Eager Beaver Baseball Association

Eager Beaver Baseball Association, Inc. (EBBA) is a baseball league for youths in London, Ontario, Canada, that was first organized in 1955 by former Major League Baseball player Frank Colman, London sportsman Gordon Berryhill and Al Marshall.

In an article in The London Free Press on February 22, 1955, sportswriter Bob Ferguson reported the EBBA's goals: "The objective of the association is to implant firmly in the boys of the community, the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and reverence, so that they may be finer, stronger and happier boys and will grow to be good, clean, healthy men."

Eager Beavers

It was Ferguson who first coined the phrase, "Eager Beavers." Frank Colman was named the first league president. London Free Press staff cartoonist Merle Tingley designed the first EBBA crest of a beaver swinging a baseball bat.

Other individuals who played a key role in founding the EBBA are: Stan (Gabby) Anderson; Norm Aldridge; Ron Armstrong; Len Barker; Bill Benninger; Ken Burgess; Vic Byers; Jack Colman; the Eager Beaverettes; Bill Farquharson; George Gibson; John Gillies; Don Greason; Clare Hatt; Bob Livingstone; London Majors Baseball Club; Tom Munro; Harry Nielson; Lorne Palmer; Alex Park; Gord Parker; Les Thomas; Hugh (Red) Wood; London YMCA-YWCA.

In 1979 under President Vern McLean, the EBBA incorporated to become Eager Beaver Baseball Association, Inc.

Frank Colman Day

After Frank Colman died from cancer in 1983 at age 65, the EBBA honoured Colman by organizing the inaugural Frank Colman Day in 1984. Each year, the EBBA holds Frank Colman Day at Labatt Park in London in mid-July to honour the league's co-founder, the league's all-stars and celebrate the game of baseball.

Presidents and other officers, 1955-1994

Honorary Lifetime President: George Gibson,
EBBA Commissioner: Gordon Berryhill, 1955
EBBA Honorary Presidents, 1957: George (Mooney) Gibson; Mayor R.A. Dennis; Walter J. Blackburn; Police Chief A.E. Knight; Fire Chief R.C. McRonald
EBBA Honorary Lifetime Member: Ferguson Jenkins, 1992

1955-56: Frank Colman; 1957: Jim House; 1958: Archie Henderson; 1959: Don Waugh; 1960: Fred Dale; 1961-64: Bob Bodkin; 1965-66: George Mucahy; 1967-68: Stan (Gabby) Anderson; 1969: Jim Ramsey; 1970: Russ Mills; 1971-73: Doug Stinson; 1974-75: Rock Bergeron; 1976: Don Jury and Harold Bush; 1977-78: Harold Bush; 1979: Vern McLean 1980: Harold Bush; 1981: Mike Lumley Sr. and Al Kovacs; 1982: Al Kovacs; 1983: Steve Howe and Nick Nicholls; 1984: Lynda Ross; 1985: Bob Humphries; 1986: Lynda Ross; 1987: Bill Ross; 1988: Ron Matthew; 1989: Dan Pulham; 1990: Lynda Ross; 1991-94: Donald Burke

External links

References

EBBA: 40 Years of Baseball by Jeffrey Reed (Eager Beaver Baseball Association, Inc., London, Ontario, 1994, ISBN 0-9698289-0-X).

London, Ontario

CTV Two London Fanshawe College Grand Theatre Labatt Brewing Company London Free Press London International Airport London Public Library London Transit Schools Springbank Park The University of Western Ontario Victoria Park

Buildings	Aeolian Hall CF Masonville Place City Centre Towers Crystal Palace Barracks Eldon House Museum London Museum of Ontario Archaeology One London Place St. Paul's Cathedral St.Peter's Cathedral Basilica Westmount Mall White Oaks Mall

Sports	Boler Mountain EBBA Forest City Velodrome Budweiser Gardens Labatt Memorial Park London Ice House London City London Majors London Knights London Nationals London Lightning London Rippers Norm Aldridge Field TD Waterhouse Stadium UWO Formula Racing Western Mustangs

Festivals	Home County Folk Festival London Balloon Festival London Fringe Theatre Festival Hawk Rocks the Park Sunfest Western Fair

List of municipalities in Ontario

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