The Fleming Jets are a well known fastball club which is seemingly always at or near the top of the South East Men’s Fastball League. They regularly have a strong team on the field but that’s nothing compared to the support they receive off of it. If you were lucky enough to attend a game at Green Acres BallPark back in the early 2000’s you were treated to some high class country ball on the field and very passionate fans in the stands cheering on the likes of Kenny Shaw, Jeff Cole or Curtis Wagner.
One such fan was Doreen Banks, “There was no better lady than this lady,” long time Jets player Jeff Cole explains. “She was realistically the governor of the team! She loved the Jets and the game and all the players loved her. The world would be a better place if people acted like this sweet heart lady we called Weenie.”
Banks saw a lot of Championships in her day. “She was there for my 10 league championships and 3 Provincial titles,” Cole adds. “Almost every game she had a pie made for me after the game. She was the team chef and chief in the stands keeping score and stats! You should have seen her details!”
“Doreen Banks was the most dedicated ball fan I have ever known, she lived and breathed Jet ball,” Fleming Jet legend Orey Hudym says. “She would always keep her own score and damn well make it known if the score keeper made a mistake.”
Small Ball was not Banks’ favourite type of ball. “She didn’t care too much about the bunting game but she loved the home runs,” Hudym says. “She always gave that ‘wup pee’ that would always bring a smile to our face.”
Banks had a heart of gold and was always thinking of others. “I guess what amazed me the most is when we went to a ball tournament in Kelvington and she made players’ favourite pies,” Hudym adds. “She must have had five or six different kinds, that just blew me away. The ball team was her family, everyone in the ball circuit knew who Weenie was.”
“She had her ‘SPECIAL’ spot at Green Acres ballpark right behind the backstop and home plate so she could watch the umpire make his calls,” Rick Hamm, Jets icon says. “Of which if she didn’t agree would certainly let them know. She adhered herself to all the players and at the end of the season we would hold our wind-up in the community hall and she would present all the players and coaches with their favorite home baked pie! Speaking of pies, in 2002 we competed in the Men’s Provincial Championship hosted in Saskatoon. Which we won. It was our first of three consecutive men’s provincial championships. Weenie of course was there. Not only was she there but she baked and brought with her ‘50’ pies for the three day weekend. Even the fellas doing the play by play announcing and some of the umpires got a piece of pie. Thus one of the announcers dubbed her the ‘Pie Lady from Fleming’!!”
Doreen Banks or “Weenie” as she was affectionately known because of her small stature did not miss many games up until her passing in 2013. She was not afraid to express her thoughts whether they were cheering on one of her beloved Jets players or letting the umpire know what she thought of a call.
“She kept all the blue (umpires) on their toes,” Longtime umpire Lyle Balogh Jokes. “She was always there whether it was a home game or riding with Phil or Rick Hamm to an away game. Doreen’s homemade pies at the concession booth or made specially for Dave (Hill) and I. Doreen was a great fan and supporter of the Jets.”
If Banks was around today she would almost certainly still be attending games at Green Acres Ballpark. This season two of her great grandsons are on the team.
Sadly Banks passed away in 2013 at 90 years of age. Her funeral service was fittingly held at Green Acres BallPark in Fleming. Everyone who had the pleasure of interacting with Banks got to see a genuine passionate woman who loved her Jets. A legend who will never be forgotten.