Phyllis Bomberry facts for kids
Phyllis "Yogi" Bomberry (1943 – January 3, 2019) was an amazing Canadian softball catcher from southwestern Ontario. She played in many national championships and helped her teams win. Phyllis made history by becoming the first girl or woman to win the Tom Longboat Award, a special award for Indigenous athletes. She passed away on January 3, 2019.
Early Life and Sports
Phyllis Bomberry was born in 1943 in Ohsweken, Ontario. She grew up on the Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve. Her family was part of the Cayuga tribe, Wolf Clan. Phyllis was one of seven children, with four brothers and two sisters.
From a young age, Phyllis loved sports. She played many different games at school, including hockey, football, volleyball, badminton, and lacrosse. She often played with boys, which helped her become very competitive. Phyllis also practiced baseball with her father and brother, who were both amateur players. She played softball in local leagues both on and off the reserve.
Phyllis earned the nickname "Yogi" because she was such a great catcher in softball. People compared her skills to the famous baseball player Yogi Berra. Her softball career lasted for 25 years, from 1951 to 1976.
A Star Softball Career
Phyllis Bomberry started her softball journey in the minor league in Caledonia in the mid-1950s. She played there until 1963. With her team, the Ohsweken Mohawks, she won the Intermediate B Provincial Softball Women's Union Championships two years in a row, in 1960 and 1962.
After high school, Phyllis moved to Toronto. Her amazing talent was quickly noticed, and she was asked to play for the Toronto Carpetland Senior A Team. This team competed in the top Ontario Senior Women's league. The Carpetland team even helped Phyllis find a job at a factory, which allowed her to attend all team practices.
Phyllis and her team achieved great success. They won the Canadian Women's Softball Championships in both 1967 and 1968. In 1969, they won a gold medal at the Canada Games. Phyllis also received individual awards, like the Top Batter award in 1967. In 1969, she was named Canadian All-Star Catcher and Most Valuable Player. Sadly, a knee injury forced her to stop playing in 1976.
Life After Playing
After her softball career ended, Phyllis Bomberry lived on the Six Nations Reserve in Ohsweken, Ontario. Her knee injury meant she couldn't play sports anymore, but she still loved watching them on television. She also enjoyed creating native crafts and artwork.
In 2010, Phyllis had the special honor of carrying the Olympic torch through Six Nations. This happened before the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Awards and Recognition
Phyllis Bomberry received many important awards for her achievements:
- In 1969, she became the first female to win the Tom Longboat Award. This award has been given since 1951 to the best Indigenous athlete in Canada.
- In 2009, Phyllis was welcomed into the Softball Canada Hall of Fame.
- In 2023, she was given the Order of Sport, which meant she was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.
