The Four-Town Journal has teamed-up with the Westman Border Fastball Museum Committee and will be sharing a series of stories from fastball teams, umpires and administrators of the past from along the Man./Sask. Borderline area.
This year’s roster, hopefully, will include stories from the Inglis Regals, Langenburg Braves, Langenburg Colts, Endcliffe Royals, IMC Esterhazy, Stockholm Fastball, Atwater Steelers, Sask./Man. Umpires, Fleming Jets, Rhein Rockets, Roblin Hoods, Calder Comets, Brandon Simplot Blues, the Russell (Royals – Raiders – Dodgers), Leonard Wildcats, Russell Rockets, Asessippi Angels and the Langenburg Bellaire’s.
Through the words of the players (as memory best serves), the articles will go down memory lane as the players share stories and reminisce on sixty-five years of fastball history in the area.
The campaign will lead up to the grand opening of the Westman Border Fastball Museum which is located at the Asessippi Beach and campgrounds (a hopeful date is August 13, 14, and 15 2021.
For everyone who missed all the fastball action last year, a museum was built. The museum houses over sixty-five years of fastball memorabilia from over sixty teams that played along the Manitoba and Saskatchewan border.
Three years ago Rick Goraluk, owner and operator of the Asessippi Beach and campground, had a dream to host a fastball tournament mainly made up of players from the past. Coincidently, Daryl Nernberg that same spring had a vision to build a fastball museum! That summer in 2018 a slow pitch tournament was in fact held with a temporary museum in place, with great enthusiasm and support for a permanent facility.
Thanks to the dedication and hard work of Daryl and Larry Nernberg, the Westman Border Fastball Museum was born. An official grand opening of the museum was planned for August, 2020 but it was unfortunately, “COVID-ED”.
The good news, a fastball tournament is being planned for August 13, 14 and 15, 2021 at the Asessippi Beach and campgrounds.
In conjunction, the Westman Border Fastball Museum Committee also plans on officially opening the Westman Border Fastball Museum.
The committee has plans on hosting men’s teams from Dauphin, Fleming, Rhein and Inglis. There will also be an exhibition women’s game – Russell vs. Roblin.
The highlight game of the weekend will be the Manitoba vs Saskatchewan Hall of Fame game. This game will recognize players and umpires who have played and supported this great game of fastball in the Man/Sask Border Region.
It is appropriate that we start off this campaign with the story told by the original members and associates that built Asessippi Beach!
The truth of the story is that – Asessippi Beach is the “The House that the Inglis Regals Built”.
It is with great honour and pleasure that we introduce to you our first article in the “Borderline Legends” campaign, The Inglis Regals.