Longtime Kalispell resident Doug Anders was recently inducted into the Helena Senators Legion baseball Hall of Fame.
A four-sport athlete for Helena Cathedral High who graduated in 1965, Anders is just one of seven Senators that went on to play minor league baseball. A three-year Helena Legion member from 1963-65, he batted over .300 twice, winning the Earl Tucker Trophy as team batting champ in 1964. He played shortstop his final two seasons, and in 1965, he led the team in four offensive categories. Also among his accolades were 10 varsity letters for the Helena Greenies; all-conference selections in both football and basketball; and the 1964 Helena Quarterback’s Club’s “Athlete of the Month” award.
Anders went on to play both basketball and baseball for Gonzaga University, where he was a four-year starter on the diamond for the Zags at third base. He was a two-time All-Conference selection; All-Big Sky and All-West Coast. In 1969, Anders was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 24th round, and played one season for the Salt Lake City Bees in the Class A Pioneer League.
Anders has made his home in the Kalispell area since the late 1980s.