SAMBA's first president reflects on more than 50 years of local baseball

More than 50 years ago, a small group gathered at the Grandin Mall to discuss the future of baseball in St. Albert. 

Among them was Bob Burns, who showed up to help after learning the president of the St. Albert Minor Baseball League was retiring. By the end of the meeting, Burns had become the league's new president.

During the 1975 season, a group of new and returning volunteers began formalizing the organization's structure. They developed organizational charts and established committees responsible for finance, administration, fundraising, publicity, equipment, umpiring, division coordination and a Ladies Auxiliary. 

Burns said when he became president they did not have any documents from prior years. At the time, the city's available ball diamonds were limited, located on school grounds and there were concerns about the safety of the fields. Still, 254 players registered that year.

In the following season, 1976, Rick Schuchard proposed changing the group's name from "league" to "association." The suggestion was unanimously supported, and incorporation papers were filed shortly after. Burns became the inaugural president of the St. Albert Minor Baseball Association (SAMBA).

Burns said the association status gave the league more credibility, making it easier to secure funding and grants for field improvements and equipment. 

One of the things he is most proud of bringing to St. Albert is the opening day baseball parade, which happened in 1977, Burns said. He said he got the idea from when he coached baseball in New Carlisle, Ohio, as they had always had an opening parade. 

"We organized this parade with the kids," said Burns. "We had floats and horses and the mayor and banners and all the kids dressed in their uniforms."

The St. Albert Legion Colour Party led the parade. It began at the Percy Page Centre and ended at Lions Park. Players were met with hot chocolate and hot dogs, courtesy of the Ladies Auxiliary, before kicking off the season with their first games.

While Burns had to leave his position as president later in 1977, the opening day parade continued until 1981 under presidents Lorne Ross and Bert LaBuick.

A major milestone followed a few years later. On August 2, 1980, SAMBA officially opened Legion Memorial Park after securing the old rodeo grounds through negotiations with the Royal Canadian Legion and the City of St. Albert. The Legion contributed $15,000 in startup funding, and additional grants came from the city and province. 

Burns said it is important for people to know how much work the volunteers put into starting up the ballpark. 

"They haven't received the credit they deserve for finding the ballpark," said Burns. "It started from nothing, I'm talking about cutting down trees and bringing in dirt, and that's a lot of work."

The site initially had two diamonds and bleachers; now, it has four diamonds, a clubhouse, and a field house. 

"The association and the volunteers on the board provide the operation and maintenance of Legion Memorial Park, as well as the operation of the association as a whole, which is a large job for volunteers," said Brian Bourassa, the current president of SAMBA. 

Currently, there are approximately 850 athletes registered in the spring, and the number ranges from 75 to 100 in the winter, Bourassa said. 

SAMBA operates divisions ranging from 7U to 18U, in addition to a men's team and a Challenger Baseball program for athletes with cognitive or physical disabilities.

Bourassa said he thinks SAMBA is an important part of the St. Albert and the sports community. 

"Sport is important to our young people in the community, it teaches them how to be on a team and how to work with each other at a young age, and they develop relationships that last all the way through to adulthood," said Bourassa. 

Over the years, SAMBA's impact has stretched beyond city limits. Its rep teams regularly host games and tournaments that bring teams and families from across the province to St. Albert. 

Burns said that he thinks it's important for residents to know the history of SAMBA. 

Musée Heritage Museum staff say local sports stories like SAMBA's are an important part of the city's collective memory.

"For the purpose of education, sports is usually one of those things that people have a lot of strong memories with," said curator Martin Bierens. "It's really a unique glimpse into town and community organizing, which has always been an important part of St. Albert's history."

Archivist Vino Vipulanantharajah echoed that sentiment.

"St. Albert has a huge sports history even today," said Vipulanantharajah. "You want to preserve that in some way, capture what people think."

This history highlights the dedication of countless volunteers who have helped build and sustain baseball in St. Albert over the decades. Their efforts continue to create opportunities for players to learn, grow and enjoy the game.

"They [kids] may not be able to catch or throw too well when they first start, or they might be nervous, but they end up liking it," said Burns.