Wheatbelt Baseball League

Back Row
Mel Rodacker, Bill Murray, Marv Johnston, Bob Kelly, Pete Wright, Orm Shultz, Rudy Cepela, Duke Edmundson, Harry Murray (Coach)

Front Row
Walter Heikilla, Alex Malarchuk, Lucien Giroux, Remi Rouleau, Charlie Turner, Oscar Blais, Max Swanston

Awesome is how today's fans would describe the 1952 Mercury baseball team. Probably one of the best ever, the team won a great number of tournaments as well as breezing through the 1952 Wheatbelt League's regular season without a loss. In those days, major cash ball tournaments were popular in places like Peace River, Falher, Donnelly, Dawson Creek and Spirit River. The Mercurys were sponsored by Mel Rodacker, a Grande Prairie car dealer. In the days before television, baseball teams such as the Mercurys drew large crowds for weekend Wheatbelt League games.