Hardly a hand in the room that didn't go up on Saturday at the Access Event Centre in Morden, when asked if they were coached by Joe Wiwchar in baseball. Wiwchar is headed this week to Toronto to receive an honour given to only five Manitobans so far. He'll be officially inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Day in the Park started with a ceremonial pitch by Joe into his grandson Tyler Wiwchar's glove with another grandson, Torin Wiwchar batting and Carter Wiwchar on deck. Umpire Hank Lemoine has officiated many a game with Wiwchar who was known to umps for challenging some calls from time to time. In good fun, Lemoine took the last opportunity to toss Wiwchar from the game.
Joe reflected on his years of service to the sport and about those who came out to be a part of the Day at the Ball Park at Buhler Field, where the Morden Mudhens hosted the Winkler Whips.
'I started when I was 17. I started coaching girls' ball and I've gone up and down the ladder. I've coached little league kids up to senior, back down and all those things. The thing is that it's not so much about winning. Yeah, I've won a few. I've lost quite a bit too." his eyes scanned the crowd, "I've seen three guys here from Southland Sioux. That's like 50 years ago. And they still would come out here to recognize me? That is something else, I'll tell you."
Wiwchar said he is thrilled to run into players he has coached in the past, most recently a son, his father and grandfather, all who were players on his teams.
"I've gone to a couple of weddings, seeing them on the street, "Hi Joe." A Couple of kids that just played for me a couple of years ago, came over from the school lunch time and we talked, we just talked. It didn't have to be about baseball." His voice cracked, "That makes everything so very worthwhile for me."
According to organizer of the event, Clare Agnew, "Joe has dedicated 7 decades to baseball as a player, manager, coach, volunteer, executive member and administrator. Best known for his long and successful coaching career, which spanned from 1953 to 2021, he regularly coached two or more teams in a season. He has been part of many Championships, including 12 league championships in 18 years with the Morden Mohawks in the Senior men’s Border League, a silver medal for Team Manitoba at the Canada Summer Games and a gold at the 1977 Western Canada Juvenile Championship.
He was a member of the committee that formed the Manitoba Baseball Association in 1968, serving on the committee for many years. He was on the Baseball Canada executive in 1974 and 1975 on the planning committee.
In 1998 Joe was instrumental in Morden being named the location of the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame, he became the first administrative manager of the museum, a position he held until this year."
Most recently, Wiwchar was inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame and this week heads to Toronto for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
"I'm pretty proud of that," he said with a big smile, "That's really feels really good."
Kevin Booker was a past player, co-coach and competitor. and now the vice president of high performance for baseball Manitoba had this to say about him.
"Joe has done so much for baseball in Manitoba. Either as a coach or administrator, obviously at the museum here. It's one of the best in Canada. He's put so much time and effort into that. And he's not only helped his area, but he's helped everybody in Manitoba, and he's gone outside of the borders too. His influence is unbelievable, what he's done for baseball."
He went to Japan and spent a couple of years in France to build their baseball leagues.
A small ceremony at the end of the game included Morden Mayor Brandon Burley present Wiwchar with a plaque with artwork that will be used in recognizing him in the community for years to come and tribute speeches from Manitoba Hall of Fame Vice President Morgan de Pena and Morden Chamber President Brent Laverty. A couple of former players Darrell McElroy told some stories and thanked Joe for his contribution to coaching on behalf of the many hands that went up to say they had been coached by Wiwchar.
Wiwchar explained why he sacrificed so much for the game of baseball.
"It was a thing of love that I love to do. I've gotten some recognition, but it's just playing the game and everything else, and carrying it over, and looking after the Baseball Hall of Fame since it started. Yeah, that's that's another big thrill for me. But I'm humbly saying, I'm very appreciative of everything that's being done for me."
