Mount Gambier baseballer Sean Horrigan has received the ultimate honour, being inducted into the Baseball SA Hall of Fame.


Horrigan was recognised for his continuous and passionate impact on South Australian baseball through excellence in managing/coaching, voluntary administration and baseball administration.


His baseball history started with the Federal Baseball Club in 1978 in the Under 12s at just eight years of age, playing right though all grades spanning over 15 years – mostly playing as a catcher and second baseman.


Horrigan, 54, then had a few years off to start a family only to come back to baseball in the early 2000s after receiving a phone call to join Tigers Baseball Club.


In 2013 he joined the management of SACBA as a committee member and after three years stepped up to the role of president which he held for another six years, staying on the committee as vice president.


Horrigan has given Mount Gambier baseball outstanding service for more than 35 years, doing it all for the love of the game, and is exceptionally humble.


Horrigan spoke to The SE Voice, still overwhelmed by his honour.


“I feel so very lucky,” he said.


“It’s a big honour, it’s the highlight of my baseball career, I never, ever thought I would be inducted into the Hall of Fame.


“I look at great people like Sid Hosking, he was our inaugural hall of famer, plus there are lot of other people around who have done so much for baseball, and to be in that company is an absolute honour, I feel like I cannot compare my work to them.”


Horrigan said he was surprised to receive notification of his nomination.


“It was a big thrill to receive the letter that told me I was getting inducted into the baseball hall of fame,” he said.


“I actually still cannot believe it, it does not sit quite right with me.


“I have been involved with baseball for about 35 years, I have got a son and two daughters Tyler, Mikaela and Kaitlyn, I carted my son all around the country side to play state baseball, we travelled for the state carnivals, both my girls played somewhere along the line in the baseball community, either to fill in or help me out if I was short in a grade.


“I have always had a supportive wife so when I took on my presidency role in the baseball league she absolutely supported me.


“One of the highlights of my life is that my wife and three children have all been a club person of the year at some point, we have all had that within in the Tigers Baseball Club, it’s an honour for me.


“That’s how I accepted this induction, I did not accept it only on my own, I accepted it on behalf of my family. When I committed myself to baseball, Emma my wife ran the canteen out there for three years, so I had that support.


“Without the support of family there’s no way you can become a hall of famer, just like Sid Hosking he’s got a beautiful wife and children who supported him.


“It’s a family affair, it’s something you choose to do, but you do not do it on your own.”


Horrigan said his drive to give something back to sport started with his parents Murray and Diane Horrigan.


“My parents started me on the journey many years ago as they took on administrative roles at Federals,” he said.


“They instilled me that in work ethic, if you do not have people volunteer in those roles you do not have sporting clubs.


“Funnily enough, my grandfather (Richard Horrigan) was my best friend, he supported me in all of my sport, and he told me I had to learn to say no, because I said yes to everything.


“I was going to say in my speech “Pop – if I had not said yes I would not have ended up in the hall of fame’, he was such a big part of my sporting career.”

Major Awards