Bill Erhardt was born in 1925 on the family farm. His first taste of ball was on the makeshift diamonds of the one-room schoolhouse in the Valley Centre west of Duval.
It was evident at a very early age that he had extra ordinary skills.
Following completion of high school in Strasbourg, Erhardt joined the Strasbourg senior ball club where he played second base. Four brothers were on the team - Jack in left field, Fritz at shortstop, Harold, a right-handed pitcher and Bill, known as the premier second baseman who always played the game with honour.
Picked as a player from the entire Last Mountain area, for the all-star team, the stars beat the professional Regina Caps, with Erhardt knocking in the winning run in the 10th inning. The stars then lost a close game to the all black Brandon Grey's, with Erhardt going 4/4 at the plate.
When the Strasbourg team folded, Erhardt and his brothers Fritz and Harold joined Govan where Erhardt continued to lead in his quiet manner while showing his skills both on the field and at bat.
Following his career as a player, Erhardt went on to coach minor baseball for 10 years, coaching both his sons' teams. When the organization was not able to provide uniforms, Erhardt would supply equipment in order to field a team. He would pack the players into his car and finance the trip to games.
To quote from letters of support for Erhardt's nomination, Hugh Bell states, "I recall as a youngster one of the most talked about players with true baseball skills, was Bill Erhardt. The crowd knew when Bill came to bat in a crucial situation, he delivered a stinging single more often than not."
Norm Bell states, "Bill was my hero back in the late 40s and early 50s. He played second base and the 'old timers' back then described him as the perfect player. He led the team in almost every aspect of fielding and 'sure' hitting. Bill had a certain confidence which he instilled in his teammates. He played the game to win but always with honour, respect and true sportsmanship."
The Late Bill Erhardt will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame Saturday in Battleford.
