Senff to be inducted to Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame
By Robin Wark
Oak Lake’s Bob Senff has umpired countless baseball games, but a contest in 1996 certainly stands out.
It was that year the former Virden Collegiate Institute teacher umpired a contest in which his sons Joey and Danny competed in senior baseball against each other; one of the memorable games in 30 years of umpiring Westman baseball. It was announced earlier this week that Senff will be inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019 in the special category.
This induction honours his longevity, success and dedication to the sport. Senff umpired in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League as well as couple years in the Prairie League of Professional Baseball. His experience included senior playoffs, provincials, regionals, Western Canadians, and four national tournaments, including the first women’s national tournament in St. James.
Senff has been an umpire assignor, umpire-in-chief for the MSBL, and a disciplinary committee member for the Manitoba Baseball Association.
As well, he held the unusual role of anthem singer/umpire. In the Prairie League on a few occasions, he sang both the Canadian and American anthems before umpiring.
Other inductees for the 2019 Hall of Fame class include former Hamiota resident Randy Robertson, Boissevain’s Greg Cameron, Brandon’s Dean McBride and Bruce Stephens, Carman’s Armin Gitzel, Richmond’s Jon Robbins, the 2006-2012 Brandon Cloverleafs, the 1996-2003 Carillon Sultans, the 1968 Coulter Red Sox, the Sager family from Morden, former voice of the Winnipeg Goldeyes Paul Edmonds, and the late Chuck Lindsay.
