When not wielding a wrench at Charles Lavigne’s Engine Rebuilders on Kingsway – near his family home on 19th Avenue – the late Adrian Lavigne was the brains behind a women’s softball powerhouse known at various times as Green & Louie, Doc’s Blues and Alpha Sports.
Starting in 1969 until 1993, Lavigne’s teams won a staggering 19 provincial and 11 national titles. It was also a top team in the Northwest League which included teams from the United States Pacific Northwest. His teams played in many international tournaments and represented Canada at two world championships finishing seventh in 1974 in Stanford, Conn., and second at El Salvador in 1978.
Twelve of his players have been inducted into the B.C. Softball Hall of Fame and into the Canadian Softball Hall of Fame. Following their playing days, 13 became coaches and, like Lavigne, none have been thrown out of a game by an umpire.
