Tuesday, 9 December 2025

 Colin BROOKS (Bundoora – Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, Minister for Creative Industries) (12:10): I rise today to acknowledge the Greensborough Baseball Club, the oldest and most successful baseball club in the Diamond Valley, proudly celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. The club was founded back in 1955 by Alf Davey, a local resident who grew up on Sellars Street, Greensborough. Alf’s passion for baseball inspired him to gather a small group of friends, including Leo Hoyt and Dave Stubley, to form a local team. They began practising in the area and soon approached the Victorian Baseball Association to enter a team, and thus began the Greensborough Baseball Club.

The club lives by its ethos ‘Bigger than baseball’, reflecting its commitment to inclusion, connection and community spirit. This year Greensborough honoured four extraordinary volunteers Matt Davine, David Hargreaves, Phil Cleary and Ken Butterworth, each celebrating 50 years of service. Their decades of contribution span the president, secretary, junior and senior coaching, assisting across the 3s and 4s and running the canteen, showcasing extraordinary dedication and community spirit. The club’s junior program has produced 17 players who have gone on to compete in collegiate and professional baseball in the US and professional leagues in Japan. Today Greensborough Baseball Club supports 40 senior players, 25 juniors and around 60 social members, all contributing to its vibrant, welcoming and community-focused culture. I congratulate the president Michael Sullivan and the entire Greensborough baseball community on 70 years of success, service and sporting excellence in the Diamond Valley.