The late Robert "Bob" Herron will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame as a player Saturday, Aug, 16.
Born March 13, 1924 in McKinney, Tex., Bob "Big Daddy" Herron came north as a powerful right-handed pitcher and developed into a feared middle of the order hitter for Carlyle, the Saskatoon 55's and the North Battleford Beavers from 1949-57.
While best known for his long-ball power, the native Texan began his prairie career on the mound for Carlyle after coming to Saskatchewan with a barnstorming team from California.
Herron pitched four no-hit innings June 9, 1950 as the Saskatoon All-Stars lambasted the touring Muskogee Cardinals 11-0. On July 23, 1950, the Saskatoon Cubs whipped the host Prince Albert Anavets, 6-3 with Herron pitching a complete game and striking out 13 batters. He allowed only two hits and helped his own cause with a triple and single in four at bats.
In a 1951 exhibition against the Ligon All-stars, Herron had a home run, triple and two singles as the Saskatoon 55's beat the visitors 14-1. He batted .375 in regular season play.
The big right hander fired a four hit shutout May 16, 1952 as the Beavers blanked Moose Jaw 4-0. In the playoffs, Herron was the hero as North Battleford defeated Saskatoon to win the Saskatchewan Baseball League title. He drove in four runs with six hits, one of them a home run, Aug. 28 to send the final series to a seventh and deciding game. Herron added another four hits, two of them home runs, and had five runs batted in Aug. 31 as the Beavers won the championship.
The big outfielder smashed two home runs, one a grand slam, as North Battleford beat Regina 15-7 May 17, 1953. Herron's grand slam homer was part of the fireworks as the Beavers whipped Regina 16-0 Aug. 9. He drove in six runs with a homer and two singles as North Battleford edged Moose Jaw 15-13 Aug 11. His three-run homer was the difference as the Beavers edged Moose Jaw 5-4 to even their semifinal series Aug 22. Two days later, he belted a bases-loaded single in the fifth inning to send North Battleford to an 8-4 win and a birth in the final. Aug. 30, Herron's three run blast provided the margin of victory as the Beavers got by Saskatoon 8-7 to tie the final at two games each. He homered to force a deciding game in the final Sept. 1.
Herron paced North Battleford with a pair of homers in a 5-4 win over Regina July 6, 1956. Two days later, he hit two more home runs in a 9-6 triumph over Moose Jaw. Herron drove in five runs with a homer and two doubles July 12 in a 16-4 win over Regina. Herron had four hits and four runs batted in Aug. 16 as the Beavers whipped Regina 12-2. Herron had a homer and a single Sept. 3 as the Beavers downed the Meridians 9-1 to win the Western Canada League title and a trip to the Global World Series.
Herron's two run homer in the bottom of the ninth July 2, 1957 gave North Battleford a 6-5 victory over Saskatoon. He had four hits in a losing cause July 20 against Moose Jaw. His grand slam homer Aug 4. was the key blow as North Battleford came from behind to whip Lloydminster19-13.
Emile Francis, also a Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Famer and Herron's former teammate and manager, said that Bob was an all-around star and perhaps the top slugger on the prairies in the 1950s.
Herron's death in Jan. 1994 at the age of 69 was in such prominent publications as The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times.
