The first annual Angels in the Outfield – Jeff Lees Memorial Baseball Tournament was a huge success Saturday, bringing eight teams together at Alex Carruthers Memorial Park in Garden Hill to celebrate the life of a man many considered to be the heart of Port Hope.
Lees died suddenly at the age of 61 in Port Hope on January 4, 2026.
For 25 years, Lees served as a Councillor for the Municipality of Port Hope, including time as Deputy Mayor. During his years in municipal politics, he worked alongside four mayors, five CAOs and seven different councils.
But Lees’ contribution to Port Hope went far beyond municipal government.
He was passionate about his community and dedicated countless hours to organizations, events and causes, including the Port Hope Kinsmen, Float Your Fanny Down the Ganny committee, Critical Mass Art, the HBIA, the Port Hope Fair, the Santa Claus Parade, the Highway of Heroes Ride, the Lions Club, Big Brothers and Canada Day Fireworks.
He was also a passionate fan of the Port Hope Panthers.
In 2022, Lees was honoured with the Outstanding Citizen Civic Award in recognition of more than 30 years of dedicated community service.
Over the years, many people have simply said: Jeff Lees was Port Hope.
On Saturday, friends, family and baseball players came together to honour that legacy.
Tracey McBride and Melony Gilmour organized the tournament in memory of Lees, with eight teams taking to two different ball diamonds throughout the day.
Gilmour said Lees meant “everything” to Port Hope.
“He was the man of Port Hope. You called him – he was there.”
McBride said Lees cared deeply about his community.
“I think he’d be proud today,” said McBride.
Among those attending were many of Lees’ friends and family, including his wife Laurie, his son Garnet and daughter-in-law Maddie.
For Laurie, the day was about much more than baseball.
“It’s a celebration of Jeff’s life,” she said, adding that her husband would have loved seeing everyone together and would have been especially pleased with where the funds raised through the tournament were going.
There was also a special connection between the Lees family and the baseball diamond.
Garnet admits he isn’t much of a baseball player, but he found himself taking part with something that once belonged to his father — Jeff’s old baseball glove.
The family had believed the glove was long gone.
“We thought Jeff’s glove was long gone,” said Laurie.
Approximately five years ago, Lees had given away a number of baseball items to a third-world country, and Laurie believed his glove had been among the items.
But just one week before Saturday’s tournament, the glove was discovered in a shed in the backyard.
Garnet was able to bring it to the tournament and put it back into action.
With a smile, he admitted he was hoping the glove would help him in his second game — more than it had in the first game.
The tournament offered a fitting tribute to Lees: friends gathered, families together, baseball being played and a community he cared so deeply about coming together in his memory.
For a man who spent decades showing up for Port Hope, Saturday was the community showing up for him.
Funds raised from the event went to Challenger Baseball and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northumberland as requested by the Lees family.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
