The Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is open to the public again as Thursday, Aug. 5, and they are moving ahead with their induction ceremony on Aug. 21.
Much work has been done at the museum in preparation for the reopening. Those visiting or driving past the building on 22nd Street in Battleford will see a difference, as the exterior of the building is now bright green.
According to President/CEO Jane Shury in a news release, they “gave the building a new look that is meant to brighten up the town as well as the citizens after suffering from the blues following this long period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, we hope to attract more attention to this museum that displays baseball memorabilia from its historical past when that great game played a very important role in the settling and development of our province.”
The museum will still need to do some repairs to the roof due to a summer wind storm that impacted a number of shingles. Shury said they now need to raise money for the shingles work.
Visitors to the museum are being asked to use hand disinfectant when entering and exiting the building.
With the lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions, the Hall of Fame and Museum has confirmed they will finally be able to proceed with its 36th annual induction on Aug. 21.
The museum was unable to hold the event in August 2020 due to pandemic restrictions. The induction class selected for 2020, along with the Edam Blue Sox in the team category, now become the 2021 lnductees.
Shury notes this induction event is their first money-raising project for the museum since 2019. Their next fundraiser is Ears and Beers planned for September.
The list of 2021 inductees is as follows: individual category - the Late Father Leonard Albers, Bengough;. Fred Curts, Holdfast; Allan Fitzsimmons - Saskatoon; Al Greschuk, Yorkton; George Guillaume, Moose Jaw; Elemer Jerkovits, Regina; Rick Johnston, Maidstone; Kevin Kusch, Lloydminster; Rocky Nickel - Caronport; the late Roy Taylor - Visalia, Calif. [Saskatoon]; Neil Urlacher- Okotoks, Alta. [Macklin]; the late “Goldie” Wiggins, Fillmore;
Team category - Aquafell Flyers Baseball Team-1947-1972; Kamsack Cyclones - Kamsack; Edam Blue Sox - Edam 1985-94;
Community category - Village of Gray.
