Legion 141 softball teams reigned supreme

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/04/2022 (1258 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In this week’s column, Memories of Sport continues to recognize the Ukrainian athletes and builders who have made an impact on sport in our province and beyond.

As the citizens of Ukraine battle Russia for control of their country, word came in Winnipeg that a local Ukrainian institution is closing its doors. Ukrainian Legion Branch 141 had been a fixture on Selkirk Avenue in the North End since shortly after World War II. But rising costs and a membership that over the years fell from several hundred to around 50 led to the decision to sell the building.

Winnipeg sports fans may not know that Branch 141 once supported a championship men’s softball team. In the late 1940s and the early 1950s, softball was king in the North End. The 20th Century League attracted large crowds to its games at Aberdeen School near Selkirk Avenue and Salter Street. Teams sponsored by the Northern Hotel won the championship in 1950 and 1951 and lost in the Western Canada senior championship both years.

The league folded after the 1951 season, so the nucleus of the Northern Hotel team moved to the Ukrainian Legion Branch 141 for the 1952 season. The Legion squad that played in the Canadian Legion League won the Western championship that year, beating Edmonton in the final played in Winnipeg. Legion captured the provincial championship the next two seasons. The 1950-1954 Northern Hotel/Ukrainian Legion teams were inducted into the Manitoba Softball Hall of Fame in 2005. Legion members in the softball shrine include star pitcher Lou Lucki, Alex Shastal, Pekoe Daptil, and manager Met Simenik.

When it comes to multi-sport athletes, Ollie Hynduik rates near the top. She was a catcher in senior women’s softball for several seasons. After taking up golf, she won the Manitoba championship in 1960 and played on Manitoba teams in the Canadian championship nine times. Her long list of five-pin bowling accomplishments includes Canadian singles titles in 1955 and 1958. Hynduik was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.

A 2004 Sports HOF inductee. Casmir (Kas) Zabowski caddied and then learned to play at the Pine Ridge Golf Club near his home. While serving as the club pro from 1931 to 1939, he won the Manitoba Open three times and the Saskatchewan Open twice. He also made the cut at the U.S. Open in 1937 and 1939.

Ukrainian curlers of note include Chris and Cathy Pidzarko, Harold and Rose (Makowaychuk) Tanasichuk and John Hanesiak, who played on Canadian championship teams. Joe Gurowka from The Pas won national senior and master titles and served as Canadian Curling Association president while living in Ontario. Mike and Ernie Slyziuk and their childhood friend from Grandview, Walter Hubchik, were the U.S. champions out of Michigan in 1963. They gave Canadian champion Ernie Richardson his only loss in the world championship. In the 1950s, Hubchik served as sports director and president of the Ukrainian Youth League of North America.

A Ukrainian curler who was born in Benito will be inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame at the Night of Champions on April 21. Ed Werenich, a.k.a. The Wrench, skipped his Toronto-based team to the world men’s championship in 1983 and 1990.

The series on Ukrainian sport will continue when Memories of Sport remembers athletes, builders and teams from other sports. The group will even include a dog musher and a pool shark.