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Bouchles, Jim (1998)

Writer: Maine Baseball HOF
Maine Baseball HOF
Aug 12, 2019
2 min read



Jim Bouchles has already been recognized for his tireless efforts on behalf of Auburn athletics. In 1990 he received a Hall of Fame award from the Edward Little Alumni Association, and in 1992 he was enshrined in the Auburn-Lewiston Sports hall of Fame. today we welcome him to the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jim's long love affair with the National Pastime began with the Bates Manufacturing Company, which he headed for ten seasons.

His 1954 team won the Yankee Amateur Baseball Congress of Northern New England title and captured third place in the National ABC Tourney at Battle Creek, Michigan.

For 22 years Jim was at the helm of the New Auburn Post #123 in the American Legion program.

His teams were always top contenders and produced several Maine standouts. Larry Gowell and Bert Roberge were out standing pitchers who reached the Major leagues and have been inducted into the Maine HoF. George.Ferguson (HoF 80) Dave Begos, Bud White, Billy Reynolds, Rick Tasha, and Current E.L. coach Bruce Lucas, are among the many outstanding New Auburn performers. At one time, Post #123 racked up 42 consecutive wins and Jim never had a losing season — sometime playing 40 games a year. Jim was also an area scout for the Braves for 15 years.

Davis Richardson, a player and later assistant coach under Jim, recalls that “Jim was a very positive influence on all the kids that played for him”.

Upon leaving the dugout, Bouchles served as business manager for 15 years and received a plaque for his 3/7 seasons of service to the New Auburn Post.

For 22 years, Jim served on the Board of Directors and was past president of the Police Athletic League; and for 25 years on the Board of Directors of the Auburn-Lewiston YMCA.

He was also a founder and officer of the E.L. “Grandstand Club’.

“I can think of no other individual who has done more for high school athletes in this community’ — Craig Jipson, YMCA Program Director.






 
 
 

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Meet the 2026 Maine Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
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Portland Press Herald 4/10/2026
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/10/meet-the-2026-maine-baseball-hall-of-fame-inductees/?copylink=true

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Former St. Dominic and current Gray-New Gloucester coach Bob Blackman and Cony coach Don Plourde are among the 11 members of the newest class. Four coaches currently preparing for the upcoming high school baseball season are among the 11 inductees in the 2026 Maine Baseball Hall of Fame class.

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Gray-New Gloucester’s Bob Blackman, Brewer’s Dana Corey, Hampden Academy’s Jon Perry and Cony’s Don Plourde are all part of the class that will be inducted on Oct. 4 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. Blackman coached St. Dominic High School to nine state championships in 22 seasons before the school closed at the end of the last school year. He was named the coach at Gray-New Gloucester in September. Corey hit .359 at the University of Maine in 1971. He played two seasons in the Chicago Cubs system and has been the head coach at Brewer for 18 seasons.

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Perry hit .381 at the University of Maine in 1981 and helped the Black Bears reach the College World Series. He has coached for the past 45 seasons at the high school, American Legion and collegiate levels. 

Plourde is in his 17th season as the coach at Cony High School and has been named the KVAC Coach of the Year five times. He has been coaching at various levels for more than 30 years. 

Others earning induction are: 

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• Al Cloutier, who has been involved in baseball in Augusta as a player, Cony High and American Legion coach, Babe Ruth League director and volunteer. 

• John Kolasinski, who was a college coach at for 37 years, first at Husson and later at Siena Heights University in Michigan. He is a five-time New England Coach of the Year winner.

• Mark Littlefield, a Portland High graduate, who is now in his 36th season working on the medical staff of the New York Yankees organization. 

• Scott Littlefield, a Portland High graduate, who will be inducted posthumously. Littlefield coached at Florida State University and the University of Southern Maine before working for 34 years as a Major League Baseball scout, including 16 as a player personnel special assistant for the Texas Rangers.

• J. Ronald Livington, who will be inducted posthumously. Livingston was an All-Star infielder for the semi-pro Presque Isle Indians in the Northern Aroostook League in the 1930 and 1940s. He also coached and was a director in the South Portland National Little League.

• Mike McCullum, of Portland, who hit .338 at the University of Southern Maine and earned ABCA Division III All-American honors in 1999. 

• Jim Taylor of Lewiston, who was a founding member of the Central Maine Board of Approved Baseball Umpires and was instrumental in starting the Maine chapter of the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Association.

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Maine Baseball Hall of Fame day  Delta Dental Park aka Hadlock Field 7/19/2026
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