The top local sports story of 2013 didn't actually take place in the Battlefords.
Instead, it took place at Target Field in Minneapolis and other stadiums throughout major league baseball, as Battlefords product Andrew Albers took the pitching mound for the Minnesota Twins.
Albers is the first Saskatchewan product to make the major leagues since outfielder Terry Puhl of Melville did it from 1977 to 1991. To get there, Albers endured Tommy John surgery and several years bouncing around various teams and organizations. 2013 turned out to be the breakthrough year that Albers had been waiting for.
His baseball season began on a promising note. Albers played in the World Baseball Classic for Canada and pitched three innings in the now infamous Canada-Mexico game that wound up in a bench-clearing brawl in the ninth inning. Canada won that memorable game, but ultimately did not advance from the round robin.
Albers was then called up to start the season with the AAA Rochester Red Wings of the International League - just one step below the major league level.
Albers posted a record of 11-5 and an ERA of 2.86 with the Wings before he got the news every baseball prospect wants to hear. On Aug. 3, he was called up to the Minnesota Twins.
His first start in the American League was pitching eight and one-third scoreless innings en route to a 7-0 shutout win over the Kansas City Royals Aug. 6. That success was followed up by a nine inning scoreless outing against the Cleveland Indians at Target Field Aug. 12, a 3-0 victory.
In an interview with the News-Optimist's Sean Macey after the season wrapped up, Albers pointed to those two games as highlights.
"To have that performance in your debut is pretty special. And to come back at home and throw a complete game shutout in your second game in front of the home fans, that's a pretty tough moment to top. That was a pretty special night and one of those nights where just everything went right and it was really special to be part of that," said Albers.
The 27-year old posted respectable numbers in his first season with the Twins, with a 4.05 ERA and a record of 2-5, with 25 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.18.
Through it all, local fans followed every Albers pitching outing and pointed with pride to his accomplishments. No one could miss the giant billboard put up by Access Communications next to Territorial Drive congratulating Albers as the season unfolded.
Once the season wrapped up for the Twins, Albers returned home to a hero's welcome in the Battlefords.
He was interviewed by Jay Crockett on the main stage at the Battlefords' Best Business Showcase event Oct. 26, and on Nov. 2 he was celebrated at a special Welcome Home Andrew Albers event hosted by the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
There, those who taught, coached, or had been teammates with Albers had a chance to congratulate him and share their memories of his development as an athlete in the Battleford. His former teammate, Rory Gregoire, who travelled to Minnesota to watch Andrew pitch live, had this to say about Albers at the event:
"Pitching a complete game shutout in your second game made me speechless and brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't believe it and I was so proud. That's a night I'm never going to forget and I want to thank you for being the person and player that you are and for making all those memories for me."
