Delisle Softball 60 Year Reunion

On August 26, former Delisle softball players held a reunion to share memories and show appreciation to Norma Colborn, now age 94, for everything she did 60 plus years ago when she started up a softball team for young girls.

Out of a total of 25 players who played on the team in the early 60’s there were 6 who played all 5 years.

Unfortunately 3 players are now deceased, however 12 out of the 25 Norma coached in the early 60s, came to the Berry Barn to share memories. The group included Phyllis Schumacher, one of the core of six, who came from Vancouver and Phyllis Pratt (Shannon) came from Edmonton. Three other players, who wanted to attend, sent messages. All are thankful that Norma was still able to share memories with the team, totally aware of the great role model she has been to so many for so long. After having been active in many activities all her life she is still showing everyone how to grow old with grace and dignity.

The reunion was the brainchild of Linda Boyle (Rayburn), one of the core group of 6, aided by several other players who tracked down and contacted the others.

In 1961, Norma Colborn, started a ball team, in spite of being a busy young farm wife in the Delisle area and having three young children ages 8,6, and 3. She was assisted by Dean Flanagan, who was the manager of the Co-op at the time.

In 1962 the team won the Provincial Midget Championship (age 16 and under in those years) by defeating a Saskatoon team to win the North and then Moose Jaw in North/South playoff.

They defended their title in 1963 in an epic battle at a Regional playoff in Dinsmore, against a team which included three players who, 7 years later, played for the Saskatoon Imperials that represented Canada in the World Championship in Japan. The winner was determined in a best of three, 9 inning games, played in one day. Delisle, with a roster of only 12 players, won the first game 9-3. It seemed they were on the same easy victory path they had taken in 1962. However, in the 2nd game Dinsmore scored 6 runs in the 1st inning. Norma, naturally expecting her team to score like they did in the first game, and still hoping to win in two, changed pitchers to use the same one that started the first game. They only scored 1 run, resulting in a 7-1 loss.

The 3rd game was a battle between evenly matched teams that went 11 innings before Delisle won 10-6. After 29 innings, of which one pitcher pitched 28, the team was so exhausted they barely enjoyed the win. However the win put them on the easy path to the Provincial Championship where they once again won the North by beating Saskatoon two straight and the south against Dysart two straight.

1964, the team moved up to Juvenile, where Dinsmore got their revenge by winning the playoff in Delisle. Every athlete and team has to learn how to lose “the big one” and that was this group’s first lesson.

By 1965 some girls on both teams had graduated and Dinsmore could not field a team, so 4 of their best players joined Delisle. The team won the Commercial Division Provincial Championship.

Out of 15 players on the 1962 team 11 were farm girls, with raw talent, who appreciated the opportunity to play on a “real” team instead of farm yard games or scrub at school recess. As the team started to win Delisle and area showed great support. Every game played at the home field had cars ringing the diamond of the old ball field located south of the tracks. The old dirt infield and clumpy grass outfield made defense a challenge. The only time the players got a better field was when they were lucky enough to play at the Saskatoon Kinsmen Park.

Roy Norris, a fellow high school student, fledgling radio announcer and future talk show host, announced the home games making it more exciting for everyone. Several of the players continued to play or coach their children after leaving Delisle, continuing the legacy that Norma began.

Carol Belton (Rayburn) went on to play for the Saskatoon Junior Blue Angels, who won the Canada Games before all of the provinces had All-Star status. The Blue Angels have been inducted into the Saskatoon Sports Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.

Shirley Shockey continued pitching in Regina, where she went to teach school, until the age of 37. She continued her involvement in softball by coaching Regina teams, then Saskatchewan’s teams at the 1989, 1993 and 2001 Jeux Canada Games. She was the Technical Director for Softball Saskatchewan for five years where she conducted coach and player clinics across the province. Her involvement in softball also included writing a Learn to Play Program for Softball Canada; instructing a coaching clinic in Belize; coaching for 3 -6 month periods in Dornbirn, Austria. Her coaching career culminated with coaching Austria’s National Team in the European Championship in 2005.

Submitted by Shirley Shockey