Talent, dedication, and sacrifice all helped Vince Eastman be successful on the baseball diamond, but he believes his mother, Gloria, was a big factor as well.
The former Virden resident will be inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame on June 3 in Morden. He is dedicating the honour to his mom.
“Without her, none of this would have been possible,” Eastman wrote in an email interview. “I can't ever remember her missing a minor baseball game of mine. She believed in me, even when I lost or didn't make a team. She has dedicated just as much time in her life as I did to the game. I can't believe the miles she's traveled in the U.S. and Canada.”
Eastman racked up countless honours and accolades in a senior baseball career that started when he was a 16-year-old with his hometown Virden Oilers and came to a close when he helped the Reston Rockets win a AA league championship in 2003. He also had a stint in the professional Prairie League with the Brandon Grey Owls.
“He loved to pitch,” said Virden product Danny Senff, a former teammate and opponent.
“Any chance I was given to play ball, I took! I remember making two to three teams in a summer, right into my thirties,” Eastman wrote. “People who knew me, knew that I was all business when I got on the diamond.”
Senff explained that Eastman was a calm, confident competitor on the mound and a great teammate. He was not the hardest thrower but dominated with movement, smarts, and location.
“Nothing was straight,” Senff said. “Everything was moving … Even his fastball had great movement.”
Eastman, who possessed a dangerous slider, started playing baseball at the age of 8. He appreciated all that his minor ball coaches, including Morely Hartel, Ken Buchy, and the late Perry Kalynuk, did for him.
“They are the ones who gave me a chance at such a young age that it kept me wanting to be an Oiler for years,” Eastman wrote. “We need more role models like them to save the game of baseball!”
When he was 14, Eastman had a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds. He remembers being left disappointed as he was competing against men throwing 90 to 95 miles per hour.
“I wanted that! Nothing but hard work and time,” Eastman said.
Now the Maintenance Supervisor for DOTC Housing in Brandon and a construction contractor, Eastman went on to have a baseball career full of highlights. He said playing for his hometown Oilers was certainly one of them. Eastman was a four-time second-team MSBL all-star with Virden, a three-time first team pick with Neepawa, and a second-team selection with the Brandon Cloverleafs. He was also pleased to attend university and earn a baseball scholarship. The rubber-armed hurler still holds the University of North Dakota record with 23 appearances in a season.
When he helped the Farmers win the 1997 MSBL and provincial championships, Eastman won the league playoff MVP award with a 5-0 record. He was also named the Senior AAA Player of the Year by Baseball Manitoba. Eastman later was tabbed as the the top pitcher at the 2000 Western Canadians in Melville as he helped the MSBL All-Stars win the championship. He enjoyed that experience and appreciated his time in the Prairie League.
“Growing up I wanted to be in the Majors. I wanted my own baseball card. I got that chance when I signed a professional baseball contract with the Brandon Grey Owls.”
Dedication, sacrifice, and a passion for baseball helped Eastman enjoy a long, successful career on the mound.
“Towards the end of my playing career, after numerous knee surgeries, I think just the love of the game can pretty much sum it up. So much people, fun, and opportunities were given to me!”
