1978 Brown Motor Dusters – Team

A team which was formed in 1966 when there was no women’s softball in Prince Albert culminated with a Western Canadian championship in 1978.

Originally known as the Key Realettes, the team tasted success immediately winning the provincial Commercial Division championship that year.

It was the start of a string through to 1982 where the team either won a provincial title or was runner‑up.  The Realettes repeated as provincial Commercial champions in 1967 and was runner up the next year before moving up to the Senior B Division.  That level of ball did not deter the Realettes, who won the Saskatchewan title in 1969.  The club became the Browne Motor Dusters in 1970 and finished second in Senior B play that year.  The 1971 season saw the Dusters finish as the runner‑up in the Commercial Division. That was followed by four straight championships from 1972 through 1975 ‑ Senior B in 1972 and Commercial 1973‑74‑75. After finishing as the runner‑up in Commercial play in 1976 and winning the Senior C championship in 1977, the Dusters again moved to the Senior B level in 1978.

After capturing the 1978 Saskatchewan Senior B championship, the Dusters journeyed to Medicine Hat, Alberta for the Western Canadian championship.  There against competition from British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Yukon and the Northwest Territories, the Browne Motors team triumphed. The Western Canadian championship was a particular highlight for seven team members who were with the team in its formative years and were still with the team in 1978.

The Dusters continued to be highly competitive following their Western Canadian championship, finishing as runner‑up in Senior B provincial from 1979 through 1982.

Inducted into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.