The LaSalle Cardinals baseball team announced the death of its president Denis Lafleur on December 31, at the age of 73.
The one who led for 32 years of this franchise of the Quebec Elite Junior Baseball League had been battling lung disease for some time.
“Under his mocking air, he was one of the biggest pillars of the Cards organization. His undeniable passion for baseball was passed on to several generations of young athletes who played under his leadership, ”emphasized the team’s leadership in a post on his Facebook page.
The deceased’s daughter also made a point of expressing Mr. Lafleur’s great attachment to the LaSalle organization. “He loved being part of the baseball association for the love of the sport, to support the players and for all the great relationships he has created with you,” commented Geneviève Lafleur.
The publication has since garnered many sympathetic comments, a sign of the importance Mr. Lafleur had in the LaSalle community.
A passionate man
The general manager of Cards, Milton Lopez, also remembers the passion which animated the president of the team.
“He could call me at 7am, the day after a game, to discuss what went well and what went wrong. Even if his role was mainly administrative, he was always on the lookout for the players, their statistics. He wanted to know everything, ”says the man who has been his right hand for many years.
The involvement of the “big man” was also felt on the side of the players. Montreal pitcher Conor Angel, who was a member of the Cards from 2017 to 2020 before being drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in MLB last summer, says he could still see him selling tickets outside Éloi Stadium. Viau before the games. “He was very nice,” he sums up in an exchange of message.
Denis Lafleur was one of the architects of the merger with the Verdun baseball club in 1991, which allowed the Laval team to win the championship and to establish itself since as one of the best teams in the league.
