THE FIGHTING 63RD

Ottawa Legion Baseball...1956 On Friday July 11, 1997 prior to the American Legion Baseball game between Ottawa and Pemberville, Post 63 dedicated a memorial to Clair “Shorty” Kreinbrink. The memorial is located at Memorial Field where Kreinbrink managed Ottawa Legion Baseball for 35 years. His enthusiasm, love and untiring dedication to American Legion Baseball will serve as an inspiration for years to come. That night, Ottawa defeated Shorty's long-time rival Pemberville. Kreinbrink began his tenure as Team Manager in 1956. The following story will focus on that year. On April 6, 1956 American Legion Post 63 officers announced that they would again sponsor an American Legion Junior Baseball team. This would be for boys 16 and 17 years old. The team would compete in a 10 team district league. Clair “Shorty” Kreinbrink was named manager. Coaching Post 63 would be Bob Recker and Bob VonderEmbse of Kalida, and Joe Nienberg of Glandorf. Tryouts were held on May 6 with 25 boys turning out. With 11 veterans returning from the 1955 squad which posted a 22-5 record, head coach Bob Recker was optimistic about the coming season. In fact, Recker boldly predicted the Post 63 would easily walk off with the district championship. He also stated that 16 year old Grover Hill pitching sensation Paul Ladd would carry the load on the mound. Ottawa returning veterans included: Chuck McClure, Kenny Vennekotter of Miller City; Denny Nienberg and Jerry Stechschulte of Glandorf; Tom Recker, Larry Adams, Paul Sybert, John Fanger, Bill Felkey, and Ronnie VonderEmbse of Kalida. 1956 Highlights Friday, June 8: Ottawa defeated Cairo 3-2, Paul Ladd strikes out 13 in 7 innings. Tuesday, June 12: First game played under new lights at the Ottawa Memorial Park. Ottawa defeats Delphos 3-1. Denny Nienberg singled home Scarbrough for Ottawa’s first run. In the third inning Nienberg singled again, and then stole second base. Tom Recker then brought Nienberg home with a single. Paul Ladd pitched nine innings with 15 strikeouts. Wednesday, June 20: Paul Ladd fans 28 batters in 12 innings. Ladd struck out the side 5 times while walking 9. With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 12th inning Bill Felkey singled, went to second on a fielder’s choice and then scored on Tom Recker’s single for the winning run. Friday, June 29: Ottawa defeats Findlay 6-0 in a game played at Kalida. Paul Ladd went the distance pitching a no-hitter and whiffing 20 batters. Friday, July 6: Ottawa commits 6 errors in a 4-1 loss to Defiance. Hohenberger out dueled Ladd. Dave Brennan scored Ottawa’s only run. Wednesday, August 8: Ottawa defeats Deshler 3-0. Stall paced the Ottawa attack with a single and a homerun. Denny Nienberg added a pair of singles. Paul Ladd went the distance, striking out 23. Friday, August 17: Ottawa wins the district league title by defeating host Defiance 5-1. In the third inning Ken Vennekotter’s triple plated Gerdeman for Ottawa’s first run. Vennekotter then scored on Ladd’s single. Singles by Stall and Sybert gave Ottawa a 3-0 lead in the third. Back to back doubles by Recker and McClure produced another run in the 6th. Both teams committed 4 errors. Ottawa made 3 errors on one play. Paul Ladd got the win, striking out 13. Dave Kersh Historian, Post 63 Source: 1956 Articles - Putnam County Sentinel Research help: Ralph Kersh

From  2001 Interview In The Post 63 Baseball Yearbook

 

Gene Stechschulte, a graduate of Kalida High School, is only the second former Ottawa Legion player to make it to the Major Leagues- the first being Larry Cox. Stechschulte achieved the rare distinction in the Spring of 2000 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Gene, a relief pitcher, has a flair for the dramatic with the bat. In his first professional at-bat with Memphis he doubled- and in April of 2001 he homered in his first Major League at-bat. Early in 2001  Gene granted an exclusive interview to the “2001 Post 63 Yearbook!”

 
Q: Gene, can you give us a chronology of your baseball career?

A: I believe that I was 7 or 8 years of age when I played organized baseball for the first time. At ages 9-10 I was on the Little League B-team squad that traveled to towns around Putnam County. When I was 11-12 I played on the A-team, which is when some of the heated intra-county battles began to take shape. I recall our Kalida teams winning the county tournament 3 out of those 4 years. I feel obligated to make this fact known to the people of Putnam County. (Said with a grin) In high school I had the opportunity to switch between shortstop, pitcher, and centerfielder. Playing many different positions prepared me for the game of baseball after high school. I played Legion Baseball for Ottawa in ‘91 and ‘92. That was when I really began to think more about playing baseball in college instead of basketball. In fact, if I had not had the opportunity to play Legion ball those 2 years, I may have never realized how much the game of baseball had to offer. Although I had received over a hundred offers from various colleges for full-ride scholarships for basketball, I made the decision to choose baseball as my primary sport. I was fortunate to receive an academic scholarship and attended Ashland University. (Ashland does not offer full-ride scholarships.) At Ashland, I played shortstop and centerfield for four years--earning All-American and Academic All-American in my Junior and Senior years. After the 1996 season, I signed with the St. Louis Cardinals as a pitcher...even though I had only pitched 7 innings in college. I am still not certain how or why I did not get a change to sign as a position player, but I guess this demonstrates the value of being versatile in the game of baseball.

Q: As a kid, did you have a favorite Major League team and player?
 
A: Yes, growing up my favorite team was the Detroit Tigers, and I always wondered what it would be like to play in Tiger Stadium. Unfortunately, I will never get that chance. My favorite players were Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, and Jack Morris. I like Trammell and Whitaker because of the way they handled themselves on and off the field. They always seemed to be in control. Jack Morris was inspiring in the way that he competed no matter what the score of the game. He never cared about stats, which still endears me to the way he played.

Q: As a youngster in Kalida, Ohio, did you dream of someday playing in the Majors?

A: Yes, and I also wanted to play quarterback for the Detroit Lions. But not having a football program at Kalida kind of shut down that dream. Playing Major League Baseball always seemed so far away, even after I signed a pro-contract, but it was always a driving force in my career. It is ironic that some of the players that I grew up idolizing became my teammates my first time I was called up to the Cardinals...Eric Davis, Will Clark, Shawn Dunston, Jesse Orosco, and Mark McGwire.
 
Q: What is your most enduring memory about playing baseball at Kalida High School?

A: Winning the PCL Championship 3 out of 4 years under Coach Jim McBride. Coach McBride always stressed the Kalida tradition of “team concept.” Kalida has always been about promoting the good of the team more than the individual.

Q: What are your memories of playing for the Ottawa Legion?

A: Our Legion Coach, Jerry Schomaeker, also stressed the “team concept,” which made the Legion experience more enjoyable for me. Playing Legion Baseball was a great springboard for my baseball career. It was like playing on an all-star team all summer, knowing that I was going to face many of my opponents at the college level. The Legion experience was also about building friendships with the other players from around the county and beyond. Players that were once your great rivals were suddenly your teammates and friends. More than anything, I have fond memories of the road trips and camaraderie that was built both during and after the actual games. On a personal level, Legion baseball helped me to develop the skills necessary to adapt to different personalities on the team. I was not longer on a team made up of only people that I grew up with. This experience helped me build new friendships. I have experienced this same scenario several times since that point, and I think the Legion experience helped ease any apprehensions that I may have had.

Q: Did you ever consider giving up baseball?

A: Yes, there have been times. Given the fact that I was not an early round draft choice, there have been, and will continue to be, times I have not been given the same opportunities to succeed as other players. The day I was sent back to New Jersey for another year or rookie league baseball was one of the most difficult days of my life. I felt like I had out-worked and out-pitched many others on the team...but for some reason they chose not to send me to Peoria. When you add in the fact that I had already graduated from college and could be earning a good living outside of baseball-- this only compounded my resentment of the situation. Even though I thought that I had almost no change of ever making it to the Majors at this point, I also realized I could never live with the “what if?” questions. I knew that I was destined to get the last change to excel every time there was a decision to be made, but I also knew that I would find a way to succeed. It would have been a great disservice to everyone else who got looked over by scouts to have given up at that point. Even though I know that I will have to work harder than almost everyone else in the clubhouse to stay in the Majors, I also realize that there are many people who did not even get the opportunity that I received.
 
Q: Was there a “turning point” in the minor leagues?
 
A: Definitely, spring training of 1998. I had another good spring throwing and I think some people started to take notice. At the end of spring training, I was informed that I was to be the closer in Peoria. I knew then that it was only supposed to be for a short while before some of the other highly regarded prospects recovered from nagging injuries--but it was my first real opportunity. This was my one and only change to showcase myself in role usually given to a big prospect. Fortunately, I started off the season finding the closing role to be very fitting to my style of pitching. I was able to convert my first ten or so save chances, and I ended up setting a new franchise record for saves in a season. Although this was only single-A ball it gave other organizations a chance to see what I could do. Once other organizations became interested, the Cardinals seemed to care more.

Q: Describe your emotions when you were first called up to the Major Leagues.
 
A: I had imagined the moment for years, but the thought of making by debut in Coors Field was somewhat troubling. I knew all the guys on the Cardinal team from pitching in spring training, so there was not much apprehension from that angle. But then you start thinking about everything negative you hear about pitching in Colorado. It turned out that I did not even get the chance to pitch there because Alan Benes could not be sent down due to a clerical error. I traveled with the team for the next eight days without yet being on the Major League roster. Finally, Alan was able to be sent down-- but it had been 11 days since I last pitched in an actual game. After having 11 nights to get nervous, this was obviously not the best scenario to pitch in my first big league game.

Q: Can you describe your emotions when you pitched in your first big league game?

A: Definitely a rush of adrenaline. After having had 11 days off I felt like I had never pitched a day in my life. I ended up striking out the first hitter before I got a chance to look around the stadium. There were 45, 000 people in St. Louis for the game against the Padres. I then realized how incredible it was that I had even got a chance to pitch in the Major Leagues.
 
Q: How is the atmosphere in the dugout similar or different in the Major Leagues vs. High School or Legion Baseball?

A: Other than having $300 million of net worth in the dugout and bullpen, there are similarities in the atmosphere. There are many guys who have a story to tell a rookie that any normal human being should not believe, but some of the stories end up being true. There are at least five fans in every stadium that all the veterans know, for one reason or another, and there are crazy fans of all ages that will do almost anything to distract opposing players from the game at hand. Since the bullpen is generally more fan accessible, there is never a dull moment. Tony LaRussa (Cardinals manager), is a stickler for details, so everyone knows not to daydream when he is around, especially if we are losing. When things are going well, the atmosphere is normally playful, especially in the bullpen. You just better be ready when your number gets called. The Cardinals are fortunate to have legends such as Bob Gibson and Lou Brock in the dugout at various times, so their minds are usually getting picked during the game.
 
Q: Who has had the biggest influence on your life, both as a baseball player and as a human being?
 
A: Having two older brothers, I would normally tag along with them, whether it was backyard football, or shagging fly balls for their home run derbies. I would usually be relegated to a menial role, but I really didn’t care as long as I could play. They had the biggest influence on me both as a person and an athlete. My parents also obviously played a major role. My mother always says that she should get most of the credit, but her being a former Glandorf Dragon leaves that up for debate. Having four older sisters definitely was a source of inspiration, because I learned early how embarrassing it was to get beat by a girl, even if they are much older. As a baseball player, I have picked up something from many coaches and other players. Just like life, there is something to be learned every day. Baseball is unique in that there are so many different aspects of it that you can be successful at. It is also the best game to help deal with failure. I am thankful to everyone who has played a role in giving me the opportunity to play Major League Baseball. Believe me, I can remember something valuable from every coach that I had at any level. Finally, I want to thank the Ottawa Legion family for giving me this opportunity to share some great memories. Good Luck!

The Preceding Interview Took Place In The Winter Of 2001 For The Baseball Yearbook. Dave Kersh

The following artcle was originally featured in the 1998 Baseball Yearbook. 1948-1949 In 1948, a few years after winning the deadliest war in world history, America was at peace. Harry Truman was president. Baseball legend Babe Ruth died. In San Bernadino, California, Richard and Maurice McDonald opened a new restaurant which featured “fast food”. The Cleveland Indians won the World Series by defeating the Boston Braves 4 games to 2. The nation was in the midst of a post-war building and baby boom. Child rearing and youth development became a major focus in American society. This atmosphere fostered the birth of thousands of scout troops for boys and girls. Little leagues formed in communities all across the nation. Locally, in Ottawa, a new television picture tube plant opened that would soon become Putnam County’s largest employer. American Legion Post 63’s membership grew to an all-time high of 499. In the spring of 1948 Post 63 members were enjoying their new Post home in the Rampe Building on Walnut Street. (1998 occupant is Orchid Beauty Salon). The Commander of Post 63 in 1948 was Edward A. Rieman and the Club Manager was Alvin (Jiggs) Compton. These men, along with several other members, felt it was time to again sponsor a Junior Legion Baseball team. The Post had sponsored a team in the 1930’s but had not done so during WWII. The important task of finding the right man to coach this team was undertaken by Alvin Compton. Compton was not one to be intimidated by challenges. During WWII, Sgt. Compton, and other members of the heroic 148th Infantry/U.S. Army 37th Division, helped “persuade” the Japanese to vacate islands in the Pacific such as: Guadalcanal, Fiji, New Georgia, Bouganville, and the Philippines. Compton earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service. It did not take Compton long to find the man who would “resurrect” Ottawa Legion Baseball. The man Compton turned to was Larry Dunn. Ironically, Dunn as a young boy, had played on the very first Ottawa Jr. Legion team in 1930. “I know Larry well, he’s a good man, and he knows baseball,” Compton would later say. A YOUNG BOY WHO LOVES BASEBALL Lawrence “Larry” Dunn was born in Ottawa, the youngest of 4 sons, to Anna (Trame) and Peter Dunn on September 27, 1913. As a young boy Dunn grew up playing sandlot baseball and watching “town” teams such as the Liberty Sluggers, Kiwanis Huskies, and the Ottawa Cubs play games at Beutler Field. He was amazed by mammoth homeruns hit by local legends Bud Leis and Alphonse Lanwehr. By the time Larry was in high school he was a pitcher for the Sts Peter and Paul team. In 1930, American Legion Post 63 held tryouts for its first Jr. Legion Baseball team. The team was coached by Sheriff Red Felkey and John Klein. Dunn, who was now 16 years old, made the team as a pitcher. In fact Dunn would be the only pitcher, filling the roles of starter, middle reliever, set-up man and closer. “I was a control pitcher, not overpowering, I threw a lot of junk. Our catcher, Paul Weaver, could detect a batters weakness by watching his stance. Weaver would give me a target and I’d just pitch to his glove,” Dunn remembers. “If a runner reached 1B we did not hold the runner, the first baseman played off the bag. If Weaver thought the runner had too big a lead, he would pick up some dirt and throw it down. I would immediately throw to first base, the ball and the first baseman would arrive at the same time. We picked off a lot of runners with that play.” Larry remembers with a grin. The excellent play of Dunn, Weaver, and their teammates led Post 63 to the County Championship in the team’s inaugural season. WWII ... Assignment Alaska As a young man in the 1930s Dunn played third base for the Ottawa town team. In 1942 he was drafted and eventually assigned to the Alaskan Division of the Army Air Force. Stationed in Nome, Alaska, Larry took part in the secretive OP-ALSIB (Operation Alaska-Siberia) lend-lease program. More than 5000 American planes, including A-20s and B-25’s, were turned over to Russia beginning on September 29, 1942. Fighters, transports, and bombers were funneled through Great Falls, Montana to Canada and then to Ladd Field in Alaska. Here the Russian pilots were trained and the Russians then flew the planes, now bearing the USSR Red Star insignia to Galena. The final stop on this route to Siberia was Nome, Alaska. Coach Dunn Larry Dunn was discharged in 1945 and returned home to Ottawa. In 1948 he began a 25 year career as the new Sylvania picture tube plant. This was the time when Larry’s path would again cross with Ottawa Jr. Legion Baseball. Dunn accepted the offer from Alvin Compton to “start up” a team again. Helping Dunn would be Team Manager Joe Ruhe, who was also a veteran of WWII, having served in England with the 8th Army Air Force. Dunn went right to work, procuring bats, balls, and uniforms with the financial assistance of Ford Motor Co. dealers. Tryouts were held on Sunday June 6, 1948 at the “Ottawa Public School Ballpark” (Behind current 4th Street Gym). Boys between the ages of 12-17 were eligible to play. Other communities sponsoring Jr. Legion teams included: Leipsic, Pandora, Columbus Grove, Kalida and Continental. Dunn, this time as coach, again led Post 63 to County Championships in 1948 and 1949. He ended his coaching career in 1951, the same year he married Naomi Stewart of Gilboa. Naomi and Larry would be proud parents of two daughters, Patricia and Sherry . Naomi passed away in 1965. Larry currently resides in Pandora and has two grandchildren. Debt of Gratitude Since Larry Dunns’ coaching career ended in 1951, hundreds of young men have played American Legion Baseball for Post 63. Many of these former players are now business and community leaders. All have memories of Legion Baseball: victories, defeats, friendships, and just plain fun. They all owe a debt of gratitude to “Jiggs” Compton, Joe Ruhe, and Larry Dunn. These men and others resurrected the Ottawa Legion Baseball program and made all the great moments of future years, including nine District Championships possible. The preceding article was written for the 1998 Ottawa Legion Baseball Yearbook. Dave Kersh - Post 63 Historian Sources “The 20th Century Vol IV” - Macmillan Publishing Putnam County Sentinel Thanks to: Larry Dunn Edward A. Rieman Philips Display Components Alvin “Jiggs” Compton

Beutler Field...1930 Viewed while driving by on West Main St. in Ottawa, the small ravine between Sugar St. and the Blanchard River appears to be only empty lowland. But to those who remember, Ottawa’s “West End” was once the summer amusement center of town. The West End Skating Rink opened 1930 and on June 19th The American Legion sponsored a “Japanese Garden Dance.” The rink was large enough to accommodate 300 couples,and was decorated with lanterns and Japanese ornaments for the occasion. The skating rink was located on the south side of W. Main Street. Beutler’s Gas Station would be built in this same vicinity around 1934. Local residents remember medicine shows taking place in this same area in the 1920’s. Just west of the skating rink was the famous “Roundhouse.” Built about the year 1890, the Roundhouse had a dance pavilion and bar. Some say ladies of “questionable social standing” were seen there. Later the Roundhouse served as living quarters, but by 1930 it stood vacant. The most legendary and historic events took place on a pasture owned by then Ottawa Mayor William A. Beutler. Located at the corner of W. Main and Sugar St., this cow pasture was known to the locals as “Beutler Field.” It was here that the great American game of Baseball was played. A covered grandstand stood behind homeplate at the northwest corner of the field. A dugout and bleachers stood along the baseline. The infield was bare ground, and there was patchy grass in the outfield area. Baseball has long been called a pastural game, and at Beutler Field cow-patties had to be picked up before each game. Karl Beutler, son of William A., remembers: “a young neighbor boy, Shorty Kreinbrink, would come to the field early in the morning carrying a small bucket. He would gather the freshest cow-patties and then return them to his grandmother. She believed that packing these on her knees would relieve her arthritis.” Karl also remembers helping his father prepare Beutler Field: “We would go out early Sunday morning and put up canvas on the fence around the field. The big games were on Sunday, sometime hundreds of people would attend. After the games we would then remove the canvas.” For Karl, his father’s pasture is a field of many memories. Karl vividly remembers the longest homerun that he witnessed at Beutler Field,”Shorty Kreinbrink’s house was two houses east on Main St., and Bud Leis had a big hit that landed in Shorty’s garden!” Harold Morman of Ottawa remembers a ball hit by Alphonse Lanwehr that hit the roof of the famous Roundhouse. “I seen it with my own eyes!” he insists. Charlie Doepker, also of Ottawa, attended many games at Beutler Field and remembers the atmosphere on a typical Sunday afternoon. “Cars would be parked all around the area. Some cars would cruise back and forth on Main St. checking things out. Tobacco juice and cigar smoke were common. Popcorn and peanuts were sold there. Red Shondell would be “hawking” his lemonade “ICE COLD LEMONADE MADE IN THE SHADE! FREEZE YOUR TEETH AND GIVE YOUR TONGUE A SLEIGH RIDE!” Larry Dunn, who now lives in Pandora, enjoyed many games as a boy at Beutler Field. He remembers that an Ottawa merchant, Harry Rampe, attended nearly every game. “Harry would stand up in the bleachers during the game and shout, “HAT FOR A HOMERUN!” Harry would then give a free hat to anyone who answered the challenge. Harry gave away a lot of hats!” Dunn said. Junior Legion Baseball Begins In the era of 1929-1930 many teams called Beutler Field home. Some of these were the Kiwanis Huskies, the Ottawa Cubs, and Sts. Peter and Paul High School. In 1930 The American Legion Post 63 organized its first Jr. Legion Baseball team. Coached by then Sheriff Red Felkey and John Klein, it was composed of boys 12-16 years old. The team competed in a league of five teams from Putnam County. Larry Dunn was a 14 year old pitcher with that team and Paul Weaver was the catcher. Other members of the team, nicknamed the Ottawa Tigers were: Bill Laibe, Doug Ruch, Eddie Siefer, Woody Little, Jim Bruskotter, John LaBadie, Jude Westrick, Cliff Crawford, Carpenter, Workoetter, Arrants, Wallace. Ottawa won the county tournament that year. Liberty Sluggers and Night Baseball In 1929 and 1930 the most popular and legendary team that called Beutler Field home was the Liberty Sluggers. The Sluggers were an amateur team composed mostly of “farm boys” from the New Cleveland area, although their roster included players from the surrounding area. On May 29, 1929, the Liberty Sluggers participated in two of the most memorable and historic games ever played at Beutler Field. The “American Athletic Girls” was a professional team which barnstormed the country playing town teams. They would play two games against the Sluggers, one at 2:30 in the afternoon and the second at 8:30 in the evening. The Sentinel called them “the strongest organization of girl baseball players touring the country today.” The team, which was made up of women from all over the world, included a few men in the lineup. In the first game, the Sluggers lived up to their nickname, backing the 4 hit pitching of their crafty ace, Alza “Lefty” Winkler, with 11 hit and 8 runs. The Sluggers won 8-0. In the second game the American Athletic Girls set up their $20,000 electric light plan of 50,000 candle power. This would illuminate Beutler Field and give Putnam County its first glimpse of Night Baseball. The Sentinel predicted the game would be “picturesque and entertaining.” The Girls team went on the win the night game 6-2. Cyril Kuhlman and Clarence Siebeneck scored tallies for the Sluggers. The Sentinel excused the local boys: “the Sluggers had difficulty seeing the baseball, which was softer than a regular baseball and it had a habit of bounding out of their hands.” Night Baseball had come to Putnam County. The first night game in the major leagues would not be played until May 24, 1935 at Crosley Field, Cincinnati. Sources: Dave Kersh, Historian American Legion Post 63 Putnam County Sentinel 1929, 1930 Special Thanks: Putnam County Library, Karl and Helen Beutler, Charlie Doepker, Larry Dunn, Dan Kern, Ralph Kersh, and Harold Morman.

By Gary Kreinbink, The Lima News ,June 24, 2003 


The Ottawa Post 63 American Legion baseball team is off to another solid start. Post 63, under the direction of head coach Ted Miller, currently owns a 12-4 record after falling to Lima, 5-3, this past Sunday in the Tawa Run Classic in Ottawa. The Legion Post in Ottawa has sponsored a team since 1930 and has owned a winning tradition since its infancy. Miller, now in his 9th year, describes the 2003 version as a team that really likes baseball and is willing to work together to be successful. "Even though we stumbled against Lima on Sunday, we have had a very good start," Miller said. "Our strength this year is our pitching and our overall defense. If we can get our bats going a little we feel we could be pretty dangerous around the district tournament time." Leading the way for Ottawa is Marty Baird from Van Buren. The junior to be is hitting .361 and owns a 3-1 record on the mound with a 1.21 earned-run average. Derek Patrick has also pitched well for Post 63. Patrick, who will be a senior this fall at Ottawa-Glandorf, sports a 3-1 mark with a 2.21 ERA. "We are really a young club, especially our pitching staff. However, this is the deepest staff since I have been here," Miller said. "I have to give Mike Baird, our pitching coach, a lot of credit for helping our pitchers understand how to pitch. Every pitch, depending on the count on the batter, is now thrown with a purpose. Mike has helped give our pitchers a lot of confidence." While pitching has been the strength, Ottawa's hitting has been a different story. Currently, the squad is just hitting .245 overall. Besides Baird, the top hitters have been Steve Andrus from Van Buren and Drew Bishop from Patrick Henry. Said Miller, "We were counting on three of our top hitters to be back in our lineup, but, because of other circumstances, they are not playing this year. But we are slowly adjusting." Miller is referring to Adam Miller of Elida and Jason Selhorst and Nick Ruhe of Ottawa-Glandorf. Miller is using the summer to prepare himself for football at Harvard. Selhorst is playing baseball this summer in Indianapolis, and Ruhe is getting ready for football at the University of Dayton. Coach Miller, now retired, taught and coached at Leipsic High school for 26 years. He recorded more than 400 wins and 22 league titles. His 1976 squad won the state championship. "It's different coaching Legion than your high school team," said Miller. "Even though we don't get the same practice time, I guarantee you we still play baseball the right way. We teach the kids about discipline, teamwork and how to play fundamental baseball. In American Legion baseball, we teach them to respect the game, the flag and their freedom. We show every kid how to stand for the national anthem and how to put their cap over their heart. We want young men who love to play baseball." When Ottawa goes on the road, Post 63 takes care of its athletes like few Legion Posts do. Every player's expense is paid for, including all hotel costs, traveling expenses and meals. Former and current general managers Dave Kersh and Dave Yoder handle all the business aspects of the baseball program. Ottawa has traveled to New York, Iowa, West Virginia to participate in tournaments recently. Home games at Memorial Park in Ottawa have the feeling of a minor league ballpark. Bands are regularly brought in and placed under one of the hundreds of trees that line the diamond for between-innings entertainment. Activities such as Little Buddy night, Elvis appearances, and Fan Appreciation giveaway night make it an enjoyable event for the entire family. Twice in the past four years, Post 63 has brought in "The Field of Dreams" players from Iowa to entertain standing-room-only crowds. Kersh has organized all of these activities because he believes that baseball is still about summer and families. The 2003 edition of the Ottawa squad has players from 12 different high schools, and to mesh all of these players takes time. Said coach Miller, "Each player that makes the team was one of the top players on their high school team. When they come here, however, they are just another player. Some players have a hard time adjusting when they are not the star and have to sit the bench. Therefore, we lose some players occasionally because of this. I admit I am 'old school' and not the easiest coach to play for. But if you love baseball, willing to get better, and play your rear end off, we'll get along fine." It sounds like a lot of American Legion programs around the state could learn a thing or two from coach Miller and the entire Post 63 baseball program in Ottawa.

June 24, 2003 THE LIMA NEWS