Floyd Lavalee – Athlete
Floyd LaVallee has been playing on Prince Albert ball diamonds five decades.
He started playing baseball in 1954 at 13 years old. He played in the Prince Albert Pony League for the Rotary ball team. He pitched, caught, played field and hit many home runs out of Dent’s Ball Park.
In 1956 at age 15, Floyd started his fastball career with the Davis Aces. He started out as the team’s catcher and evolved into an all-star second baseman and short stop. He played with the Aces for seven years and during that time won a couple city championships and played in provincial playoff finals. Floyd and teammate Johnny Batuik made many colourful doubleplays for the Aces.
From 1963-66 Floyd played with the Parkland Builders. With Floyd manning second base or short stop, the team won the provincial championships in 1963 and 1965.
In 1967 the Parkland Builders became the Corrigal Seals and Floyd was named Most Valuable Player by the coaches. Floyd and the Seals won the Prince Albert Senior Fastball League in 1967 and 1968.
Floyd left the diamond as a player in 1970 and took on umpire duties for two years. But Floyd’s passion for the game drew him back in 1975 when he joined the Reil Rebels team.
In 1979 Floyd joined the Old Dutch Twins and took on assistant coaching duties in addition to his role on the field. The additional job did not distract from his play. Floyd was an all-star third baseman in 1981.
In 1982 Floyd took over coaching of the Twins while continuing to play third base. A year later in 1983 he was named coach of the year. The Twins won the Prince Albert Sportsman League in 1984 and 1985 under Floyd’s guidance.
From 1981-88 Floyd put together a team of players more than 40 years old to go to Regina for an invitational Twilighter tournament. They won the B event in 1983 and the A event in 1988.
From 1986-89 Floyd played for Gene’s Recycles. This team claimed a Sportsman League title.
In 1989 Floyd was asked to join a group of Prince Albert and area peace officers to compete in fastball at the World Police and Fire Games in Vancouver, B.C. Manning third base, the Prince Albert Kings won a bronze medal in the series. In 1991 the team headed to Memphis, Tennessee and won a silver medal. Then in 1993 and 1997, Floyd and the Kings won gold medals in Colorado Springs and Calgary, respectively. The Kings are also 2006 Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame inductees.
Floyd is also an active bowler having played in the Avanet League more than 25 years. His Anavet bowling team won provincial championships from 1997-2004. Floyd also received trophies for high single game, high triple score and highest average in his league. In 2004 he bowled a near perfect game with nine straight strikes.
Floyd is also a keen golfer and in 2004 achieved his first hole in one at Kachur’s Country Club. He is also active in pool.
In 2004-05, Floyd put together a team from the Prince Albert Anavet club to play floor hockey against local Special Olympians. The games were not about winning on the scoreboard but winning with community involvement and activity.
Floyd is joined this year in the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame by brothers Felix (Athlete) and Tom (Builder). He is already a team member with the 1963 and 1965 Parkland Builders fastball team inducted in 2004.
The Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame proudly welcomes Floyd LaVallee in the Athlete category.
