Encyclopedia Dubuque
"Encyclopedia Dubuque is the online authority for all things Dubuque, written by the people who know the city best.”
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
DUBUQUE FAST PITCH HALL OF FAME
Being researched
DUBUQUE FAST PITCH HALL OF FAME. Successor, in 1989, to the Dubuque Softball Hall of Fame, the Hall of Fame started in 1976 to promote fast pitch baseball in Dubuque. The organization has for many years sponsored a youth fast pitch clinic in addition to recognizing many of the finest local ball players.
Information Courtesy: Jim Leitner, Ray Grant, Hank Wernke
1976
"Lefty" Enos
Bucky Harris
Chet Hayes
Mark Kinney
Ray Leuschner
Bill Kelley
Rich Miller
Ray Schmit
George Tressel
1977
Midge Delaney
Barney Gabriel
Doc Hipchen
Rich Jahn
Lionel McAleece
1978
Bob Blosch pitched softball for years and threw many no-hitters and led his teams to many city championships. Source: Telegraph Herald, December 8, 2014, p. 17
Bob Buelow
Mel Keller
1979
Don Meyer
Lois Tangeman
Stan Williams
Joe Young
George Peterson
1980
Bob Bowen
Duke Defendi
Fritz Justman
Ed Matous
1981
Bob Didesch
Terry Harris
Kay Jackson
Bill Meyer
Harry New
George Winders
1982
Art Pins
Charlie Spielman
1983
Abbie Clemens
Earl Gantenbein
Clete Freiburger
Dick Hough
Vern Jansen
Don Mueller
1984
T.J. Gaynor
Mert Kaiser
Ray Nicks
Ozzie Schnorenberg
1985
Hub Huber
Pat Sullivan
Elmer Voels
George Zugenbuehler was a charter member of the board of directors of the Hall of Fame in 1976. He was the first umpire inducted into the Kiwanis Softball Hall of Fame in 1981 after serving as an umpire from 1956 to 1992. He served as president of the Boys Club Boosters in 1961 and was a past member of the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union. Source: Telegraph Herald, July 2, 2009, p. 18
1986
Frank Bowen
Sherman "Skip" Hutton signed up with the White Sox organization after high school as a pitcher. During his service, he played on a winning baseball team for the 7th Army in 1958-1959. Locally he often played for Lange's Insurance but also Kall Inn, Interstate Power and the Lux Club. He participated in four World Fast Pitch Softball Tournaments and the Kiwanis Softball Tournament in 1877. He served as president of the Dubuque Fast Pitch Association for seven years. He worked as a ranger at The Meadows Golf Course for seventeen years and was recognized as Volunteer of the Year by HILLCREST FAMILY SERVICES for his sixteen years of volunteer work at Reflections in the Park. (Source: Obituaries, Telegraph Herald, October 28, 2018, p. 22)
Merle Mathis
Jerry Thalhamer
1987
Denny Blosch
Jim Hosch
Robert Kelleher
Pete Welbes
1988
Terry Boleyn
Mrs. Joe Buol
Joe Clancy
Bill Kaufman
Mike Dillon
1989
Jim Field
Ray Grant
Dave Hammel
Jim Koob
Jim Welu
1990
Jack Schultz
Choc Wegner
Lyle Whalen
1991
Maurice Reed
Barney Rudiger
Bill Schmit
Bob Voels
1992
Jim Kramer
Dave Massey
Ron Matz
Pat Reiter was well known as a fast pitch softball pitcher for Don's Meat's from 1965 to 1969 and for Whalen's Inc. from 1970 until his retirement. He won many Iowa State fast pitch tournaments and also pitched in several World fast pitch tournaments. He was inducted into both the Dubuque the Dubuque Fast Pitch Hall of Fame and the Dubuque Kiwanis Hall of Fame. He was also a well-recognized arts and sold many of his works. (Obituaries, Telegraph Herald, June 18, 2010, p. 6)
1993
Dave Juergens played competitive fast pitch for many years winning many state tournaments and competing a number of time in the World Fast Pitch Tournaments. He was also inducted into the Kiwanis Hall of Fame. (Source: Obituaries, Telegraph Herald, October 12, 2017, p 26)
Ron Palm
Bob Splinter
Ed Welu
1994
Mike Hutton
Bob Gatena
Leon Gaul
1995/Telegraph Herald, June 2, 1995, p. 21
Dave Felderman, Sr. spent his softball career as a shortstop. Among the teams of
which he was a member were A.Y.MCDONALD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, Rich's White
House, Bob's Recreation and the Kall Inn.
Norbert "Buzz" Imhoff began playing fast pitch in the 1930s and stayed active in
the sport for two decades. He played for Nick's and the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
Don Kubitz pitched for thirty-four years and played He for ROSHEK'S DEPARTMENT STORE,
FARLEY AND LOETSCHER MANUFACTURING COMPANY and the TELEGRAPH HERALD.
1996
Louie Avenarius
Dave "Mick" Hauber
Dick Maahs
Dave Meyers
1997
Dave Baker
Dave Felderman, Jr.
Gary Kremer
Leon Schultz
Joel Sturm
1998
Herb Trapp
Billy Meyer
Mike Schetgen
Jim Gulyash
Denny Leibfried
Tom Feipel
1999
Keith Behlke
Ray Braun
Lenny Rhomberg
Dave Wegmann
2000
Carl Einwalter
Steve Kaiser
Jerry Rapp
Rich Rapp
Rick "Harmon" Schmit
2001/Telegraph Herald, May 6, 2001, p. 43
Dave Bakey began playing fast pitch in 1975 for Dubuque area teams, but also for teams
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Freeport, Illinois, and Des Moines, Iowa. He played in an
estimated 15 world tournaments and his team won a bronze medal in the National Sports
Festival in Syracuse, New York. He ended his playing ays in 1996, but maintained about
a .300 batting average.
John Boleyn began playing fast pitch with local teams in 1984. His record includes MVP for the 1986 Dubuque Open, 1990 Iowa ISC state tournament MVP, and the 1992 ASA Class A state tournament all-tournament team. He led teams to the Iowa state finals in 1990, 1992, and 1995.
Don Curley began playing fast pitch in 1952 and played while serving in the U. S. Marines from 1953-1955. He was selected to play in the 2nd Marine Division All-Star Game in 1954. Over 47 years he played for sixteen teams and in several over-40 national tournaments. He played center field, second base, third base, and catcher and carried a .300 batting average
Jack Hancock, a member of the DUBUQUE BOWLING ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME played fast pitch for twenty years and sponsored many teams to local and state tournaments as the owner of Happys Place. He played second base, pitched, and managed. He also played ball for two years in the Army.
Fr. Jack Kissling played third base and short stop from 1944-1949 for the [[DUBUQUE PACKINg CONPANY]], BROOKSIDE DAIRY, and GENERAL DRY BATTERIES.
Jesse Miles pitched and played for thirty years. Playing for Arenz Shoes one season he went 23-0. He played on many all-tournament teams. Miles pitched seven no-hitters and once had a span of 49 scoreless innings.
2002
Rick Ahmann
Clarence "Butch" Hochberger
Bill Kennedy
Ron Volkert
2003
Don Coleman
Jack Grutz
John Hall
Wayne Rudiger
2004
Jack Breitbach
Russ Hefel
Mike Kilgore
Carl Kleeman
George Stackis
2005/"Hall Grows by 7," Telegraph Herald, June 4, 2005, p. 11
Dan Felderman played baseball for twenty-one years and was in the state tournament each year finishing runner-up twice. He also played in a World Tournament and a National Tournament. He hit over .300 for his career.
Del Gavin played for FARLEY AND LOETSCHER MANUFACTURING COMPANY from 1938 until the start of WORLD WAR II. After military service, he played for Bel Do Inn where he managed and played catcher four years. He also played for the JOHN DEERE DUBUQUE WORKS. In 1951 he was the batting champion and was chosen for the 1952 All-Star Team.
John Moran played from the 1930s to the 1940s for such teams as Beck's Drugs and the original Art's Grocers. He excelled at third base and was a solid hitter who batted .325 most of his career.
Larry Pauly began his baseball career in the early 1960s playing for the Telegraph Herald in the YMCA Industrial League. He played first base and outfield and managed until the early 1990s. One of his best seasons was 1975 when he batted .337 in 48 tournament games. He appeared in the World Tournament in 1976 and batted .429 in seven games. In 1992 he was inducted into the Kiwanis Hall of Fame.
Tim Stephenson played for five decades beginning in 1969. He co-managed Galena Fast-Pitch the first Galena-based team to qualify in an ASA National Tournament. He played in Dubuque leagues throughout his career and captured several league titles. Stephenson played in 50 combined Hall of Fame and Kiwanis tournaments as well as five National Championship Tournaments. He was a career .300 hitter and was recognized for his speed and defense.
Harold Strohmeyer, often referred to as "Stretch," because of the large physical target at first base, was a regular .300 hitter. He planed on many championship and all-state teams throughout his career.
Eric Wernke played on four Iowa state championship teams and three state runner-up teams. He also played on six ISC World Tournament teams and three ASA World Open Tournament teams. He played all positions and even pitched a no-hitter, but specialized in playing second base.
2006
Rich Buckley
Wayne Ellerman
Larry Feipel
Milt Reisen
Mike Tranel
Vern Van Cleve
Jerry Westemeier
2007/Telegraph Herald, May 30, 2007, p. 40
Paul Anthony was the sponsor for RING'S teams that won the ISC championships in 1978-79 and 1982-83. He took teams to six world tournaments and sponsored a women's team that won state championships in 1984 and 1985. In the 1960s he played with the Galena State Bank team.
Bob Howard, a veteran with 15-years of experience, played on state tournament winning teams in 1967, 1970, 1971, and 1972. He hit a home run in his first state tournament game in 1967 against a Columbia, South Carolina pitcher who had not been scored on for 40 innings. Howard planed first base.
Jerry Kaiser was a steady .300 hitter during a career stretching from the 1940s to the 1950s.
Jim Nebel once turned down a contract to play for the Chicago White Sox. Generally a shortstop, Nebel played on several all-star softball teams. While stationed in Japan, he taught baseball to children.
Vince Scardino began his softball career playing in the Industrial League in 1948. A top leadoff hitter and runner, he played on NURRE COMPANY (THE) 1949 league championship team and later played in the City League.
Gil Spence, manager of the Dubuque Leisure Services since 1986, was instrumental in the development of the McAleece Complex and assisted in the planning of the first Hall of Fame Tournament and many youth clinics.
Dale Timpe was a veteran of fast pitch baseball for thirty-five years. A pitcher for four teams, he threw many perfect games and no-hitters. He played in four world tournaments.
2008/Telegraph Herald, May 27, 2008, p. 10
Keyes played fast pitch from 1964 to 1994 for several times. He played with the Kiwanis Tournament Champions (Belmont Dairy) in 1976, RING'S ISC Champions and World Tournament in 1985. Keyes played catcher and outfield. He was a left-handed lead-off hitter who enjoyed bunting.
Craig Martin's career began in 1967 and ended 32-years later in the Over-40 National Tournament. He played every position except pitcher and was a ,300 hitter. Among his accomplishments were MVP of the ISC State Tournament in 1976, member of the 1977 State Tournament team, and MVP of the Stoughton, Wisconsin tournament in 1971. In the 1977 World Tournament he hit a 300-foot home run.
Following his playing days, Martin coached Al's TV 12-and-under fast pitch team which won many state tournaments and went to the Junior Olympic National Tournaments. In 1988 the team became Team USA in the 18-and-under Junior Olympics.
Clete Meyer played fast pitch for over thirty years for many teams. He played in the Industrial League for the DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY team which were league champions in 1952 and 1953. His Club Esquire team won the first Kiwanis Tournament. He played second base and was a .300 hitter.
2009
Mel Hocking
Rick Hoerner
Larry Timpe
2010
Mark Delaney
Jim Mueller
Paul Watters
2011
Jim Coleman
John Harry, Sr.
Jim Paradiso
Mark Pillard
Wayne Stewart
2012
Clete "Blackie" Cashman
Jerry Close
Tom Kilburg
Dale Wiederholt
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017/Telegraph Herald, June 4, 2017, p. 25
Jim Zeal sharpened his pitching skills in the Air Force during the VIETNAM WAR. He returned to Galena and played for several teams. On one Kiwanis Tournament, he pitched 32 consecutive innings to lead his team to a fourth-place finish. He was also involved in many national and world tournaments.
Jerry Schliem had a career of 32 years as a player and sponsor in the tri-states. A strong pitcher in the 1970s and 1980s, he was involved in many local leagues and tournaments and was a member of many all-star teams and all-tournament teams. He pitched in many ISC State Tournaments and three ISC World Tournaments. He pitched many no-hitters and four perfect games.
