Helmville Fastpitch Softball tradition continues

HELMVILLE - The 43rd Annual Father Mac Invitational Fastpitch Softball Tournament was held in Helmville June 3-5. This year's tournament was won by the Helmville Helmvillians when they beat Deer Lodge 8 - 5 in the Championship game. The Tournament is hosted by the Helmville Fastpitch Softball Team, a team in the Blackfoot Valley Fastpitch Softball League. Seven teams from the Blackfoot Valley League played this year from Helmville, Seeley Lake, Deer Lodge, two Missoula teams, Lincoln and Huson. 

The tournament is named after Father Mac (Henry McMurrough), a beloved priest who served at St. Thomas Parish in Helmville in the late 1970's. Mac was killed in a canoe accident on the Blackfoot River days before the 1980 tournament. The tournament that year was going to be a fundraiser for the ball team but turned into a memorial event for Father Mac. 

"Father Mac was a priest who used object lessons in his messages by taking the congregation into the mountains in the summer for mass," remembered parishioner Diane Krutar. "We had hiked out of the North Fork trailhead one Sunday and he pointed out two trees that had fallen into the sign of the cross. Then he asked my sons to collect wildflowers for the altar on a stump."

Father Mac always played umpire and participated in all the baseball games and refereed the children's soccer games. At the award ceremony after the tournament David Mannix shared a story about Father Mac.

"Having Father Mac as the umpire really changed the tone of the game," remembered Mannix. "You can't say those [knee jerk] things. If you do, you can really regret it."

Randy Hawkins shared the memory of asking Father Mac to referee soccer games, Father Mac said he would do it, even though he never had before, as long as he had a rulebook.

 "The inspiration and reason that showed Father Mac was such a fine man was that he did so much for the community, whether or not people were in the church," Hawkins said. "I started the tournament to honor that."

Hard ball was first played in Helmville in the late 1930's, after World War Two. Hawkins started the Fastpitch League in Helmville in 1974.

"Baseball had a big tradition in Helmville prior to the league we have today," said Hawkins.

"We keep playing for the competition and the camaraderie," said Bill McCormick, Blackfoot League Commissioner.

 Originally, the baseball field was near the Rodeo Grounds. Bob Wilson donated the land below the Helmville School for a ball field so the school and community could have a shared ball field right in town. 

Gerald Lyons cared for the field by keeping it watered and healthy. After his death, his wife Renee took over and now Ed Coughlin and community members do the upkeep. Community members said that Lyons turned the ball field into a baseball diamond by his dedicated maintenance.

This year's tournament was dedicated to Tater Shows, community member and school board member for 14 years, who passed away in October 2021. Memorial stones for dedicated community members are placed near the baseball diamond field. 

Outside the fence at first base there is a flat stone four feet wide and three feet wide. Tommy Geary (1922-2003) used to always stand there with a bottle of Montana Red Eye whiskey. Anyone who was out at first base was always invited to take a swig but few obliged him.

Father Mac Tournament trophies are always hand made. McCormick made this year's trophy from juniper posts.

The Blackfoot League plays 15 games in the 2022 season. The final tournament is June 18-19 in Lincoln.