Advertisement

Eastman Baseball Park Hall of Fame inductees to be honored July 4

Error message

  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 133 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property 'settings' of non-object in _simpleads_adgroup_settings() (line 343 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 157 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in include() (line 24 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/templates/simpleads_ajax_call.tpl.php).

Andy Meiller

Frank Harvat

Scott Feye

Cal Kramer

The Borgen family

Brad Bay

The new inductees to the Eastman Fast Pitch Hall of Fame and the newly named Friends of Eastman Baseball Park will be officially announced and honored during the Fourth of July celebration at Eastman Baseball Park at 4 p.m.

 

The 2015 honorees include Andy Meiller, Frank Harvat, Scott Feye, Cal Kramer, The Borgen family, and Brad Bay.

 

Andy Meiller started playing little league in Eastman at the age of 9. His first coach was Roger Feye. He remembers Roger showing him how to line up a fly ball, make the catch and throw it in for the play. The skill came in handy playing in center field. He started playing fast pitch at the age of 13 with the Eastman Falcons. He played with Christianson Mill, Hilltop, Bob’s Place, Bell’s Bar, Timber Lanes and Achenbach Farms. After playing 25 years, he retired and shared his love of softball by coaching a 5th and 6th grade softball team. Coaching many of the girls for eight years. He has memories of many games, including a game in Avoca when it was so foggy the outfielders couldn’t see the batters; a game in Steuben, when the Kickapoo River started rising and before the game was over the left fielder (Cal Kramer) was standing in ankle-deep water; a game in Mount Hope that got over at 2 a.m.; and many more. He enjoyed playing with many great players who have since become great friends.

 

Meiller will be inducted into the Eastman Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame.

 

 

Frank Harvat was a member of one of the first ball teams to be formed in the late 1950s or 1960s. He was there to help when the first lights were installed at the ballpark. He helped with the Eastman Little League, which eventually led him to form a team named “The Cowboys” which he enjoyed coaching. He and his wife, Gladys, along with another family, enjoyed running the concession stand, called “The Pop Stand” for many years. They sold bottles “Hillbilly Pop,” candy and chips. Hot dogs were also sold, but only when there was a tournament.

 

Harvat was happy to be an umpire when one was needed. He was responsible for getting the first netting placed above the field’s home plate to stop foul balls from going back into the crowd. The league he was a part of and the park were very important parts of his life up until his death in 1978.

 

Harvat will be inducted as a Friend of Eastman Baseball Park.

 

 

Scott Feye got his start at 12 years old. He played for the Pintz Construction all through high school, where they played in Eastman, Steuben and Bush Park leagues. At a young age, he found himself playing with more experienced players.

Later in his life, he played for Hilltop, Bell’s Bar, Timber Lanes and the Horseshoe Tavern. Fast pitch softball has been a great game and helped build many lifelong friendships.

 

Feye will be inducted into the Eastman Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame.

 

 

Cal Kramer started to play ball at a young age. He played with his brother all the time when they were growing up. 

 

Later, he played for Bob’s Place, Hilltop and Kramer Station. Even now, he still puts together teams with Kramers in town every now and then.

 

Kramer will be inducted into the Eastman Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame.

 

 

The Borgen family has been a part of the Eastman Baseball Park scene for many years.

 

Willard Borgen was an umpire for many years at the ballpark and enjoyed watching ball games. For many years, two of his sons, Roger and Duane, ran “The Pop Stand” at the ballpark.

 

Duane played little league baseball in Eastman. One of the teams Duane played for was “The Cowboys.”

 

Roger worked for Eastman Township for 20 years. During that time, he crushed many pop cans that were turned in at work or accumulated at the Eastman Baseball Park and donated all of the money back to the Eastman community, most of it going toward the Independence Day fireworks.

 

Darrel, Willard’s third son, has always loved watching softball games. He had some favorite teams and players, managing to know most, if not all of the Eastman ball players. A number of years ago, he was given the honor of being Eastman’s favorite ball fan and to this day enjoys watching the Fourth of July ball games.

 

The Borgen family will be inducted as Friends of Eastman Baseball Park.

 

Brad Bay started playing fast pitch softball with the Steuben ball team when he was 16 years old. Over the years, he played with Fin & Feather, Bay’s Taxidermy, Sawmill Saloon, Livingston Auto Body, Al’s TV and Sand Prairie Construction. He has played in leagues in Steuben, Eastman, Wauzeka, Bush Park, Blue River, Crawford-Grant Traveling League, Mount Hope, Livingston, Lynden and Rewey.

 

Brad has caught for over 100 pitchers and is still counting. Brad has played on and sponsored many State, National and World Tournament teams, winning State Class C in 1988, State 40 & Over in 2000, ISC World 50 & Over in 2011 and taking third in the ISC World 50 & Over in 2013, in Moline, Ill.

 

He made All-State catcher for two years. He has sponsored team for the 19 & Under World Tournament, taking first place at Kimberly and placing second n the 23 & Under World Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. Brad has sponsored Eastman Baseball Park where he believes they have some of the best fans in the country. He says that it is a real honor to him to be in the Fraternity of Great Guys and Ball Players.

 

Bay will be inducted into the Eastman Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame.

Rate this article: 
No votes yet