Lethbridge Elks pitcher Scott Reiter delivers a pitch at Henderson Stadium (now known as Spitz Stadium) during a game in 1980 or 1981. Photo provided by Louise Reiter
2021 marks the 40-year anniversary of American Legion baseball in Lethbridge.
The Lethbridge Elks were a dominant force in the Little League’s “Big League” division following the founding of the team in 1978. The team won the national championship and a trip to the World Series in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1979 and 1980.
Reed Spencer was the manager of the Elks at the outset of the 1981 season and he says the decision to move Lethbridge into American Legion was made because the Calgary Big League board informed him, they would have to split the team up.
“They told me I had to break up the team in Big League. They told me they didn’t want us up there because it was demoralizing to their players.”
Spencer adds there were pre-existing links between Lethbridge and several American Legion teams due to the fact the Elks had been competing in exhibition games with American teams over the past two seasons.
“We’d always played exhibition games against teams in Montana. So, I talked to [Kalispell coach] George Haegele and we talked about becoming an American Legion team. They applied to see if they could let us in. It went before the Legion Americanization Committee and in November or December, George told me we were in.”
The Elks won the state tournament in Helena and had to get a police escort out of the city. Bruce Lyon was an 18-year-old catcher on the Elks in 1981 and he says people were not happy a Canadian team won.
“We literally had police escorts, sheriffs because the bus was getting stoned. And I mean people were literally throwing rocks at us because they couldn’t believe a Canadian team could waltz down into Helena and win the Montana state championship.”
With Lethbridge’s introduction into the league, it was the first time a Canadian team had been permitted into American Legion baseball anywhere in the US. Lyon says that many people south of the border had misconceptions about Canada.
“The misconceptions they had, a lot of them thought we still rolled around in the winter on dogsleds and that we couldn’t play ball. It worked completely in our favour”
Lyon adds the misconceptions were not only about Canada, but about the young roster of the team.
“We only had three 18-year olds on our team. Our primary team was made out of 16-year olds. They thought just by looking at the roster, ‘we’re playing these kids.’ But these kids showed a different light once they hit the ball field.”
After his time with the Elks, Lyon moved onto to play college baseball at North Idaho State and played professional baseball in the New York Mets system from 1981-1983.
Jim Kotkas was one of the 16-year-old players on the Elks back in 1981. Kotkas says that the Elks surprised a lot of people in Montana because of the team’s play.
“At least early, there were two divisions. I’m pretty sure we were undefeated in the west. They knew we were good, but it happened fast, so I think we kind of shocked everybody. There was definitely a sense of surprise.”
Kotkas adds that the team had to show credentials after winning the state title to prove the Elks were all from Lethbridge.
“There was a lot of people checking our paperwork. They thought we were an all-star team from across the country. They didn’t understand we were one team from Lethbridge. They said there’s no way you bring a team first year and win the state tournament.”
Since Kotkas was only 16 in 1981, he played an additional two years with the team. He was a member of the 1983 Lethbridge Elks who also won the state title. Kotkas moved onto to play with the College of Southern Idaho and Southern Utah State University. Kotkas also has a long international baseball resume. Kotkas has been a hitting and outfield coach with the Elks since 1993. Kotkas says the league has warmed up to Lethbridge since the team has entered the league and the talent level in the league has fluctuated.
“We’re accepted. They don’t even bat an eye that we are from Canada anymore. As the years have gone on, the talent may have shifted a little and it cycles for sure.”
The 1981 Lethbridge Elks faced several future major league players throughout that season, Jeff Ballard of the Billings Scarlets defeated the Elks in the state tournament, Mark McGwire took the field against the Elks in Ogden, Utah representing his hometown of Claremont, California and Sid Fernandez was a member of team Hawaii during the regional tournament in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Lethbridge American Legion baseball is alive and well today. Both the Miners and Elks were unable to participate in 2020 Montana-Alberta American Legion play. Lethbridge’s decision to play in American Legion in 2021 is dependent on the opening of the Canada-US border to non-essential travel.