Baseball has been a rich tradition in Saskatchewan, especially in the Northwest and that tradition held true as the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced the class of 2012.
The community of Battleford, which is the home of the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the first ever baseball game recorded in the province, will be inducted in the community category.
In the family category the Mything family of Marsden will be inducted this summer.
Cameron Sternig, who played all his minor baseball, junior and senior baseball within the Battlefords, is one of the 12 individuals to be inducted.
Sternig will join seven of his former Beavers teammates, who he played with during his junior and senior days and is happy to be inducted.
"It is an honour," said Sternig a day after learning he was going to be inducted in August.
Along with Sternig, the late Hank Dornstauder of Maidstone and the late Jack Ovens of Cut Knife will be inducted into the hall of fame.
Others qualifying under the player category of individual inductees include Dick Doepker, formerly of Anneheim, George Kohlman of Macklin, the late Walter Kyle of Dysart, Lorne Strueby of Manitou Beach and the late Curly Williams, who played in Lloydminster.
Player/builder inductees include Dan Asham of Saskatoon, Brian Weisbrod of Lumsden and the late Bryan Forster of Regina.
Aron Braun of Saskatoon will also be inducted in the builder category.
In the team category the Notre Dame Hounds of 1953 to '58 and the Lampman A's will be inducted.
Sternig, who was a physical education teacher at Battleford Junior High School for 27 years, explained many don't often play baseball, or any sport for that matter, for the praise afterwards. People simply play for the fun of it at the time. When a career is over something like this is never expected, but it is special and something he says he is thrilled about.
Sternig, who played third base with the senior Beavers, described himself as a power hitter and good defensive ball player. Sternig had an average of over .300 in most of his years of senior baseball and once won the league's hitting championship award.
In the coming weeks the biographies will be released from the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and will be published in the Regional Optimist and News-Optimist leading up to the induction night.
The 28th annual induction will be Aug. 18. Anyone interested in a ticket is encouraged to contact Jane Shury and the staff at 446-1983 or by email at [email protected].
