The 1992 Battleford Bantam A Beavers won the provincial and Western Canadian Baseball Championship. (Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame/Submitted Photo)

By Austin Mattes

Defying the Odds

Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame: Remembering the 1992 Battleford Bantam A Beavers

Jul 7, 2025 | 4:00 PM

More than three decades after capturing provincial and western Canadian glory, the 1992 Battleford Bantam A Beavers are set to be inducted in the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025.

The official induction will take place Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Battleford, honouring the team for its standout season, unwavering determination, and deep community roots. The Beavers are being recognized not only for their success on the field but for the lasting impact they have left on Saskatchewan baseball.

The 1992 Battleford Bantam A Beavers. (Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame/Submitted Photo)

Choosing the Hard Road

With the small population of the Battlefords, the Beavers began the 1992 season as a B-division team. However, they had no interest in taking the easy road. Instead, they opted to compete at the tougher A-division level.

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“That year we were actually classified as a ‘B’ division team, because of our population. But we decided that we wanted to go ‘A’ because we knew we had a good ball club,” said Beavers Coach, Don Hodgins.

With that, the Beavers had no league to play in and built a schedule solely around exhibition games and tournaments, and they dominated. They played in four tournaments throughout the season in Kindersley, Wilkie, Saskatoon, and the Battlefords and won them all, boasting a 21-6-2 record on the year.

“I don’t think we expected to do as good as we did, but we had gone to tournaments throughout the year and done well, so we knew that we had a good ball club. There’s no question about it. We played a lot of games that year against some good teams,” Hodgins said.

A Provincial Statement

When it came time for Provincials in North Battleford, the Beavers left no doubt. They went undefeated in the round robin, steamrolling the Saskatoon Braves 18-3, beating Prince Albert 8-1, and taking down the Regina Pacers 13-2.

In the semifinals, they dismantled the Regina Buffalos 16-2 before earning a hard-fought 12-7 win over the Braves in the final, a game Hodgins remembers as a defining moment.

News clipping from when Beavers won the provincial title. (Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame/Submitted Photo)

“Playing against the top team in Saskatoon. It was the final of the provincials, and we needed to win to get over the hump. It was a real, real tight, closely fought game. Then we were able to pull it out in the last inning and hung on to beat them by a run. It was very, very special,” he explained.

The Beavers hoisting the trophy after the win. (Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame/Submitted Photo)

Western Champions

Following the win at provincials, the next stop for the Beavers was Stonewall, Manitoba for the Western Canadian Championship. Getting there though, proved just as challenging as the tournament itself, as a broken-down team bus caused the Beavers to miss pre-tournament practice and the coaches to miss the tournament meeting.

With the setback, the Beavers were dealt a tough opening blow, losing 11-0 in their first game. But true to form, they bounced back, beating St. Albert 6-5, Burnaby 7-1, and the Manitoba representative team 7-0.

In a thrilling rematch with St. Albert in the final, the Beavers pulled out a 6-5 extra-inning win to claim the Western title.

Players posing with championship trophy. (Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame/Submitted Photo)

A National Effort

Just three days later, the Beavers were on the road again, this time to St. Albert, Alta. for the Canadian Championship. Despite losing all five games in close fashion to top teams from across the country, the Beavers left with their heads held high, having achieved what few thought possible.

They weren’t an all-star team. They were 11 kids from the Battlefords and three additions brought on only for the Westerns and Nationals. That’s what made their run so remarkable and why they were named 1992 Team of the Year by the Saskatchewan Baseball Association.

The Beavers celebrating their successful season. (Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame/Submitted Photo)

“It was special because it wasn’t just a team that was put together, the majority of them were actually from the Battlefords. It was a group of kids and parents that had been together for a long time. A really tight-knit group with great support. It was something that was built from the time those kids were six years old,” said Hodgins.

A Legacy Worth Honouring

The Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame has been inducting players, teams, and builders since 1985, recognizing those who have left a lasting mark on the province’s baseball story. This year, the Beavers join that legacy.

“I’m still in contact with most of those people and their families, some of the players got ahold of everybody and let them know we’ve been inducted. It’s pretty special, I’m really looking forward to that weekend where we can all get together,” Hodgins said.

For the 1992 Battleford Bantam A Beavers, that long-awaited reunion will come not on a diamond, but on a stage, as they take their rightful place in the Hall of Fame.

The official roster of the 1992 Battleford Bantam ‘A’ Beavers. (Sask. Baseball Hall of Fame)

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Austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes