Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame and Museum: 1967-1968 Molson Canadians Senior Men

Team Members:

Coach: Steve Brezden,

Manager: Ray Charambura

President: Ron Taylor Sr.

Business Manager: Bill McLeod

Bat Boy: Rik Charambura

Captain: Ted Lanyon

Ron Taylor, Ron Coleman, Ken Dilk, Lorne Benson, Jim Johnson, Jim Macey, Al Glover,

Buzz Lamond, Don Schledwitz, Ted Waytowich, Neil Fenton, George Richarson,

John Kalinowski, Bob Klassen, Al Dilk

Molson Canadians have to be considered Manitoba's Cinderella softball team of all time. First of all, the team didn't win its regional playoff in 1967 losing to Thunder Bay in a 21-inning marathon in the first game of the competition and again in the final. Then destiny tapped the Canadians on their shoulders. Thunder Bay didn't have the resources to go to the Canadian Championship in Saskatoon so Canadians agreed to fill in. Not all their players could make the trip on short notice leaving the team with three pitchers and just seven regulars. This meant manager Ray Charambura had to play the outfield until reinforcements Buzz Lamond and Lorne Benson were flown in for the weekend. Somehow Canadians sucked it up and beat Quebec in the final. It's the only senior men's fast pitch championship that Manitoba has ever won. In 1968, Molson with six pickup players from outside Manitoba represented Canada in the World Championship in Oklahoma City. The team finished second to the USA. The Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame and Museum Inc. will recognize the players and management of the 1967 Molson Canadians and the Manitobans on the 1968 team. They are captain Ted Lanyon, Don Scheldwitz, Neil Fenton, Ken Dilk, John Kalinowski, Jim Macey, Ron Coleman, George Richardson, Bob Klassen, Ted Waytowich, Al Glover, Lorne Benson, Buzz Lamond, Jimmy Johnson, Ron Taylor, Al Dilk and playing manager Charambura. Steve Brezden was the coach with Ron Taylor Sr. serving as team president and Bill McLeod as business manager.