“When you first told me that i was being inducted I was so thrilled, I assumed that it was our Olympic team nominated and the guys were getting called about the news !! Then when you said it was me, that took me by total surprise Not in my craziest dreams would I have put myself in any consideration for such an honour. Canadian baseball hall of fame…… no way !! Not a person of too many words, but I was speechless ! Wow!”
Born in 1957 in Moose Jaw, Sask., Rod Heisler pitched in a record 14 international competitions for the Men’s National Team. After honing his skills in his hometown, the Canadian left-hander attended Bemidji State University where he pitched for the baseball team and earned All-Conference honours in 1978 and 1979 and was also named All-District in 1979.
His first national team assignment came in 1978 at the Amateur World Series. He posted a 2.63 ERA in that tournament and would pitch for Canada at the same competition in 1980 and 1982. In 1982, he went 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA and was named the left-handed pitcher on the tournament All-Star team.
Two years later, Heisler started Canada’s first game at the 1984 Olympics and allowed just two runs in 10-1/3 innings in a 4-3, 12-inning loss to Nicaragua. He was also on the roster of Canada’s 1988 Olympic team.
On top of his strong performances at the Amateur World Series and Olympics, Heisler toed the rubber for Canada at three Pan Am Games (1979, 1983, 1987), three Intercontinental Cups (1981, 1983, 1985), in the Pacific Cup in 1986 and in the World Cup in 1988. For his efforts, he was recognized with Government of Saskatchewan Merit Awards in four consecutive years (1982 to 1985) and a Government of Canada Merit Award in 1988.
Following his playing career, Heisler became a teacher and coached baseball at the Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Sask., and Little League Baseball in Moose Jaw. In 2000, he was honoured with the Kinsmen Sports Lifetime Achievement Award.
Six years later, he was inducted into the Bemidji University Hall of Fame. In 2017, he was inducted into the Moose Jaw and District Sports Hall of Fame.
