LeRoy Barker: a rich sporting life

You could say life has been a ball for 70-year-old LeRoy Barker.

Hardball, softball and slo-pitch – the games have thrilled him as a player and spectator.

He also likes nothing better than to spend his free time watching baseball at home, particularly when his beloved Toronto Blue Jays are in action.

And what about his collection of sports cards dating back to the early 1950s? That too has provided great pleasure. He is especially proud of the one showing New York Yankees baseball legend Mickey Mantle.

Yes, the world of diamonds, bases, pitching, catching and batting has featured heavily in Barker’s life; and it will probably do so again between July 25 and 28.

That is when he intends taking part in the Alberta 55-Plus Summer Games, competing in the 70 plus slo-pitch category.

Health permitting, he will run out onto the field with the St. Albert “Hey U’s,” hoping to put his versatility to use, be it standing at short stop or any other position required by the team.

“I play all over the place,” he laughs. “Having played all the positions, except pitching, I prefer the infield.”

Perhaps an even bigger challenge than playing will be remembering the names of his teammates.

Barker has only played with the “Hey U’s” twice, both times in Edmonton. In fact, the name is a jokey reference to the players’ unfamiliarity with each other.

“When we call to each other we say ‘hey you,’” he says.

Alberta-raised Barker’s love affair with ball games started early.

As a young man he played hardball for Amber Valley, one of several Alberta communities settled by African American immigrants to the province. Originally called Pine Creek, it is about 100 miles north of Edmonton.

The settlers had an ethnically diverse baseball team widely known in the north.

Barker is a little hazy about dates, but reckons he played for the Amber Valley team for four years, roughly from the age of 18 to 22.

Education, however, remained his priority. After studying for a Bachelor of Education at the University of Alberta and completing his Masters degree in Oregon, he went into teaching, becoming principal at Elmer Elson Elementary School in Mayerthorpe.

As well as teaching such subjects as maths, he found time to coach softball.

He also built up a unique 8,000-plus collection of sports cards, featuring football, hockey and baseball players. Some of the older cards would probably fetch a high price, if he could bear parting with them.

Barker has played slo-pitch for 15 years, starting with the Mayerthorpe Pioneers. Once the Pioneers folded he joined the Sangudo Saints, playing every Wednesday in a seniors league.

Slo-pitch – coupled with his work as a group leader taking people on educational trips overseas – has kept him very active since his retirement from teaching in 1999.

“I like slo-pitch because there is a lot of action,” he says. “There are very few batters that will strike out. They usually hit the ball.”

Although he has never played in the 55-plus Games before, Barker has competed on a large stage: the World Masters in Edmonton and the World Senior Games in St. George, Utah.

Come July 25, he should achieve another high point in his sporting life.

“My aim is to play to my potential,” he says. “I’m also looking forward to meeting lots of new people.”