It's a great honour.
Isidore Strueby of Humboldt is one of the six individuals and one team in the community inducted into the Humboldt Sports Hall of Fame.
"It was a kind of a shock when the letter came and I learned I was inducted," said Strueby.
The 81-year-old has been involved in baseball in Marysburg his entire life.
"Isidore played junior and senior baseball in Marysburg for the Royals for nearly 25 years," said Wayne Strueby about his father in a letter. "He played outfield, was a solid hitter and base runner. However his best attribute was his defensive abilities."
Strueby and his teammates participated in numerous tournaments, helping to make the Royals one of the strongest teams in the province from the 1940s to 1960s.
"After his playing days Isidore began to coach minor baseball in Marysburg and later on in nearby Muenster," said Wayne.
He coached both his sons' minor baseball teams. During his time coaching, he also maintained a connection to the Royals, helping with coaching duties and the upkeep and maintenance of the local Marysburg ball diamonds.
In 1980, Strueby began to coach the senior Royals team, taking over those duties from his brother, Sylvester. Coaching this team gave him the opportunity to continue coaching his own children as well as countless other children he coached in minor baseball.
"Under Isidore's guidance, the Royals became one the province's top Senior baseball teams," said Wayne. "They won the North Central Baseball League title in 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994. They also won the North Battleford Invitational Senior Baseball tournament on three occasions and made yearly trips to the Saskatoon Father's Day Tournament and Intermediate A provincials."
Throughout his years working with the Royals, Strueby won numerous awards for his efforts.
He was awarded the North Central Baseball League's President's Award for his dedication to baseball in Marysburg in 1989 and Saskatchewan Baseball's Manager of the Year award in 1990.
"Finally, in 1995, after 52 years of being with the Marysburg Royals as a player, coach and manager, Isidore quit his on-field duties with the team," said Wayne.
"I enjoyed every minute of it," said Isidore.
Since then, Strueby has continued to act as the groundskeeper in Marysburg, a something he has done for over 50 years.
"To this day, Isidore is on the ball diamond in Marysburg every spring, getting the ball diamond ready for the upcoming year and also maintaining it during the summer," said Wayne. "He continues to be the Royals 'number one fan, as he and his wife Anne very rarely miss a game."
Strueby enjoys spending time at the ball diamonds, whether it be watching the Royals play a game, or watching his grandsons practise.
"There is no doubt that Isidore is responsible for instilling the dedication and love for the sport of baseball in his family members," said Wayne.
