‘Saw baseball as family,’: Remembering Geoff Roneberg’s impact on Far North Queensland

Roneberg’s journey with baseball began in the late ’80s when his family relocated to Trinity Beach from Sandringham, Victoria.

Little did he know that this move would shape not only his life but also the lives of countless others in the baseball community.

Roneberg’s son, Brett, said the journey began by coincidence.

“We ended up moving across the road from the baseball field,” he said.

“We went over there one day, and Dad ended up playing. He played the next weekend, then the next weekend, and then so did I, my Mum and my sister.

“We ended up playing every weekend for the next 20 years, it was a great sport for us all to be involved in.”

His wife, Sharon, played softball, and his daughter, Tanya, participated in T-ball and baseball (before her passing in 2013).

Treasurer of Cairns Baseball League and close friend, Anne Kippin, said you always got all four of the family.

“He saw baseball as family,” she said.

“He didn’t have anything to do with baseball until his time here in Cairns.

“But Geoff would be throwing pitches, Brett would practising batting and Sharon and Tanya would be in the outfield.

“You always got all four.”

However, Geoff’s influence stretched beyond his immediate family. As a coach, he mentored thousands of kids and seniors, instilling in them not just the skills of the game but also values of dedication and hard work.

He was meticulous, passionate, encouraging, friendly, and welcoming, qualities that endeared him to everyone he encountered.

“Baseball was all day Saturday, all day Sunday, he was the groundsmen, the coach and the umpire, his dedication and commitment never wavered,” Brett Roneberg said.

“No matter who you are, what your standard was, you were playing.

“Sometimes, things aren’t always fair, but Dad was always fairest to everyone.

“He was a modest guy but always offered a good piece of advice when needed.”

Geoff’s commitment to baseball was unwavering, but his love for the sport was entrenched by the memories he created with his family.

In particular, his dedication extended to his son Brett, who followed his dad’s footsteps and picked up the bat at age eight.

Geoff’s sacrifices to provide opportunities for Brett showcased the depth of his love as a father.

“When Brett started going off to state championships, you know Geoff always went with him,” Kippin said.

“There was never a lot of money around it to pay for much, but he tried to give Brett every opportunity that he could and of course it paid off.”

“Brett had talent but he also worked hard, that was his father’s influence as much as anything else.”

Brett went on to play professionally in the United States before representing Australia at two Olympic Games (Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004), winning a silver medal in the Athens 2004 Summer Olympics before being inducted into the Queensland Baseball Hall of Fame.

Roneberg is one of three life members of Cairns Baseball league and the second diamond at the Trinity Beach baseball grounds is named after him, a fitting tribute to a man who made it one of the most attractive baseball fields in the state.

The Cairns community has lost a remarkable man, described as ‘fiercely proud’ and dedicated to his family.

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Roneberg’s legacy lives on through the countless individuals he inspired, the families he brought together, and the baseball field that bears his name. In the words of Brett Roneberg, his father’s three biggest achievements were his wife, his late sister, and his son.

Testimony to a life well-lived, built on the foundation of passion, baseball and family. Geoff will be sorely missed.

gyan-reece.rocha@news.com.au

Originally published as ‘Saw baseball as family,’: Remembering Geoff Roneberg’s impact on Far North Queensland