LaForest, Savoie part of Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame's 2019 induction class

Former big league catcher Pierre-Luc LaForest (Hull, Que.) is one of 10 new inductees into the Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame

August 23, 2019

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The RDS Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2019 induction class will consist of 10 new honourees.

Baseball Quebec announced on Thursday that the class will include Richard Émond, Pierre-Luc LaForest, François Lemire, René Marchand and Stéphanie Savoie.

Paul Calvert, Gary Carter, Hector Racine, Joe Page and Rusty Staub will also be inducted posthumously.

The new inductees will be officially honoured on November 9. The ceremony will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of Baseball Quebec.

The following is a short bio of each of the inductees:

Richard Émond

Émond has been involved in baseball in Quebec for nearly 50 years. As a coach or employee of Baseball Quebec, he has worked at all levels in the province. A founding member and former head coach and director of the Canadian Baseball Academy (CBA), he has also been the manager of several teams in the Midget AAA league and the Junior Elite circuit for many years. He was also the first head coach of the famous Les Ailes du Québec program, now known as ABC 17U and ABC 16 during the summer season. Over the years, he has contributed to the development of a large number of Quebec players, including Éric Gagné, Russell Martin and Philippe Aumont.

Pierre-Luc LaForest

For more than 20 years, LaForest has made Quebec baseball shine, first by his exploits on the field as a player, then as a coach and manager. Drafted in 1995 by the Montreal Expos in the 16th round, it was in 2003 that he reached the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He also played 25 big league games with the Rays in 2005 and 24 more with the San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies in 2007. He finished his career in the Can-Am League where he won four championships with the Quebec City Capitals as a player and assistant coach from 2009 to 2012, then became the first manager of the Trois-Rivières Aigles the following year. In his playing career, he represented Canada at the 2004 Olympics and at the 2006 World Baseball Classic. Now based in the United States, LaForest founded the B45 Academy Baseball School in 2017 to help young players grow.

François Lemire

As a volunteer, Lemire has held virtually every position in Quebec baseball. Whether at the regional or provincial level, his contribution is indisputable. As an umpire, he received a provincial award in 1995.

René Marchand

A former recruiter for the Montreal Expos, Marchand began his career as a player in the Expos organization in 1980. He played for five seasons in the Expos’ system before retiring to become manager of the Elite Junior Eagles Three years later, he returned t the Expos, this time as Canada's Chief Recruiter and Administrative Assistant, a position he held for nearly eight years. During his career, he recommended pitcher Derek Aucoin (Lachine, Que.) to the Expos and also coached Quebeckers Denis Boucher, Marc Griffin and Dany Després at the 1986 Canadian Championship.

Stéphanie Savoie

Savoie is one of the pioneers of women's baseball in Quebec. After representing the province at various national championships, she was a member of the Canadian national team from 2008 to 2015. During her career, she was named best catcher at the Women's Baseball World Cup in 2012 and 2014. She also received the Pierre Harvey National Athlete Achievement Award in 2011 at the Bas-Saint-Laurent Sport Merit Gala, and she was nominated for Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award in 2014. A great ambassador for women's baseball, she has inspired many young players in recent years.

To be inducted posthumously

Paul Calvert

It was in 1940 that this Montreal native made his professional baseball debut by signing with the Cleveland Indians after playing briefly with the Montreal Royals in 1938. The right-handed pitcher appeared in his first major league game in 1942 and proceeded to pitch in 109 contests in parts of seven big league seasons with the Indians, Washington Senators and the Detroit Tigers. He passed away in 1999 at the age of 81.

Gary Carter

"The Kid" was drafted in the third round by the Montreal Expos in 1972. In all, the superstar catcher would play parts of 12 seasons with the Expos (1974 to 1984, 1992). In total, he suited up for 19 big league campaigns and was selected to 10 consecutive all-star games. In 1986, he earned a World Series ring while with the New York Mets. His No. 8 was retired by the Expos in 1993. He passed away in 2012 at the age of 57.

Hector Racine

A businessman born in La Prairie, Racine became part owner of the Montreal Royals in 1933 and served as president of the team until his death in 1956. During his reign, the Royals won seven championships, six Governor's Cups and three Junior World Series. In 1939, he signed an important agreement with the Brooklyn Dodgers which ensured the survival of baseball in Montreal. On October 23, 1945, he played a key role in baseball history when his Royals officially signed Jackie Robinson. Robinson would star for the Royals in 1946 before breaking Major League Baseball’s colour barrier the following year.

Joe Page

Born in England and arriving in Quebec around 1888, Page was nicknamed "the father of baseball in Canada" in the North American press for his many achievements in the sport. In addition to having formed the first professional baseball club in Montreal in 1890, he was one of the architects of the original Montreal Royals squad in 1897. He also participated in the founding of the Eastern Canada League. In addition to that, he also served as a scout for the Chicago White Sox. He passed away in 1947 at the age of 79.

Rusty Staub

Nicknamed Le Grand Orange, Staub was a superstar with the Expos from 1969 to 1972. During his 23-season big league career, he was an all-star six times, including three times while he was with the Expos. Staub immersed himself in the community while he was in Montreal and his No. 10 was retired in 1993. He passed away in 2018.

Since its inception in 2000, the RDS Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame has been dedicated to honouring those who have made baseball flourish in the province and beyond. The inductees will be officially honoured at the Baseball Quebec Conference in November. For a complete list of Hall of Fame members, visit www.templedubaseball.com.

*Much of the information in this article was translated from Baseball Quebec’s press release.