The Saskatchewan Baseball HOF has announced the late Wallace Pruden of Lashburn will be inducted into the individual category as a player, Aug. 15.
Wallace Pruden was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Dave Pruden, Lashburn, Saskatchewan. Pruden was a very level headed, calm and polite young man which was carried over to his ball playing. He played third base but he was the main strength to the team as a pitcher. When the going got tough and he and the team were under pressure, Pruden remained cool and came through for the team.
Pruden played in Little League organized baseball, and at Sports Day’s in Lashburn.The team he played for entered Provincial playoffs in 1955 but lost to Luseland, Saskatchewan. This same team, the Lashburn Linnets, were successful the following year, 1956, winning the Saskatchewan Minor Baseball League Provincial Little League Championship and the C.M. Fines Trophy.
This was the first Provincial Championship for Lashburn since May 19, 1909, when Tommy Simkins won the Provincial boxing Championship.
In 1957, Pruden pitched a perfect game in the first game of the Little League Championship series, facing only 18 batters in six innings, giving up no runs, no hits and striking out 13 batters, had two put outs, two assists on two put outs by the first baseman, and the fifth put out, a ground out to the first baseman. Only three man handled the ball-the pitcher, the catcher and the first baseman. This was a history record! Wally had a bases loaded homer and a triple.
In the third game, Pruden had already been given two intentional walks and were giving him a third walk when he reached out and snagged a long single which brought in the tying and winning runs. Provincial playoff batting averages record Wally Pruden playing 12 games, at bat 31 times with 10 homeruns, 38 runs batted in and a batting average of .645.
The Lashburn Linnets were the 1957 Provincial Little League Champions, and for the second time received the C.M. Fines Trophy.
Wallace Pruden died May 24, 2015.
