The Chatham Coloured All-Stars have missed being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (CBHOF) again, but there's a glimmer of hope for the team to get in at some point.
The trailblazing team made history in 1934 as the first Black team to win an Ontario Baseball Amateur Association championship.
CBHOF Director of Operations Scott Crawford told CK News Today the team has not reached its last year of eligibility because it has been moved into the Veterans category, which will give the team more years of eligibility.
The 2026 inductees were announced on Thursday, but voting results were not made public.
Crawford said there's more opportunity for the team to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, but for how many years is unclear.
"They still have eligibility left, which will bring relief and good news to the people who are hoping they'll be inducted one day," said Crawford.
Crawford said the Veterans list is long and the induction spaces are few, but added there's still a chance for the Chatham Coloured All-Stars to be inducted.
"They're being considered every year, they're [the committee] not saying they're falling short. There's lots of people and teams on the Veterans list. They're being looked at, but with them still with eligibility and available to be talked about each year, there's still a chance in future years," Crawford said.
Dom Dinelle, owner of the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers baseball team, said he's happy the All-Stars still have a shot at the Hall, but sad they're not already inducted.
"I think it's sad, but I'm happy they get another chance to be inducted and I know they're inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame," Dinelle said. "So, why not baseball with everything they've done?"
The All-Stars were inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. They’re also in the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame and the Ontario Baseball Association Hall of Fame.
