Steinbach Pacers — In a wonderful reflection on local sports heritage and youthful dedication, a sports flashback to 1983 highlights the exceptional achievement of the Steinbach A&W Pacers. Hosting both the junior men’s fastball provincial championship and the Manitoba elimination tournament, the Steinbach team successfully defended their title to earn the right to represent Manitoba at the national junior men’s fastball championships in Prince Edward Island for the second consecutive year. Facing strong regional competition from Winkler and Pine Falls, the Pacers demonstrated teamwork, sharp defensive skills, and impressive pitching performances on their home field to secure their return to the national stage.

Tense Opening Thriller Between Steinbach and Winkler

The tournament opened with what proved to be the most competitive and closely fought contest of the entire schedule—a hard-fought 3-2 victory for the Steinbach Pacers over Winkler. Steinbach took an early lead in the first inning when Harold Schlamp and Jacques Levesque both hit singles. Winning pitcher Darcy Gryba then stepped up to drive in both baserunners with a clutch single to left field, establishing an initial 2-0 advantage for the home team.

In the fourth inning, Steinbach extended their lead through alert base running. With two outs, James Loewen reached base on an error, promptly stole both second and third base, and then crossed home plate on a passed ball to put the Pacers ahead 3-1. Winkler answered in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring a run to trim Steinbach’s lead to 3-2.

From that point forward, Steinbach’s defense anchored the victory. In the fifth inning, Gryba snagged a line shot back through the middle to initiate an inning-ending double play. In the sixth inning, outfielder Tim Friesen went all the way to the wall to stifle another Winkler scoring attempt. The game’s standout defensive play occurred in the seventh inning, when Earl Coleman took away a sure single to right field and threw out Winkler’s Brian Thompson at first base. A line drive to Coleman off the bat of pinch-hitter Preston Wieler recorded the final out of the game.

Gryba delivered a stellar performance on the mound, striking out six batters, walking none, and holding Winkler to five hits. Winkler’s losing pitcher, Randy Klassen, surrendered four hits, issued two walks, and struck out three batters.

Pine Falls Eliminates Winkler in Tightly Contested Game

Winkler’s hopes for a trip to the national championships were brought to an end in their second game, losing a tight 2-1 decision to Pine Falls in a contest where baserunners were exceptionally difficult to come by. Pine Falls, also known as the Canadiens, took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Claude Nault scored on a passed ball third strike.

Winkler threatened in the bottom of the third inning by loading the bases, but Pine Falls second baseman Dwayne Tardiff knocked down a hard-hit ball and shovelled it to first base to retire the batter and end the threat. In the sixth inning, Pine Falls added a crucial second run after Ian Cyr drew a walk, stole second base, and scored when the Winkler catcher threw the ball away at third base while attempting a pickoff.

Winkler mounted a late rally in the bottom of the seventh inning, pushing one run across to draw within 2-1. However, Pine Falls’ first baseman and third baseman combined to save the game with a double play at the plate. Steve Dick hit a ball to third base, and when the Winkler runner attempted to score from third following the throw to first, third baseman Mark Fenez made a perfect throw to catcher Ian Cyr to tag the runner and end the game.

Pacers Capture Provincial Crown and National Berth

Pine Falls’ 2-1 victory over Winkler assured Steinbach of their spot in the national tournament, as Winkler was eliminated. The result set up a best-of-three series between Steinbach and Pine Falls for the provincial junior crown. Pine Falls was ineligible to compete out of the province because the team did not have a Level One coach, but they were permitted to challenge for the provincial title nevertheless.

Despite already having secured their national trip to Summerside, Prince Edward Island, the Steinbach Pacers came to play ball with complete focus and sportsmanship. Behind a strong two-hit pitching performance from Guy Phaneuf, Steinbach earned a 3-0 victory in the first game of the series. Phaneuf struck out eight batters and issued two walks during the shutout.

In the final game of the tournament, the Pacers’ offense exploded early, building a 10-0 lead. Pine Falls starter Craig Borlasse took the loss, surrendering six runs before being replaced in the second inning by Pine Falls ace Jamie Wardrop. Pine Falls managed to cut Steinbach’s lead in half with a five-run fifth inning, making the score 10-5. However, Guy Phaneuf entered in relief in the sixth inning and struck out the side on his way to securing an 11-5 victory and repeating as provincial champions.

Honoring Sportsmanship and Local Community Heritage

The Steinbach A&W Pacers went on to represent Manitoba at the Canadian Junior Men’s Fastball Championships in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, from August 10–14, 1983. Their victory stands as a testament to the dedication, sportsmanship, and healthy athletic traditions that enrich our local communities in southeastern Manitoba.

Reporting based on historical sports coverage from The Carillon.

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