Lovell McDonnell

Lovell McDonnell has lived in Medicine Hat for 38 years and has contributed significantly to baseball for 33 years. He was recognized twice provincially for his contributions:

• 2003 – inducted in the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in the builder category
• 2004 – received the Recreation Volunteer Recognition Award from Alberta, Tourism, Parks and Recreation for outstanding contributions as a volunteer in the province

Lovell was recognized twice by the City of Medicine Hat for his contributions:

• 1988 – received the Medicine Hat Civic Recognition award in the Sports/Recreation category
• 1997 – the City of Medicine Hat named a ballpark in his honour, the R.L. (Lovell) McDonnell Diamond

From 1978 to 2010 Lovell held every baseball volunteer position from coach to executive board member and has been involved in activities for all age levels. He was the Coach of the Crescent Heights High School baseball team from 1986 to 2006. Most recently he served as Vice-President for the Medicine Hat Big League Baseball Association and Director for the Medicine Hat Little League Baseball Association.

Lovell’s leadership and foresight were instrumental in the development of the Southern Alberta High School Baseball League, the local American Legion Baseball program and program development for volunteers.

Lovell’s influence and expertise led to Medicine Hat hosting numerous local, and national championships including the Annual Prairie Championships for Little League and the Canadian Little League Championships for each division.

Lovell was instrumental in the new construction and development of the Harriet McCrady in Ross Glen and the major reconstruction of the Jeffries Park diamond. He was also involved in the initial planning of the four Moose Community Ball Park diamonds.

Lovell’s untiring spirit and continual commitment to the development of baseball in Medicine Hat resulted in some of the finest baseball facilities in Western Canada, including:

• Two upgrades to the Vincent Massey School Diamonds
• Two upgrades to the Kin Coulee Park Little League diamond
• Two upgrades to the Crescent Heights High School diamonds
• Two upgrades to the Ross Glen School diamonds
• Two upgrades to the Lion’s Park diamonds
• One upgrade to the Optimist (Steel Street Park) diamond
• Numerous upgrades to the Strathcona Park ball diamond

Representatives from other provinces have asked how they might get Lovell to come to their communities to bring their baseball fields up to the same high standards of Medicine Hat’s diamonds.

Lovell McDonnell is affectionately known as Medicine Hat’s “Mr. Baseball.”

In addition to supporting baseball, Lovell has also spent many hours as a minor hockey executive member and the General Manager of the Triple A Bantam Rep hockey team from 1984 to 1990. He has also always been available to help with events like the Summer Games, the Winter Games and the AGT Festival of Champions.

Lovell McDonnell is truly a “diamond” in the sports community of Medicine Hat.