SODA SPRINGS — Memorializing an event in the name of an individual who had a profound impact on the community is an everlasting tribute that forever reflects the character and selflessness of the person being honored. If anyone deserves such a tribute it's the late Kirk Hansen who would never shy away from giving his time and resources to benefit the people of his beloved town. The newly renamed Kirk Hansen Crusher Classic little league baseball tournament is more than fitting considering all he did to make his corner of the world a better place.
Hansen, who was the mayor of Soda Springs for 28 years, was well-known and loved by many, especially within the athletics community. He was a familiar face of support found on the sidelines at most local sporting events. It didn’t matter if he had a child or grandchild to cheer on or not.
Hansen was there to support the community’s athletes and teams no matter what the sport. It was quite the honor for the Hansen family when the Caribou Crushers little league baseball organization of Soda Springs recently announced they would be changing the name of their annual tournament to honor the longtime mayor who passed away in February of leukemia. Hansen grew up in Paris in nearby Bear Lake County where baseball was the first sport he loved.
He and his family moved to Soda Springs during his high school years when his father had the opportunity to run a petroleum distribution plant for Standard Oil which later became Hansen Oil. Hanse.
