2005 Inductees

Jim Hampsey

Jim is undoubtedly one of the best all-round athletes ever produced in the Berwick area. Encouraged by a sports-minded family, he excelled at high levels of competition and was always a team leader.

In softball, Jim combined good hitting, fielding, and speed. He was a perennial All-Star and a lifetime .300 power hitter. He helped the Berwick Legionnaires win many league titles. In 1960, he helped the Berwick Juniors defeat the Canso Athletics for the Bault Trophy and the Nova Scotia Junior Softball Championship. In 1961, he helped the Legionnaires win the Maritime Intermediate C Softball Championship.

All along, Jim was a much sought-after baseball pitcher - the best teenaged right-hander in the province, with pin-point control and a signature pitch that was a wicked curveball which no one could hit effectively. Jim pitched several outstanding games that helped the Kentville Braves win the Eastern League Championship in 1962. He helped pitch the Hantsport Shamrocks to a pennant in 1963. In 1964, he pitched for the Sydney Mines Ramblers as they lost in seven games in the Nova Scotia semi-finals. In the seventh game of this championship, Jim was locked in one of the greatest pitching classics in Nova Scotia baseball history against a rival named Foley. He went the distance, throwing a seven-hitter and striking out a record 19 hitters. His strikeout ratio still ranks as one of the highest in Nova Scotia baseball history.

Jim also played forward on several local hockey teams and in the highly competitive Kings County League. He was a fine skater and an intelligent player who was always a tremendous playmaker and a league-leading scorer. You could always find him in the Top 10 scorers. Jim made a habit of multiple-goal games.

Jim was also a superlative golfer. Dedication to the rules, structured practice, and proper golf etiquette resulted in several worthy accomplishments. In 1969 Jim overcame a strong field to win the Club Championship at Paragon Golf and Country Club. In 1971 all of that practice also paid off with a blistering 66 to set the course record - a record that stood for nine years until it was broken by Nova Scotia Hall of Famer Gerry MacMillan. In that same year, he also had a hole-in-one on No. 7 at Paragon. He also has a Nova Scotia Legion title to his credit.

Jim also excelled in bowling. He maintained a seasonal high average of 105, with a personal best game of 160. Jim was always a threat individually, as was any team that he played on.

It is said of Jim that he brought a natural talent to every sport that he played.

Inducted June 2005