‘She’s going to be there in spirit’
Grand Falls-windsor hosts first Marie Knight Memorial Softball Tournament
Marie Knight possessed a passion and resolve to grow the sport of softball that was second to none.
Serving as president of the Grand Falls-windsor Women’s Fast Pitch League and subsequently the Mixed Slo-pitch League for 53 years, Knight was instrumental in its growth. Even after retiring in 2016, she was still attending games.
Knight passed away on Sept. 14, 2023 at the age of 90. But her name and legacy live on.
Soon after her passing, the Grand Falls-windsor Mixed Slo-pitch League set to work planning a memorial tournament in her name.
On June 1 and 2, the fields of Grand Falls-windsor will host the first Marie Knight Memorial Tournament. All proceeds from the event will go towards funds for a new minor softball program. It’s a perfect way to pay tribute and continue the legacy of this woman, who gave so much to the sport. It’s something she would love.
“My grandmother would be ecstatic about that,” Heather Broders, Knight’s granddaughter, told Saltwire. “Because that’s one of the gifts that she gave me and to so many others.”
Broders, who lives in St. John’s, has been promoting the event from afar while planning is underway in Grand Fallswindsor.
When she spoke to Saltwire in mid-may, she estimated eight or nine teams had already registered for the tournament.
The plan was to host the entire tournament at the Goodyear Avenue ballfield, where Knight devoted so much of her time and where the clubhouse is named after her.
However, Broders says given the number of teams who are registered, they may also have to utilize the Main Street field to accommodate everyone. If it’s a problem, it’s a good one to have.
“With the number of teams we have, which is a wonderful thing that we have that many, we may not be able to squeeze everybody down there,” she said. “So, we’ll see what happens.”
Broders anticipated the mixed tournament would feature a round robin followed by a playoff.
While she was undecided whether she would play, Broders is taking time off work to attend.
“Our family’s hope is that the tournament continues on an annual basis to keep her memory alive,” she said. “I have absolutely no doubt that she’s going to be there in spirit, probably silently yelling at the umpires.”
FOLLOWING HER LEAD
Having played and coached the sport, Broders is proud to be part of her grandmother’s legacy.
She grew up living with her grandmother and watched her devote herself to softball and her various passions. She watched her making calls, looking for donations and sponsors, scorekeeping during games, putting out the bases – just doing everything.
Broders would help picking up things like Pepsi and hotdogs for her during games. Later, Broders joined the league executive, as her mother did.
“It was just assumed that if you lived in that household, you were on the ball. It wasn’t a question of ‘if’, it was a question of ‘when,’” she said.
Knight set an example for her granddaughter and always encouraged her.
“She was an amazing woman, she taught me never to take no for an answer when I saw something wasn’t right,” she explained. “She taught me to advocate for people who had less than I had. Apart from softball, she was heavily involved in service organizations. She gave up countless hours to service other people. And, probably most important to me, she cheered me on even though I don’t have an athletic bone in my body.”
PASSING THE TORCH
Broders says her grandmother understood the value of team sports.
It’s not just about physical exercise, she says it’s about teamwork, coachability, communication, respect, the importance of following rules, learning leadership skills, developing social skills, problem solving, strategizing, learning commitment, how to stay calm under pressure and being gracious in victory or defeat.
The value of providing children the opportunity to learn these qualities through softball is incalculable.
“When children, in particular, have a place, a sense of belonging within their community, they’re more likely to use those skills to give back to their community rather than to take from it,” explained Broders. “And they end up passing on the torch to new generations rather just like my grandmother did.”
Broders expressed gratitude to mixed league and league president Mary Hounsellfolkes, all the teams who registered, the umpires, the Town of Grand Falls-windsor and Grand Falls-windsor Minor Baseball for its support of the tournament.
“We’re hoping that the weather is going to co-operate and that we all have a wonderful, safe, fun weekend,” she stated. “Remembering a very special woman who contributed so much to softball in our community.”