Winston van Putten

Winston Van Putten was born the 13th of 14 children to Adrianus and Ellen Van Putten. A native of Apple hill, Winston was one of seven boys, six of whom played softball. To follow in his brothers’ athletic footsteps, he started playing competitive fastball with the Apple Hill Border Riders in the Border League at the age of 14. With Winston, the Riders won three consecutive titles, beating Maxville in 1959 and 1960, and Williamstown in 1961, exciting times for a boy of his age. In 1962 at the age of 18, Winston went to work at Courtaulds in Cornwall and played for them in the Industrial Fastball League. The Courtaulds team, a very competitive team in their league, entered the Massena Fastball Tournament every year; in the years 1960 and 1961 Courtaulds did not score a single run in the tournament. Winston was asked to play in 1962. During his first at-bat he hit a homerun, breaking the two-year scoreless drought. Winston recalls the team reacting at that moment as though they had won the World Series. Courtaulds went on to beat Massena 4-3.

In 1967 Winston moved to Dorval where he played in the Dorval Fastball League from 1970-1072. He won both the League’s batting crown and MVP in 1970 and 1971. He also played first base in the summer of 1971 with the Dorval 4-Man fastball team.

During his years in Dorval, Winston worked for Nordair at the airport where he sometimes worked evening shifts. When there was a game those evenings, the team’s coach, Tom Brown, would get permission for Winston to miss a couple of hours of work. The team recognized that Winston was such an asset to them that Nordair would pay his hourly wage while he played.

Winston married Claire Durivage in 1969 and continued to play in different leagues and in many tournaments, winning MVPs and Championships along the way. In 1977 Winston and Claire, along with their three children, moved back to the SDG area, finally settling for good in his native Apple Hill in 1981.

Back in Glengarry, Winston played in the Junior Farmers Fastball League out of Williamstown in 1983 and 1984 where he won Top Right Fielder for the League in 1983. Winston was always known for his speed and his ‘sweet’ powerful swing. Many people who played with or against Winston would claim they had never seen such a small man hit a ball so far.

In a career full of memorable moments, one of Winston’s most memorable occurred when he had the opportunity, like Gordie Howe, to play alongside his two sons while pitching for Baker’s Pride in the Alexandria Slo-Pitch League, where he played from 1992-1995, winning the league MVP in 1994 at the age of 50. He also played with his two sons in the Angus Van Putten Memorial Tournament in Apple Hill.

After 37 years of playing competitive ball Winston hung up his cleats to watch his boys play, and now he encourages his grandchildren to excel in the great game of baseball, the game he still loves so much. He continues to add to the game by suggesting possible plays and tactics, as any good coach or grandfather would do. His enthusiasm for the game has not diminished and he continues to pass that enthusiasm on to another generation of athletes.

Winston loved playing ball, but he has never forgotten his primary role as husband and as father to Gordie, Nancy and Brian. He continues to be a man of integrity, humility and honesty, a role model on and off the field. Winston was a very competitive ball player giving 100% every time he took to the field, but he always demonstrated respect for his teammates as well as his opponents.

His love for God and his love for his family shine through in the way Winston acted on the ball field. Many have said, “Not only is Winston a great ball player, but he is a true gentleman.”

Winston continued to reside in Apple Hill with Claire, his loving wife of 46 years. He passed away on August 26th, 2015.