Ontario Squirt Softball Champions
Even before they won back-to-back provincial championships, coach Reid Little knew he had a talented bunch of ball players in the late 1970s. His squad, the Galt Knights squirt softball team, captured two consecutive provincial championships beginning in 1977.
Capping off those championship seasons was local recognition as Cambridge team of the year.
“The two teams were phenomenal,” recalled Little. Many players played both years for Little’s provincial champions.
In 1977, the team went 19-1 to claim the Intercounty pennant, before beat- ing Woodstock in three straight games to advance against Guelph in the finals. They won league honours, beating Guelph three games to one, and advanced to the provincials, beating Preston in two straight games, followed by Owen
Sound ( 2-1), and finally, North York (2-1) in the title series.
The championship series was a battle Little never forgot. “We lost the first game in 10 innings and then went to Toronto for the second game and won 2-0,” he said. “It was October and we had to play in the snow. We had a coin toss to see where we’d play the last game and we won, so it was at Lincoln Park.
We were down 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh and scored two runs to win it 3-2. The place was rockin.’We drew 500 to 600 people there for the finals.” It was an equally impressive team which took to the field in 1978. Again the
Knights went 19-1 during the regular season and captured the league pennant, before sweeping Woodstock and Guelph.
They marched to their second Ontario title with some big-time victories over a host of other talented squads.
“Our pitching, hitting and fielding was very good,” explained Little. With pitchers like Mike Cooper — one year he recorded six no-hitters — Peter Hastings and Greg White, the team didn’t lack for talent on the mound.
“Peter had a blazing fastball while Greg had a great rise ball,” he said. And catcher Richard Hay was outstanding as well. He later moved to Owen Sound where he played on a world championship team.
Little is still amazed at the few errors the teams made over the two years. “I think we went one entire season with only about five errors.”
Over the two seasons they compiled a remarkable record of 107 wins and only 12 losses.