During springtime in the early and mid-1980s, Cam Robinson couldn’t wait for the last bell to ring at Rutland Senior Secondary.
It was the signal for the Kelowna teenager to head down to Edith Gay Park, the bustling hub of Rutland’s minor baseball community and his unofficial home away from home.
“It was where I met most of my buddies, guys I’m still friends with today,” said Robinson, who played minor baseball in Rutland and Kelowna from 1974 to 1986.
“It was like a tight-knit family, you went out there to see familiar and friendly faces and to play ball. Of course that was the best part, getting your uniform on and getting out on the field. I even loved the practices. It was such a huge part of my life.”
Robinson was a lot like hundreds of other young players over the years from the Rutland area whose lives were, at least in some small way, shaped by the hours they spent at the local ball park.
The many parents, volunteers, coaches and umpires who have frequented the grounds for the last five decades at Edith Gay are also part of the fabric and history of the Rutland Minor Baseball Association.
This year the RMBA turns 50 and, to mark the anniversary, a full day of games and festivities will be held this Saturday at Edith Gay Park. (See bottom)
Like Cam Robinson, current RMBA president Rob Law grew up playing ball in Rutland and felt firsthand the impact the local association could have on a youngster’s life.
For Law, Saturday’s anniversary will be a means of celebrating the past, present and future of RMBA, and acknowledging those who have contributed so much to the game in Rutland over the years.
“I have some amazing memories,” said Law who first played at Edith Gay in 1972. “I really had the greatest coaches a guy could have. So many of the parents were unbelievable, too, the time they put into it.
“There was nothing better than putting on that pinstripe uniform, putting on my John Deere hat, the smell of your glove, putting on the cleats,” Law added. “I couldn’t wait to go the park.
“Now, after what I experienced, there’s nothing better than watching a kid when he finally gets it, gets his first hit, and that smile on his face. That’s what’s most rewarding.”
What Law, Robinson and so many others have been able to enjoy over the decades all began in 1962 when Wally Paul helped form the four-team Rutland Little League Association, a place for young local boys to play baseball.
A year later, with the establishment of a Pony League for older players, the Rutland Minor Baseball Association was officially born.
In minor baseball’s earlier years, organized games were played mostly at Rutland Elementary School. But by the late 1960s, thanks to the generosity of Miss Edith Gay, the association would have a permanent home.
In 1965, Gay handed over 12 acres of pasture land to be used as a playground for the area’s children. With the stipulation that the land had be used for recreational purposes for kids, Gay sold the plot to Rutland Minor Baseball for $1. Although generally referred to today as Edith Gay Park, it was initially named Edith Gay Playground.
Within two years, a tireless and dedicated group of volunteers had built two diamonds with backstops, a small clubhouse and restroom facilities to give RMBA a place to call its own.
Longtime association member and former RMBA president Bill Wostradowki remembers the early days of construction at Edith Gay.
“Volunteers did everything back then,” Wostradowksi said of Edith Gay Park which is now owned and maintained by the City of Kelowna. “They built the clubhouse, they put in the first toilets, the backstops, and planted some trees. There was no domestic water there, so we had to dig a well. We cut the grass, changed the sprinklers, prepared the diamonds. Volunteers did it all.
“Those were interesting times, starting from scratch,” added Wostradowski, whose sons Daryl and Kevin both came up through Rutland’s minor baseball system. “It’s nice to see that the park is still there, how far it’s come, and how many kids still get to use it.”
Wostradoswki said a committed group of about a dozen volunteers and parents were instrumental in building the legacy of RMBA and Edith Gay Park, including the likes of Clarence Mallach, Dave Horning, Ray Stearns, Maureen Light, Theresa Graf, Ed Nelson and Ray Nelson.
The park has continued to evolve over the years and now features four diamonds, a clubhouse, equipment room, a large concession, a batting cage, and tennis courts.
Among the many others who have spent hundreds of hours at Edith Gay in the years and decades since those humble beginnings is Lloyd Nelson, the RMBA’s current umpire-in-chief.
In his 18 years at the local park, Nelson has found fulfillment in his own experiences, as well as those of the many youngsters he has mentored over the years.
“I’ve seen a lot of kids come and go, young umpires who got their start there,” said Nelson. “You see them come in at 12, being so timid, and once they start umpiring, the confidence they get in themselves, it’s great to watch.
“Rutland Minor has been such a big part of my life, it’s hard to imagine not being there, but I suppose it will happen some day,” Nelson added. “The biggest thing is once the baseball season starts, you see all the baseball people, all the familiar faces, that’s what’s nice. Sometimes I can’t remember the names but I always remember the faces.”
As a coach, parent, volunteer and umpire for the last 37 years, Norm Robinson and his family—son Cam, wife Wynnene and daughter Laurie —spent their share of time at the local park in Rutland.
When reflecting on his years at Edith Gay, what stands out for Robinson is RMBA’s emphasis on fair play, sportsmanship and respect.
“One thing Rutland was famous for a long time was their no tolerance policy, no kinds of abuse would be allowed in the ball park involving fans, players, coaches or umpires,” Norm Robinson said. “People really respected that.
“The other thing was the teams coming in from out of town were treated very well, sometimes they’d provide them with lunch, but they were always welcomed here. Rutland always showed a lot of class when it came to things like that.”
So with a storied and successful 50 years in the books, what does the future hold for the Rutland Minor Baseball Association ?
The most ambitious project in the works is the construction of indoor batting cages. The RMBA is currently raising funds for the $175,000 building which will feature three batting cages, each 60-feet long, dirt batter’s boxes, ample room for pitching drills, artificial turf, muscle-specific training, and video capabilities.
If all goes as planned the new cages will be completed by the end of this year.
“It’s a huge piece of the future for us,” said RMBA president Rob Law. “When we get this finished, it will only grow our sport. The cages will bring elite level coaches in, and we’ll be able to run player clinics. Because we’ll have the only facility like it in the Okanagan, people will come from all over to use it. It’ll become a big part of the legacy of Rutland Minor Baseball.”
Anniversary celebration Saturday Edith Gay
For half a century, the Rutland Minor Baseball Association has played a role in the lives of hundreds of young players throughout Kelowna.
The RMBA will mark its rich history with a special 50th anniversary celebration this Saturday, April 21 at Edith Gay Park.
A full day of activities begins with games on all four diamonds at 9 a.m.
An alumni game will be played at 4 p.m. with funds raised donated to breast cancer research.
Any former players or coaches from the RMBA are welcome to take part in the game.
The day’s events will also feature a skills competition, a barbecue, a raffle and silent auction.
Other activities include balloon and art displays for kids, an equipment showcase by a local sporting goods store, all adding to a festival-like atmosphere for the 50th anniversary celebration.
“It’s going to be a fun day, a way to celebrate what Rutland minor baseball has meant to so many people,” said Kelli-Anne Drummond, RMBA’s Fundraiser and Sponsorship coordinator. “It’s really family-oriented, coaches know the kids so well who have come up through Rutland minor over the years. It means a lot to a lot of people who can come out and see what they’ve been a part of. We hope everyone can come out and celebrate with us, play some games and enjoy the day.”
As an ongoing project, RMBA is also raising funds for the construction of an indoor batting cage. Individual bricks to be used in construction of the building are being sold for $100 each and will feature the donor’s name.
The RMBA has approximately 350 kids, between the ages of five and 19 enrolled for the 2012 season.
For more information on the Rutland Minor Baseball Association, visit rutlandbaseball.ca
