Westgarth Baseball Club

Junior training starts next Thursday 16/4 including rookie ball / tee ball

A big thank you to Cale, Yeo , Rob , Luke and Sean for a very successful come and try day. We had over 20 kids in attendance and early signs are a very good for stand alone 13s and 15s with quite a few 17s. Time will tell of course but a very encouraging start.

I would like especially to thank Sean for his enthusiasm as Junior Coordinator and for providing lunch and drinks at the end of the session.

Senior training starts this Wednesday at 5.00pm with juniors training on the Thursday at 4.00pm.

As a follow on to remembering Eddie Illingworth as the great man he was a permanent reminder can be found on the Westgarth wall at Merri Park Pavillion. Vale Eddie

Good morning and please find the WBC tribute to Eddie Illingworth who passed away on 7th March 2026. This was prepared and written by another former player Paul Kennedy. Our thanks to Paul for taking the time to put this lovely piece together.

Eddie Illingworth

Westgarth Baseball Club lost one of its finest recently with the passing of Club great, Eddie Illingworth.
Some of Eddie’s achievements with the club are listed below, but Eddie’s legacy extends well beyond the sum of his on-field success. Along with Don Gough, Eddie was our leader, our motivator and our teacher.
A teacher of Butchery at William Angliss College by profession, Eddie’s teaching role extended to our Baseball Club on Saturdays. Eddie took a group of part time baseballers and cricketers and taught us both the basics and then the finer points of the baseball game. Sometimes it was formal with butcher’s paper and a Texta, but more often than not it was after a match, as he dissected the game over a beer or three.
As his daughter Alison said at his memorial “Eddie was fiercely competitive and he loved to win”. He taught a group of sometimes fragile young men how to believe in themselves and not to fear failure. He taught us how to be humble in victory but still be proud of our efforts after a loss.
He was a great people person who respected his opposition and was respected by them. He always gave his time to talk with the many opposition players who would seek him out after a match to talk baseball or cricket.
His precocious talent (State Cricketer, Australian Baseballer, single figure golfer) saw him keep playing quality baseball for Westgarth well beyond his “use by” date. To use his own words as he would walk off with his familiar loping gait, bag slung over his shoulder, “See ya Pal”.
Vale Eddie and thank you.
Eddie Illingworth on the field
• Played at Westgarth BC 1951-52, 1975-2006. A total of 34 seasons.
• Victorian Claxton Shield Representative 1960 to 1965.
• All Australian selection 1962
• 5 time Westgarth BC Div 1 premiership player
• 2 time Westgarth BC Div 1 batting trophy winner
• In 2002, was named in the Victorian Baseball Association ‘Team of the Century’.
• Westgarth Baseball Club Life Member
• The Westgarth BC Most Valuable Player award is named ‘The Eddie Illingworth Trophy’.

Our annual come n try day on Sunday 29 March at Merri Park, next to Northcote HS. Drop in to learn about this wonderful game. Light lunch provided

So our Grand Final celebration day last Saturday 5th July went very well indeed. We had representatives from '75 , '85 B and Bres and 2015.

Graeme Bartlett,Robert Jardine, Ron Brentnall and Ronnie Bunker were from 1975 C grade.

1985 B grade we had Rodney Gough, Graeme Bartlett and Peter Kendall

1985 B reserve players were Peter Foster, Ron Bunker , Robert Jardine and Ross Pringle

2015 B grade players were Rob McLeod who played on the day, Baden Smith and Matt Fordham.

There were many unavailable and unfortunately a number no longer with us. It was however great to catch up and chat baseball in general and remind ourselves of how good we were in our own mind's 😊

There was a gathering in the clubhouse to thank players , friends and family for attending with a lovely afternoon tea courtesy of Joyce Gough.

Thank you to all that attended to make it a special day. 👏

It is with sadness that I announce the passing of Ray Kipping ,Life member and player of 28 seasons from 1956 to 1984. Ray was strongly committed to his teammates and the club. He was a friendly and supportive individual who knew the value of teamwork and a positive attitude. He was also imposing in the box due to his size. The times when the pitcher threw inside deliberately or otherwise Ray would turn and present his back. It was said that the impact caused more damage to the ball than Ray. :) Our sympathies to the family with the service to be held in Maffra this week. Vale

Our annual open day for juniors looking to get involved in the beautiful game. Training will be on Wednesdays and games on Saturday mornings starting after the term break

Meeting link for tonight's AGM

Time: Feb 25, 2025 08:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89172482696?pwd=SDddQJ1aD021hIP3dopsAvjFt1ba0k.1

Meeting ID: 891 7248 2696
Passcode: beisbol

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Notice of 2025 AGM Tuesday 25th February 8.00pm. The meeting will be online and the link will provided the week of the AGM.

Accounts and reports will be made available prior to the meeting.