Cairns teacher and baseball stalwart honoured with special day
The memory of a local player, coach, umpire, administrator and supporter will hold pride of place at what shapes to be one of the biggest days for the Cairns Baseball League in recent years.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Leprechauns rookie making big impact in debut season
- League gun to be ‘a real handful in the centres’
- FNQ in line for elite cricket with Griffiths Park upgrade
- Barty’s inspiring message for young Indigenous girls
The memory of a local player, coach, umpire, administrator and supporter will hold pride of place at what shapes to be one of the biggest days for the Cairns Baseball League in recent years.
Steven Landsberg will be honoured at the Trinity Beach Baseball Complex on Sunday, with special ceremonies starting at 1pm.
Landsberg died at his Kewarra Beach home in April, aged 46, from what was believed to be complications after a medical procedure.
His death sent shockwaves through North Queensland baseball circles as well as the Cairns school community, with Landsberg working as a physical education teacher at Trinity Beach State School for almost 20 years.
Deputy commissioner on the board of Baseball Queensland and former Cairns Baseball League development officer Al Connors said local people would finally have a chance to recognise and remember Landsberg together.
“It floored the entire baseball community up here when the news broke, then the next couple of weeks were about trying to deal with that loss, while understanding that, due to COVID, we wouldn’t be able to pay any formal respects to him,” he said.
MORE NEWS:
Star paid $1.73m again for doing nothing
Cairns baseball players step back up to the plate
Baseball star’s mammoth 13-year contract will make your eyes water
Cairns baseball community mourning loss
“It was a really difficult time, so it’s nice to be able to come together and have his family there and show how much he meant to all of the baseball community and the schooling community as well.”
Cubs’ John Tolentini said his former teammate and coaching colleague left an indelible mark on baseball in Far North Queensland and his legacy would live on.
“He was the sort of guy that as soon as he put his mind to something, he really made it happen,” Tolentini said.
“It was no different to when he was in a game, he was just a really big competitor, but everything he did was just textbook and he took that into his umpiring as well.”
Landsberg was a player and coach for many years before becoming a founding member of the Cairns Baseball Umpires Association in 2015.
“The world was a lot better place having him in it,” Tolentini said.
“He was a great teacher, a great coach, a great player, a great umpire, a great husband, a great father and, most importantly, he was an incredible human being.
“He’ll be severely missed, but I know the greater community will be forever grateful to have someone like Steve in their lives.”
Cairns Baseball League president Daniel del Nido said tributes would run throughout the weekend, including Saturday’s junior matches.
“Steve was a huge Star Wars freak so the tee-ballers have got a Star Wars theme for their games,” he said.
Originally published as Cairns teacher and baseball stalwart honoured with special day