The Carillon Sultans will be inducted in the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame in June of 2019.

"It's surreal," said Carillon outfielder Russ Kihn shortly after the news conference to announce next years slate of inductees wrapped up at the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in Winnipeg on Monday. "I can't believe that we got to that point. You start off just with your friends playing ball, having fun and enjoying yourself and then 20 years later you find out we did a lot better than we thought."

The 1996-2003 Sultans captured the Winnipeg Senior Baseball League championships in 1998, 1999, 2001 & 2002, brought home a Western Canada Senior AA silver medal in 1999 and won the Provincial Senior AA title in 2003.

Kihn, who roamed the outfield for Carillon all eight of those years, said winning that elusive Provincial championship banner was a highlight.

"That was a big one for us because that was our fifth time there and we had been in the finals three times and the semifinals twice. That was a long time coming that one. It was great."

The 23rd Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Banquet will be held in Morden on Saturday, June 1st.

"I'm hoping a lot of guys will be there," Kihn said. "It's going to be like old times hopefully. You don't get a chance to see all the guys so it will be a great time reminiscing."

The Sultans join the 1955-60 Vita Cubs and the 1964-69 Steinbach Millers in the Hall of Fame.

The Cubs were inducted in 2008 and the Millers were added to the Hall in 2015.

 

1996-2003 Carillon Sultans
Manager: Linda Kihn
Players: Matt Banman, Dave Blatz, Raimey Cayer, Louis Cote, Jeremy Culleton, Jared Driedger, Garrett Gobeil, Geoff Grawberger, Brendan Harz, Russ Kihn, Heath Kihn, Everly Martens, Jason Mateychuk, Scott McLeod, Perry Nazarewich, Mitch Normandeau, Bud Penner, Marcus Samborski, Stacey Seidler, Roy Seidler, Kurt Seidler, Greg Seidler, Wayne Seidler, Chris Smook, Dean Sproule, Greg Stewart, Paul Turenne & Brad Woods