By IAN WILSON

Don Seaman, a key figure in helping ensure the Dawgs are safe at home in Okotoks, has passed away.

The baseball visionary and principal donor in the construction of Seaman Stadium and the Duvernay Fieldhouse – the headquarters of the Okotoks Dawgs of the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) and the Dawgs Academy youth baseball program – passed away on July 9th, just a couple weeks short of his 100th birthday.

Born in Rouleau, Saskatchewan, he and brothers Doc and BJ established a Calgary drilling company in the 1950s that later became Bow Valley Industries, which had interests around the world.

A believer in giving back, Don acted as a mentor to young entrepreneurs and he supported numerous worthy initiatives over the years. Through the Don and Eleanor Seaman Foundation, philanthropic donations supported education, health and wellness, literacy and other causes across Canada and internationally.

“Don’s life is not to be captured only by his business success. His drive for excellence, his work ethic, loyalty, honesty, and sincerity were always reflected in his work. It was said that the Seaman brothers could do a deal on a handshake—and that would be their bond. The pervasive and lasting legacy that he has left us is his love for his family. Along with his wife (Eleanor) and children, he was blessed with fifteen grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. His generosity and care of his family made him deeply beloved,” said his obituary.

When finding a home for the Dawgs baseball program in Calgary proved challenging, Don and his son-in-law, John Ircandia, decided to build a stadium in Okotoks. That facility is a multi-million-dollar indoor and outdoor complex that is the top draw in Canada for summer collegiate baseball and third-highest for attendance in North America.

Ircandia reflected on the important role Don played in establishing Dawgs baseball in Okotoks during a 2023 interview with Alberta Dugout Stories.

“Don Seaman, when he invested the millions of dollars into helping build this stadium, has said time and time again in interviews and things that this was his best investment – and there’s a man whose had a lifetime of pretty good investments,” said Ircandia.

“He says to engage the kids, give them these opportunities to go onto college, to play at that level, to become successful in life, and to see how the community has embraced it – that’s the mind-blowing part – and he says that’s worth all the money in the world.”

Added Ircandia: “Don was blown away by and very proud of the success of the Dawgs in competing and besting the top U.S. competition and in creating scholarship opportunities for our players. He saw the Dawgs as a program that was fundamental or vital to our communities in developing great athletes, great students and future leaders.”

Described as a committed athlete, Don remained physically active right up until his final days, despite undergoing heart surgery to replace a valve at the age of 96 and dealing with prostate cancer that spread to his bones.

The father of five daughters – who was married to his wife Eleanor for 72 years before she passed away in 2022 – was honoured with a special tribute night at Seaman Stadium on May 31, the 2025 home opener for the Dawgs.

Don received a standing ovation from the 6,471 fans in attendance while members of the WCBL team and Dawgs Academy crowded around home plate to tip their caps in salute of the man who made Seaman Stadium a reality.

“It was a defining moment in his life. The next day he called his family together and said he no longer wanted to make 100; he didn’t think he could. He said the celebration with the Dawgs at Seaman Stadium was the last celebration he wanted. He asked permission from his family to let go of that goal, as he was concerned that he was letting everyone down. This man who loved life so much, who possessed an indomitable spirit, now had another goal—to enjoy each day for as long as he could,” declared his obit.

OKOTOKS, AB – MAY 31, 2025: The Okotoks Dawgs against the Energy City Cactus Rats at Seaman Stadium on Saturday night. (Angela Burger/Okotoks Dawgs).

Don was inducted into the Okotoks Dawgs Hall of Fame in 2014 and the street that is home to Seaman Stadium also bears his name: Don Seaman Way.

A celebration of Don’s life will be held in the fall. Family ask that donations in Don’s memory be made to Momentum, a Calgary charity whose values reflect Don’s legacy of helping others build better lives and communities.