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A lifetime is baseball, and still coaching

When it comes to baseball in Yorkton John Zeeben has been as much a part of the game as walks, base hits and home runs. Born in Canora, Zeeben now 88, has been around the diamond his entire life.

When it comes to baseball in Yorkton John Zeeben has been as much a part of the game as walks, base hits and home runs.

Born in Canora, Zeeben now 88, has been around the diamond his entire life.

“About 75-years,” he told Yorkton This Week after being enticed to come out of the shade where he was watching the Parkland U15 Expos play Saturday, to coach third base for the team.

“I haven’t done it for a long, long time,” said the slightly embarrassed Zeeben.

The call to coach third for the half inning was the team’s way of saying a very public thank you to Zeeben who has been helping coach the team this summer.

Zeeben said his role with the team has been to make sure the young players get the “basic fundamentals” down.

“I’m a bench coach,” he said, meaning he watches games from the sidelines to see “what they’re doing wrong.” He can also make sure previous lessons have been retained.

Then come practise Zeeben can help the players work to correct the basics.

Often it is just a matter of a few adjustments to help young players catch, throw and generally play better, he said.

To help in the education process Zeeben said he shows videos of major league coaches reinforcing what he is telling the young players.

“It’s not my philosophy, these guys have been in the major leagues,” he said.

Of course Zeeben knows from experience too, being a good enough pitcher in the 1950s to head to California to play college ball.

“The culture shock was tremendous in those days,” he said with a smile, adding it was a time before television and the Internet, so even information on baseball was hard to find.

Zeeben recalled writing to Ottawa to get information on the game he loved even back then. He said he got a book about five inches square back, and that was it.

“I still have the book,” he added, adding “I’ve been interested in baseball for a long time.” He noted he helped coach the Western Baseball League Cardinals for 16 years.

Now helping the Expos is a way to stay in the game, and be active too, and he added the young players are more than willing to listen to get better, and that is gratifying too.