Maurice Oakes

Maurice H. Oakes (Chucky, Mo, Oaksey, Charlie, Boss)

• Born December 19, 1942 in Sturgis, SK Canada
• Died April 1, 2012

Biographical Information

Maurice Oakes was a key member of the first Team Canada ever assembled.

Oakes hit .312 in 8 seasons in the Manitoba Senior Baseball League, with three first-team All-Star nods (1966, 1969, 1970). His .370 average in 1965 was third in the loop. He was on Team Canada in the 1967 Pan American Games, the first time Canada played in an international tournament. He had the first RBI for Canada, grounding in Erwin Doerksen in a 3-1 loss to Mexico and Bernardo Moncayo. He then came up big in Canada's only official win of the tournament (they had one early win taken away due to using players with pro experience in the amateur-only event) - a 10-9 stunner of eventual Silver Medalist Cuba, getting 3 hits, including a double and homer, and 4 RBI. He then caught a fly in driving rain for the final out. He was later inducted into the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sources

• Obituary
• Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame