The St. John’s Baseball Hall of Fame will see the induction of four people — two athletes, an athlete/builder and builder — 7 o’clock tonight at City Hall.
Feildians teammates Ian Bennett and Paul McGrath, Bruce Rogers and Alf Prince are the newest members of the Hall.
Ian Bennett
Bennett's Feildians’ career in the St. John's junior and senior leagues wasn’t lengthy, but
it was impressive. An all-round player who also pitched, Bennett led both junior and senior squads to several titles.
In the late 1980s and early 90s, his senior Feildians team was a powerhouse that claimed three senior championships.
Some of Bennett’s finest performances came against the Corner Brook Barons in provincial senior competition where his power at the plate and versatility in the field made him a feared opponent.
Paul McGrath
McGrath, a teammate of Bennett's, also had a relatively short baseball career. He too could play several positions, including catcher.
His confidence at the plate produced both a high batting average and clutch home runs.
McGrath was not only a key contributor to the Feildians of the early 1990s, but was a leader on the St. John's Capitals in their annual heated battles with the Corner Brook Barons.
Alf Prince
Prince was born in Princeton, Bonavista Bay and did not see a live baseball game until he came to St. John's in 1972.
His early involvement with the Feildians junior team led to his long tenure as the St. John's Baseball League’s official scorer and executive member.
Before the advent of computers, Prince painstakingly scored and calculated the stats for nearly 20 years. While sitting on the league executive, Prince was heavily involved in the organization of both the 1982 and the 1990 senior nationals at St. Pat's Ball Park.
The press box at St. Pat's is named ‘The Alf Prince Room’, a testament to his tireless work.
Bruce Rogers
Rogers’ baseball career started with the junior Guards in 1966, and continues today, over 50 years later, as an unmpire.
A crafty left-handed pitcher, he won numerous city titles with Guards and Shamrocks. He went on to coach the Shamrocks to more city titles and also played for and coached both the junior and senior St. John’s Capitals all-star teams.
He’s been involved in the local umpiring fraternity for over 25 years.
