Musée du Baseball Fernand Bédard

About

Fernand Bédard Baseball Museum

About Fernand Bédard

A man and his stadium

Who says baseball in Trois-Rivières says Fernand Bédard. And who says baseball stadium in Trois-Rivières again says Fernand Bédard.

Fernand Bédard is a legend in the world of baseball in la Mauricie. Even though it was Maurice Duplessis who had the stadium built in 1938, it is Fernand Bédard who is known as the ‘‘Father of the stadium’’. . He was there for the very first game in 1938 against Drummondville. He was there to encourage Peter Gray, to cheer on Jackie Robinson when he came to play in an exhibition game with the Montreal Royals in 1946, to appreciate the farm teams of the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1950s, and it is he who helped orchestrate the arrival of les Aigles in the Provincial League, and then in the Eastern League, the Cincinnati Reds’ farm team from 1971 to 1977. Fernand Bédard has always breathed and lived sports. He has been much involved in hockey, but it is baseball that has always been his true passion.

‘’the father
of the stadium’’

  • 30 years
     as operations manager of the stadium
  • 54 years
    of involvement
    in baseball in Trois-Rivières
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Fernand Bédard

His Story

From 1945 to 1950
Player and coach
He was a player-coach for his midget team, his juvenile team, and his junior team. At the age of 16, while playing first base, he was hit on the head by a ball, ending his playing career.
From 1945 to 1950
From 1951 to 1960
General manager
He was his parish’s team’s general manager for pee-wee, bantam, midget, juvenile and junior levels.
From 1951 to 1960
From 1961 to 1963
Coach
He was a coach for the Trois-Rivières Phillies, and then the Royals, in the Quebec Senior League.
From 1961 to 1963
From 1965 to 1966
Coach
He was the manager of the St.Ursule team in the Albert Gaucher Rural League.
From 1965 to 1966
In 1968
President of the team "Les Aigles"
Claude Mongrain, André Pleau and Fernand Bédard take steps for Trois-Rivières to join the Provincial League. The team is admitted into the Provincial League and will be called les Aigles. In December of 1968, les Aigles announce the members of their front office. Fernand Bédard is named president of the team.
In 1968
In 1971
Les Aigles become the farm team of the Cincinnati Reds
Fernand Bédard plays a very important role in obtaining a franchise in the AA-level Eastern League. Les Aigles thus become the farm team of the Cincinnati Reds. He is the president of the club, a position he will hold until 1975, after which he remains as administrative manager.
In 1971
In 1977
General manager of les Aigles Juniors baseball club
When les Aigles ceased their operations in the Eastern League in 1977, he became the general manager of les Aigles Juniors baseball club. He held this position for 21 years, that is, until 1998.
In 1977
In 1984 and 1989
Worked in baseball during Championships
After that, Fernand Bédard worked in baseball during the 1984 Canadian Junior championships and the 1989 World Youth Baseball Championships, both held at the stadium in Trois-Rivières.
In 1984 and 1989
From 1968 to 1998
Stadium's operations manager
Fernand Bédard was the stadium’s operations manager for 30 years, from 1968 to 1998. There is not one task he did not do in the stadium, from hot-dog vendor to groundskeeper. It is said that you could not put your feet on a stadium seat without him telling you not to! Even his wife, Carmen, worked in the concession stands and in the office. His daughter, Carole, took care of the players’ kids, notably the pesky little Ken Griffey Jr.
From 1968 to 1998
From 1945 to 1998
54 years of priceless engagement
In order to underline his 54 years of priceless engagement to the cause of baseball and the stadium, a plaque in his honour was placed in the entrance of the stadium and the stadium was named the Fernand-Bédard Stadium from 2001 to 2015. Then he graciously let the team sell the name of the stadium to a major sponsor to ensure the continuity of baseball in Trois-Rivières.
From 1945 to 1998

Fernand Bédard Baseball Museum

Honors and tributes

In order to underline his 54 years of priceless engagement to the cause of baseball and the stadium, a plaque in his honour was placed in the entrance of the stadium and the stadium was named the Fernand-Bédard Stadium from 2001 to 2015. Then he graciously let the team sell the name of the stadium to a major sponsor to ensure the continuity of baseball in Trois-Rivières.

Among his numerous other honours, let us mention the following :

  • 1969, 70, 72 : Sports Personality of the Year by the city of Trois-Rivières
  • 1993 : Governor General of Canada Medal for services rendered to his fellow citizens, to his community and to Canada
  • 1998 : Builder of the Year for his 50 years of engagement by the Sports Tribute Gala
  • 1999 : Order of La Verendrye by the city of Trois-Rivières for his engagement in sports
  • 2004 : Induction into the Baseball Québec Hall of Fame
  • 2006 : Induction into La Mauricie Sports Hall of Fame
  • 2022 : Induction into the Fernand-Bédard Museum Hall of Fame
  • Fernand Bédard Baseball Museum