Keith Wagler

Keith Wagler was born on the family farm near Tavistock, Ontario in 1947. At age 15, Keith took up pitching softball. In 1966 at the age of 18, he pitched the Tavistock Juveniles to the Ontario Amateur Softball Association (OASA) title.

The 1970s belonged to Keith. He joined the Kitchener Super V’s (later called the Evergreens) in 1970 and played with them for nine years. In 1972 Keith suited up for 104 games for Kitchener and Tavistock; he pitched in 92 games with a win/loss record of 79 to 13. Tavistock won the South Perth title and Kitchener won the Inter-City Crown. Keith also won the league Earned Run Average Award (1.07).

Keith’s highlight year was 1975 when Kitchener won the OASA Elimination Title and finished third in the Canadian Championships. During his years in the Ontario Fastball League and the Inter-City League he pitched against many legends of the game such as Dick Hames, Bob Domik, Wally Dick and Pete Landers. Through seventeen years of pitching Keith recorded 21 no hitters, 5 of these being perfect games.

Due to arthritis, Wagler was forced to retire from the game in 1979. He has continued to support the sport he loves by coaching and he has conducted clinics for minor ball players in New Hamburg, Tavistock and other rural communities.

Photograph Copyright Bryn Gladding Photography.