By Greg Brons
In 1989, I remember being at the Canada Games hosted in my hometown of Saskatoon. Team Saskatchewan was led by head coach Jim Baba and I attended every game as a 17-year-old kid.
Team Sask competed hard and defeated Team Ontario in pool play and had to play them again in the gold medal game. Cairns Field was packed for all of the Sask games as I am used to seeing this park empty for the majority of local events. The games were tense and to me, it seemed like pro ball.
The gold medal final against Ontario was especially dramatic. There was a bench-clearing brawl, nail-biting moments, and unfortunately a silver medal finish for Sask. But I remember the fiery personality of the Sask skipper – he was all but 5-foot-6 as I saw him come out for the mound visits. He would look up to the towering Sask pitcher but whatever he said on the mound, I knew it was something meaningful for them.
I thought to myself, wow what a program! I want to be part of this someday. In 1990, I figured I had better get myself to an ID camp in Saskatchewan and go to more than one if I wanted to show Jim that I really wanted to be part of it. I got in the car and made the drive to North Battleford and the following weekend I attended the one in Saskatoon. I was hoping I caught the eye of Jim and his coaching staff in the hopes of wearing that green jersey and representing Saskatchewan nationally someday.
In 1990, I was elated when the mail arrived and I found out that I made the team along with two good friends of mine, Trevor Skjerpen and Derek Berschaminski. I was more than thrilled as I told my parents we would be going to Trois-Rivières for the Baseball Canada Cup. We had training camp in Moose Jaw and on the very first day, myself and my two buddies, Derek and Trevor, who I was rooming with, were late for practice. That didn’t’ go over well with Jim who told us, “You will be doing some running.”
We did and we learned that there were consequences and nobody was above the team. The two guys that were late would eventually be drafted (Skjerpen, 32nd round by the Pittsburgh Pirates from University of North Dakota in 1993, Berschaminski, 61st round by the Atlanta Braves from North Dakota State in 1991) and compete at the college and pro level. I am sure this lesson served them as well.
Years later, Jim continued to lead our Team Sask programs where we achieved a bronze medal in 1992, silver in 1993, gold in 1994 and silver in 1996 at Baseball Canada Cups. Traditionally the best players from across the nation come to compete at these tournaments. For a province the Saskatchewan, where we are barely above a million people, this says a lot about what Jim developed.
I had another opportunity to play for Jim and Team Sask at the Canada Games in Kamloops. We had an average team but with Jim he got the best of us and we ended up in a three-way tie for first place in our pool with BC and Quebec. Unfortunately, defensive run differential had us settle for third in pool play and we ended up playing in the sixth-place game where we faced an up-and-coming star pitcher named Jason Dickson of New Brunswick.
Dickson is now leading Baseball Canada and took over for Jim after he retired. The passion and confidence Jim brought to the park during practices and games was contagious. Everyone on that team loved playing for Jim – to us, he was the smartest guy on the field and we were a better team with him at the helm. We loved his aggressive style – “the hell with a bunt go hit a three-run homer damn it” was always his mantra.
During this time, he was also coaching the national team and their pursuit to qualify for the Olympics. He inspired hundreds of Saskatchewan players to chase their dreams south of the border. A lot of us in Saskatchewan didn’t know of the opportunities. Jim had many contacts and led us in the right direction. He helped so many of us.
In 2000, Jim left for Baseball Canada where his passion, knowledge, and vision continued to leave a mark with our national teams, grassroots programs such as the Rally Cap, NCCP coaching programs, or Baseball Canada championships hosted around the country. These programs continue to have a positive impact on thousands of players. Jim’s baseball intellect was also used on the world stage as he was the technical representative at many world championships. His passing was felt around the world.
I had the opportunity to take the job with Baseball Saskatchewan as Jim urged me to apply. Before Jim left for Ottawa, he encouraged me to get involved in coaching baseball as I started coaching 18U and participating in camps and clinics and the National Certification coaching program. I had no idea that someday I would be able to do this full-time as Baseball Saskatchewan hired me in the fall of 2000. These were going to be huge shoes to fill but Jim was always a phone call away and willing to give his advice as things were rough going my first few years.
At Baseball Sask, we have enjoyed some success over the past 10 years or more but everything was because of what Jim established beforehand. Back in the day, I remember him telling us he wanted Team Sask to have the same standards as a college program so we were ready for that level. We continue to demand the same from our players.
I remember at the 2016 Canada Cup he was the technical rep for the event from Baseball Canada. When we won the gold medal in Fort McMurray at Shell Stadium, I could see he was just as excited as we were to bring that gold medal home for the first time since 1994 when he was with Baseball Sask. We all know the saying, “You can take the kid out of Sask but you can’t take the Sask out of the kid?” I know his heart was still in Saskatchewan many times.
I think there are lot of people in Canada who are not aware of his impact in the game. Jim was never one to “toot his own horn.” He liked staying in the background and was always the first to give others credit. Many people who have the knowledge he possessed and the people he knew in this game might be arrogant and conceited. Not Jim, he never “big leagued” anyone.
Our uniforms for Team Sask, which we will wear as we compete on the Road to Okotoks for the Morneau Cup, Baseball Canada Cup and various spring and fall events, will have the “Babs” logo on the sleeve. Everyone affectionately called Jim “Babs.” Every year we go to the Jackie Robinson Complex in Florida for spring training. Jackie Robinson opened the door for many.
The Saskatchewan players that came to Florida all know of Jackie Robinson but likely didn’t know much about Jim. I told them Babs is the guy that set the standard for us – the standard we continue to follow and the one who told us we could compete at a national and college level. He was the one that opened that door for many of us in the 90s and then went on to lead programs nationally with Baseball Canada.
He was loved throughout Saskatchewan and he was loved in Ottawa as a boss and an independent problem solver for all 10 provinces. When he passed away in September of 2025, a few weeks later there was a WBSC championship with teams from around the world. These teams lined up along the first and third base line and a moment’s silence was held as Baba’s picture flashed on the right field scoreboard. I am glad that his wife, Penny, and children, Mitch, Melani and Jamie, were able to see that online. Sadly, Penny passed away from her battle with cancer in November of that same year.
Everyone thinks that the most valuable resources in Saskatchewan are our grain, oil and potash. I don’t. I believe it’s the people and Jim was one of the very best. He inspired so many, including myself. This province and country will miss him dearly.
I have been lucky to receive a few honours in baseball – mostly thanks to the teaching of Babs. It is my great honour to tell readers across our great country that Jim Baba is the deserving winner of the Canadian Baseball Network’s 2026 Lifetime Builder Award.
I am not sure who will win in 2027, but whomever he or she is, will win the Jim Baba award. That’s what people across our country think of Jim Baba. I think about him every day.
Tales of Baseball 