Charlie Ghostkeeper didn't spend a lot of his free time at home. Chances are, he was either at a ball park or a hockey rink.
As an organizer and coach, Ghostkeeper made it his mission to promote the growth of sport in Prince George. A major part of his goal was to ensure that members of the aboriginal community had plenty of playing time on the fields and ice surfaces.
For his long list of contributions, Ghostkeeper - who died in 2012 after a battle with cancer - is being inducted into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday night. His widow, Lucy, will accept the honour on his behalf.
"When he started at the ball diamond, I was right beside him, helping him," Lucy said. "But later on through the years, after he got into everything, I never went because I stayed home. But I was proud of him. He was always gone with his sports.
"He used to run the (Prince George) Multicultural (Recreation) Society and he used to sponsor everything - dancers, boxers, whatever. He did it because he loved the kids. He didn't expect anything back from anybody. He just loved helping the kids and anyone in sports."
Ghostkeeper was born in Grouard, Sask., and moved to Prince George when he was in his late teens. He soon realized recreational opportunities for the city's aboriginal residents were quite limited and decided to change things for the better.
In the 1960s, Ghostkeeper founded a native fastball tournament. Held on the July long weekend, it attracted players and families from across Western Canada and was a cultural gathering as much as a sporting one. The tournament grew into an annual event and is still going strong.
Ghostkeeper also helped build the Spruce City Men's Fastball Association and put together several men's teams that competed across B.C. and Canada. Multiple times, he served as a coach and manager at the Canadian Native Fastball Championships and North American Aboriginal Fastball Championships. As if these volunteer activities weren't enough, Ghostkeeper started a youth baseball league (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) in the Hart Highway area and it eventually grew to 42 teams.
With hockey, Ghostkeeper founded the United Native Nations youth tournament that is held in Prince George every spring. As well, he routinely coached teams at the Western Canadian Minor Aboriginal Hockey Championships.
Lucy said she's proud her late husband is being recognized by the local hall of fame.
"But you know what? I don't need plaques or anything to remind me. Charlie's in my heart constantly," she said.
Ghostkeeper's induction - in the coach and builder category - is a cause for celebration among his family members. Several are traveling to Prince George from Saskatchewan so they can attend the banquet. In total, Lucy has purchased 22 tickets, while Ghostkeeper's brother, Peter, has picked up eight.
"It shows a lot of respect for the man, for sure," Peter said. "He's missed. And it's time that we got somebody in (the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame) from fastball, and native fastball. Just to see that, I know I'm thrilled."
Ghostkeeper will be the first First Nations individual to be inducted into the local hall of fame. Nominations are submitted by the public.
Peter said he hopes his brother's induction helps pave the way for more aboriginal people being honoured.
"Hopefully with him being inducted now, that will open the doors," Peter said. "The natives will see that and say, 'Wow, let's go for it.'"
Three others will also be welcomed into the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday. They are: Orv Claffey (hockey pioneer); Nino Fabbro (fastball coach and builder); and Audrey Foster (baseball administrator).
The banquet is being held at the Hart Community Centre.
Full biographies of all the previous inductees can be found on the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame website (pgsportshalloffame.org).
