The Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame announced its 2024 inductees, last week, and the list includes a player who got his start with the Dauphin Redbirds.
Ryan Boguski, who grew up in Sifton and played his minor ball in Dauphin, is one of nine individuals, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with four teams and one family, June 15, 2024, in Morden.
Boguski found out about his selection about a month ago, but he was asked to keep it quiet until the press release went out, last week.
Boguski said it wasn’t that hard to keep the news to himself.
“I’m one that doesn’t hold a secret very well. But it was pretty easy. I told my wife and my Dad. It’s like it wasn’t real. He told me I couldn’t tell anyone and no one else knew, so it was kind of easy for me,” he said, adding his three children provided distractions, which helped. “But once the media thing hit, then it started sinking in and people were calling and texting. Teammates that I played with 30 years ago were texting. That’s when it really sunk in.”
Boguski was an excellent youth player. From 1992 to 1994, he was chosen for the Manitoba youth team and in 1994, he made Team Canada.
Boguski was the Manitoba Youth Athlete of the Year in 1992 and Parkland Athlete of the Year in 1994.
After graduation, Boguski attended Minot State University for two years and graduated with an Education degree.
He then played 23 years in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League with Brandon Marlins and occasionally as a pickup for the Reston Rockets.
A left-handed pitcher, outfielder, first baseman, good base runner, and a good hitter who seldom struck out, Boguski was Senior AA Player of the Year in 1996, but his best season was probably 2007 when he pitched regularly for the Marlins and hit .377 with 21 runs-batted-in in 69 at bats.
Boguski attended six national senior championships and was an MSBL all-star nine times. He currently coaches in the Brandon minor baseball system and with Crocus Plains High School.
Being named to the Hall of Fame left Boguski almost speechless.
“I’ve been thinking about (what it means to me). I’ve never played the game with goals of making it to the Hall of Fame. And since (the announcement) and people start calling and texting and messaging on social media, it really sinks in and makes you look back,” he said. “And it was like, holy cow, I accomplished a lot. I played on a lot of teams. Not too many people get the chance. So it’s starting to sink in, like it’s a big deal now.”
Boguski got his start in senior baseball with the Dauphin Redbirds, when they called him up as a 15-year-old pitcher.
“They were short of arms so they asked me to pitch a game for them when I was 15. I remember facing the Brandon Cloverleafs. Being young, I pitched, I think, four or five innings and then they brought in someone else,” he said.
Making Team Canada in 1994 was one of the biggest highlights of his career, as well as all the years he made the provincial youth teams.
“They were pretty big steps. One year I won Western Canadians with a team from Winnipeg. These are big ones that are standing out. But I also remember winning a provincial title with a local Dauphin team,” he said. “I find them all kind of important.”
While admitting he is not much of a public speaker, Boguski is looking forward to the induction ceremony.
“It will be fun. It will be nice to see a lot of people again and have family there. I think it will be neat. It will be nice to get it over with and move on. I’m not a big spotlight person, so I don’t like having attention. So it will be nice to go up there, do my speech and get my picture and move on with my life,” he said.
“It’s an honour, for sure. I have to give credit to all my teammates and all the people I’ve played with through the years. And the coaches, for sure.”
