Baseball Ontario will welcome their first ever Hall of Fame Class tomorrow night when Violet “Vi” Christopher (Builder), the late Carmen Bush (Builder), Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins (Player) and the Windsor Chiefs Senior Baseball Team (1982 – 1991) in the Team Category take their rightful place in the hall.
The inductions will take place during Baseball Ontario’s annual Awards Gala in Toronto.
Below you will find information on each of the inductees:
Vi Christopher was instrumental in starting and supporting the Belleville Amateur Baseball Association the Quinte Baseball League. Vi spent 35 years on the Executive Committee of the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association Executive, almost entirely as Secretary-Treasurer-Registrar. While maintaining her position within the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association, Vi also served on the Board of the Ontario Baseball Association and became its President in 1987 and 1988. Vi is an Honorary Member of the Ontario Baseball Association. Vi has the distinction of being the first female president in the history of the Ontario Baseball Association; conquering the obvious stereotypes of the day that woman faced and paved the way for woman in baseball leadership positions.
Carmen Bush is best known as the “Godfather” of minor baseball in Toronto. Carmen was a natural leader who began organizing street teams when he was a teenager. In 1927 he put together a team and was the star pitcher for the St. Francis Bantams who won the Ontario Championship. His playing career lasted into his 40's when he decided to retire and threw his baseball shoes over the Bloor Street Viaduct after his final game. After a few years with the Toronto Parks and Recreation Department, he began volunteering at the Columbus Boys Club in 1931 and became Athletic Director and later the Director of the club. As the years rolled by, he had a hand in starting up various leagues - the Boys Club League, Western City League and also the Oldtimers Baseball Association. As well as playing, he umpired, coached and managed. His Columbus Boys Club Juniors won more Toronto championships than any other organization. For approximately 60 years, Carmen Bush led the Toronto Amateur Baseball Association, the Metropolitan Toronto Amateur Baseball Association and the Toronto Baseball Association as Secretary - Treasurer - Registrar always with complete honesty and integrity.
Ferguson “Fergie” Jenkins is Canada’s only member in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Fergie excelled at sports during his early years in Chatham, Ontario. He was a member of local track, basketball, hockey and of course, baseball teams. Fergie began his baseball career at the young age of nine, playing for local Chatham teams. Not initially a pitcher, Fergie actually started out playing baseball as a first baseman and outfielder. When Fergie was fourteen, he was part of the Chatham 431 Legion Bantam All Stars, a team that won the OBA Bantam Championship. The following seasons Fergie moved on to play with the Moose Midget All Stars where he started to gain more experience as a pitcher but was still only a reserve pitcher. The team went on to capture the Ontario Midget Championship in 1957 and 1958. The following year Fergie would play with the Chatham Knights of Columbus Juveniles where he began to excel as a starting pitcher. It was during his time spent in the OBA where people truly began to realize his career potential. Fergie was discovered then at the age 15 by the Philadelphia Phillies scout Gene Dziadura, who signed Fergie to his first pro contract. Fergie began his professional career in 1962 at the age of 20, when he was signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Windsor Chiefs Senior Baseball Team was founded in 1969 by the late Peter (Jock) Papineau. The Windsor Chiefs began their illustrious history playing in the Essex County Senior Baseball League for ten years, winning six pennants and four league titles. In 1979, the club entered the Inter-County Baseball League for three seasons, capturing the regular season pennants each year. The team also captured the Ontario Championship and competed at the National Champions in 1979 and 1980. In 1982, the Windsor Chiefs entered the Detroit Federal League until 1989 and then they joined the Pontiac Federal League. They went on to capture nine Ontario Senior Elimination Tournaments, leading to seven Canadian Championships and as well as being silver medalists twice, over a ten year period.
Baseball Ontario has long recognized the legacies of those involved in baseball in Ontario. With the creation of a Baseball Ontario Hall of Fame in 2013, we are able to institutionalize those legacies. The Baseball Ontario Hall of Fame is a virtual facility located on the Baseball Ontario web site at www.baseballontario.com. For further information contact Randy Pickle at 905 – 922 – 6453 or emailforrandy@rogers.com
