers for eight innings.

By Cassandra Wehrhahn

Neepawa Banner & Press

80 years ago

Tuesday,

June 28, 1938

Honoring the memory of 141 comrades who lost their lives in the Great War, or have died since, over 60 members of the local branch of the Canadian Legion of the B.E.S.L. gathered for a service this afternoon. A bigger crowd of citizens than for the last several years was also in attendance.

The first part of the service was conducted in front of the war memorial and music for the singing was provided by the Legion band under the direction of Albert Walker.

Following the singing of O Canada, the invocation was pronounced by Rev. Canon Ivor Norris. The scripture lesson was read by Rev. J.H. Stewart.

The address was given by Canon Norris in which he implored his audience to remember that freedom of the individual meant personal liberty just so far as it did not adversely affect the lives of others.

The Last Post was followed by two minutes’ silence and as Robt. Munro read the names of the departed comrades flowers were placed on the cross. Members of the ladies’ auxillary of the Legion also placed wreaths on the monument. At the conclusion of the Reveille and the National Anthem, the veterans marched to the cemetery led by the band and Mayor W.G. Pollock. Before the decoration of the graves Robt. Munro repeated the verse “We shall remember them.”

The hymns sung at the services were Blest be the Tie, Faith, of Our Fathers and Nearer My God to Thee.

70 years ago

Thursday,

July 1, 1948

A quiet wedding was solemnized in the United Church Manse, Minnedosa on Thursday, June 24 at 3 p.m. when Revnd. D. Conly united in marriage Winnifred Ruby, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Mervyn of Minnedosa, to Alan Roy, youngest son of MR. and Mrs. H. Campbell of Franklin.

Clanwilliam: The long dreamed for Community Hall in Clanwilliam is fast becoming a reality. The old Municipal hall is receiving major alterations.

60 years ago

Tuesday,

June 28, 1958

Riding Mountain: H.W. Cleland has taken over the garage and service station formerly operated by A. A. Buchanan and carries a complete line of McCall-Frontenac products.

The German consul is protesting in Toronto against a remark of a city alderman that the Toronto Zoo was so dirty that the only thing he would put there would be Hitler.

50 years ago

Friday,

June 28, 1968

Beverly Murray, 17-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Murray of Neepawa will leave next Monday, July 1, to take part in the “UN Pilgrimage for Youth” at New York.

Miss Murray is one of six Manitoban youth who will form part of a group of 25 girls and 10 boys from Canada and the United States on a two week tour to be highlighted by a visit to New York City and the United Nations.

The program is conducted by the I.O.O.F. and Rebekah lodges,

They will visit the United Nations building, go to Radio City Music Hall, the Empire State Building and see a Broadway play. There will also be a trip to Philadelphia to see Independence Hall.

The original plan was for the trip to begin two days earlier for a visit to Washington, but this portion of the trip was cancelled due to the unrest in Washington over the poor people’s march.

40 years ago

Thursday,

June 29,1978

Many western farmers are adopting the airplane as a standard piece of farm machinery.

A recent survey of agricultural use of aircraft by Agriculture Canada shows that more farmers are taking up flying to spray crops, check livestock, and transport parts for equipment repairs.

More farmers are also using commercial airplane operators, particularly for crop spraying.

The farmers surveyed across Canada indicated they sprayed more than 2.5 million acres from airplane in 1976. This was more than double the 1971 figure of about 1 million acres. Total area sprayed across Canada this year could be about four million acres.

Commercial operators did about 60 per cent of the reported spraying in 1976. Farmers spraying their own crops accounted for 16 per cent and the rest was handled by “exemption pilots” (pilots spraying within a 25 mile radius of their home base).

The survey showed that agricultural flying is more common in the Prairies than in other parts of the country. Of the 2.5 million acres sprayed, 80 percent were in the Prairies.

Prairie farmers used aircraft spraying mainly for control of weeds and plant disease. Wild oats got the most of the spraying, followed by thistles, buckwheat, and stinkweed.

Insect control was the second most important use of aircraft. Most insect spraying was for grasshoppers, flea beetles, aphids and tent caterpillars.

A number of farmers surveyed in the West said that plains were vital to get machinery parts for repairs at peak planting and harvest times. The increased centralization of supply and service centers makes air transportation of parts attractive to farmers who live some distance from the nearest depot.

30 years ago

Tuesday,

June 28, 1988

Another year of baseball has come to an end. Fourteen girls played this year for the Arden 14 and under league. They played seven league games and two finals. Arden does not have as many 14-year-old girls as Plumas and Eden, therefore younger girls were added to the team in order to have a full roster.

On the team this year were Marsha Funk, Janelle McGhie, Deserie Bellisle, Lori Froese, Sharla Flemming, Tammy Shuttleworth, Lynette Froese, Carolyn Ford, Laurelly Paterson, Kim Perrett, Cherilyn Glauser, Shelly Olsufka, Jasmine and Adonika Malfait.

The girls win/loss record stands at one win and eight losses for the season. This may sound like a poor season but the one win came in the finals and has left Arden with a second place standing behind Eden and ahead of Plumas. The girls showed excellent enthusiasm and never gave up. As each game went by they improved in spirit, sportsmanship, and ability.

Special thanks to those mothers who took time out of their busy schedule to help with practices and to drive to out of town games. Also to Margaret Flemming, Sandra McGhie and Debbie Ford for their assistance at the final game.

The windup was at Val Wilson’s pool on Sunday, June 18 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Coach Val Wilson presented each member of the team with a uniform top with each girl’s name neatly marked on the back.

20 years ago

Monday,

June 29,1998

Baldur Regal’s manager Craig Dearsely decided to show the Neepawa Farmers something different last Tuesday.

For the Farmer’s sake, it’s a good thing he did.

Throttled on five hits through eight innings by Baldur starter Mike Johnson, the Farmers got an unexpected look at reliever Scott Stephenson in the ninth inning and responded with a three-run rally for a rally for a 4-3 victory in a Manitoba Senior Baseball League game.

The Farmers trailed 3-1 heading into the ninth and looked anything but potent against Johnson. But there was fireworks when Stephenson went out to open in the ninth inning.

Troy Mutch opened with a single and Grant Spraggs followed with a long fly ball that was nearly the first out of the inning. But when the Baldur outfielder tracking the ball bumped into the fence, the ball popped out of his glove and over the fence for a game-tying two-run homer.

One out later, Ian Hockin ripped a double for his first MSBL hit, advanced to third on an error and then scored on Stephenson’s wild pitch.

The beneficiary of the ninth inning rally was Farmer’s Vinnie Eastman, who tossed a neat four hitter. He walked two batters, hit two others, and fanned five in a route-going performance. Johnson, meanwhile, issued two walks and struck out four.

Neepawa finished with eight hits against Johnson and Stephenson, including two singles by Dean McBride. The normally sure-handed McBride also had a two-error game, with wild throws on seemingly routine plays in the fourth and fifth innings leading to a pair of unearned runs.

Neepawa’s other hits - all singles - came from Mike Levandosky, Derrick McGorman and Spraggs.

10 years ago

Monday,

June 30, 2008

The Big Bike Ride recently came to Neepawa in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Twenty-nine Neepawa Hearty Bikers came out to ride after canvassing family and friends for financial contributions.

To the amazement of the organizers, Cathy Smith and Catherine Newham of the Portage Heart and Stroke Foundation, our group raised $5,186. This is the largest amount raised in Manitoba for a town of this size.

The beginning of the ride didn’t look promising as a great rain storm passed over, but that didn’t discourage the riders. They received words of encouragement from Kim Forsman, who has gone through heart bypass surgery herself and thanked everyone for their participation.