When it comes to baseball or softball, CTV’s Maritimer of the Week has one strict rule.
"Everybody plays."
For more than six decades, he's organized games at the field in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, ensuring that players from six to 80 years of age, can play ball and have fun.
Roy Mattinson says his philosophy developed long ago when he was attending a one room school.
The school aimed to get everyone involved in everything.
“It was the best year I ever had in school. But I always felt, that if ever my chance came to be in control, everybody would be involved.”
Every summer for 65 years, Roy has been hosting ball games twice a week in Pugwash.
Everybody plays, including Roy.
They’re pick-up games, meant for everyone who enjoys the game.
Carl Purdy keeps score at those games.
“Quite often, Roy arrives with a real large sports bag, and in it he has bats and balls,” he says, “plus extra gloves for the kids that don't have gloves.”
Longtime friend Lester Russell says Mattinson doesn’t play favourites, that even if 25 or 30 kids show up, everyone gets to play no matter what level they are at.
Roy was front and center when the TSN celebration tour stopped in Pugwash back in 2012.
The community received $25,000 for upgrades to the field.
That resulted in a new equipment shed, new fences and an upgraded infield. It also cemented Roy's status, as a community role model.
Congratulations to Roy Mattinson, our Maritimer of the Week!
If you know someone deserving of our Maritimer of the Week award, we want to hear about it.
It doesn’t matter how old they are, the nature of the good deed they’ve done, or what part of the region they live in — we want your ideas!
Please send your nomination to:
maritimer@ctv.ca
or
Maritimer of the Week
P.O. Box 1653
Halifax, N.S.
B3J 2Z4
