THE GLACE BAY OLAND’S BAY BYES FASTBALL TEAM – 1968

By Frank Mitchell | February 27, 2018
  • Type: Team
  • Sport(s): Fastball
  • Year: 2016

THE GLACE BAY OLAND’S BAY BYES FASTBALL TEAM – 1968

The Glace Bay Oland’s Bay Byes Senior “B” softball team of 1968 was a group of hardened, competitive, and talented players who captured the Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and Maritime softball titles with an incredible year.The vast majority of its players came from the Caledonia Mines area of Glace Bay. Many of the players from the team were employed with the coal mining company and they would trek to practise or a game after worrk. Putting it into perspective, consider the fact these miners worked underground doing 8-10 hour shifts per day, with no natural light and constantly breathing in coal dust while working and eating their lunch. Some of our players had respiratory problems and physical ailments while playing, yet somehow they persevered. This toughness combined with their common bond of friendship produced a team that townsfolk admired and their opponents feared.

After finishing with a 17-5 record in the regular season the Bay Byes won the Cape Breton title in the competitive 6-team circuit by defeating the powerful Sydney Schooners in four straight games. They then defeated Dartmouth 2-0 in a best-of-three series to capture the provincial title. They then faced Minto, N.B. for the Maritime title in a hotly contested series. The Bay Byes won the first game at home and then travelled to Minto where hostile fans awaited the Glace Bay contingent. The fans’ efforts to intimidate their opponents failed as the liquor bottles thrown at the members of the Bay Byes were quickly and gladly returned by the Bay Bye players. After losing the second game of the series, their only playoff loss, the squad rallied for a 5-3 victory in the finale. In total the team played 35 games that season and compiled an incredible record of 29 wins with just 6 losses.

We would ask the members of that great ’68 Bay Byes’ team to stand and be recognized: Bob Seward, Jimmy Hoffmann, Alex Brown, Barry Verbeski, Vic Slade, Francis Bonnar, Ian Wilson, Sonny Simmons, Corny Richardson, Gary Warner, Donald “Ducky” Barrett, Harvey Kelloway, Jackie Ferguson, Butch Hoffmann, Ginger MacLeod, Joe “Gobbler” MacDonald, Charles “Chickie” Slade, coach Buddy Bonnar, manager Chuck Jamieson, team executives, Mevin White, Abie Libbus, Mick MacIntyre, and bat boy, Kenny Hoffmann.

The team was inducted into the C.B Sport Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Glace Bay Sport Hall of Fame in 2013.