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Sister Mary Athanasia of Portland, christened Florence Irene Woods, the teenage idol of neighborhood boys because of her powerful and accurate throwing ability. She amazed members of Portland teams in the New England League at Bayside Park with her arm and batting skill. She was the envy of many a boy at Cathedral Grammar, where she mixed discipline with goodly doses of baseball in the schoolyard. Sister Athanasia’s baseball activities were largely confined to Portland’s Bayside Park and the local Cathedral Grammar schoolyard. “Smokey” Woods caught batting practice and shagged flies for the 1913 Portland team in the New England League managed by Hughey Duffy, and played on several area teams sharp enough to exploit her throwing arm and exceptional batting eye. She spread the baseball gospel for almost a half century as a sidelight to churchly duties.

Ovide "Putta" Aube, Westbrook, Maine His semi pro career spanned 22 years.

Herbie Austin was born in East Wilton, ME in 1928. While growing up, he played a variety of sports but he enjoyed playing baseball the most. His family moved to Kittery after he completed grammar school so that his father could work at the Naval Shipyard. Austin competed in basketball, track and, of course, baseball for the Traip Academy Rangers.The Ranger baseball squads he played on won the York County Championship in 1944-45 and then won the Seaboard League Championship in 1947.Austin pitched his team to 40 wins during those years and he roamed the outfield when he wasn’t on the mound. In addition, he batted .357 during his high school career. After graduation, he went back to his hometown where he played for the Wilton Loggers of the old Timber League. Here he teamed with Hall of Famer Burt “Lefty” Vinal. The two hurlers were largely responsible for pitching their team to the 1948 New England Amateur Championship. They defeated Connecticut in a best-of-three series played in Farmington and the right-handed Austin baffled the out-of State batters. That same year, the squad qualified and competed in the American Baseball Congress Tournament in Battle Creek, MI.Austin’s play in the Midwest tourney earned him a spot on the tournament all-star team He pitched 19 and two-thirds innings in the four games at Battle Creek. Austin’s arm earned him a tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals, but his diminutive height of 5’7” and less than bulky weight of 135 pounds was not quite what the scouts were looking for at that time. Still he managed to impress on the striking out all of the hitters he faced during the tryout. His pitching repertoire included a sneaky fastball,an underhand curve and a knuckleball. He continued to play in the Timber League where he was a perennial all-star, thanks to his pitching and his bat Chis average was always well over .500). He lived in Cape Neddick from 1980-2000 before moving back to Wilton for good three years ago. Like many former ballplayers, Austin now spends a great deal of time on the golf course and he also enjoys his other lifelong passions - hunting, fishing, snowmobiling and travel. He’s been married to the former Jackie Baker of Wilton for more than 50 years and they have four children — Paula, Susan, Michael and Mark. The Austins have nine grandchildren and five great grandchildren, and they just moved into a new home across from the sixth green at the Wilson Lake Country Club in Wilton

Lionel (Lefty) Baron Baron seldom weighed more than 135 pounds, but he was a giant on the baseball field. As a diminutive freshman at tiny Berwick Academy, he pitched the York County school to wins over several large schools. In four strong high school seasons, he struck out from ten to 16 batters in seven-inning games. Summers, he sparkled for area semi-pro teams. While a sophomore, he was among 30 of 600 hopefuls to survive Red Sox tryouts at Fenway Park. He was the first choice of area clubs about to be visited by the classy New York Colored Giants, New England Hoboes and House of David nines. He was signed to a Brooklyn Dodger contract by Clyde Sukeforth for $275 a month and sent to Rutland, Vt., of the Northern League. The coach tagged him as too small, Baron quit and returned home, but club owner Mike Hayden, a 1974 Maine Baseball Hall of Famer, offered Baron an extra $50 to return. Baron closed the year with a 5-4 record, and the next year posted an 11-4 mark. ‘‘The pint-sized southpaw who found the plate consistently,’’ according to Rutland papers, entered the army the next year. When discharged two years later, the Northern loop had become bankrupt. He played several more years in the Berwick area. In one memorable game against the Kennebunk Advertisers, with Maine Hall of Famer Tommy Cousens as his opponent, Baron fanned 16 in a seven-inning setto. Baron posed a problem for his coaches — whether to bat him leadoff because of his speed and bunting ability, or whether to move him to the center of the lineup because of his power and high batting average. Baron donated much time to volunteer coaching, from Little Leagues to Sanford High.

Roland (Cuke) Barrows of Gorham had a green thumb as a florist and great hands as a major league outfielder. His tremendous range in centerfield didn't reach full potential. Barrows, who played part of four seasons (1909-1912) with the Chicago White Sox, suffered a broken ankle in the spring of 1913. His renowned speed was reduced considerably. Oddly, Barrows’ injury didn't discourage the management of Rochester, N.Y., Of the International League. Aware that Barrows had blasted 11 hits in 1/7 at bats before the damaging slide into third base in a training camp game, Rochester Signed Barrows to a 1914 contract -- at an increase in Salary. Rochester had sent the hustling Barrows home after the mishap, paying his traveling expenses, and paying three-quarters of his season's salary. Despite such high regard, Barrows several times tried to gain his release from Rochester. He was successful in 1915. BarrowS was permitted to sign as manager of Lowell, Mass., of the New England League. Born in the "Egypt" section of Raymond in 1883, Barrows walked, or rather, ran, five miles daily to attend Pennell Institute of Gray. His early ball was played for “Pop” Williams’ Pine Tree team and .the Portland Blue Sox of the State League. Oddly,. his nickname didn't stem from a farm background (his Dad was a charcoal burner who took his product to Portland), but rather from poise under major league pitching fire. Sports writers and fans termed the "Man from Maine” as ‘cool as a cucumber." About 1916, Barrows purchased the Gorham greenhouses which still bear his name. He and wife Marietta were widely-known florists. He died in 1955, she in 1956. They had no children. Cuke Barrows Position: Leftfielder Bats: Right  •  Throws: Left 5-8, 158lb (173cm, 71kg) Born: October 20, 1883 in Gray, ME us Died: February 10, 1955 (Aged 71-113d) in Gorham, ME Buried: Eastern Cemetery, Gorham, ME

An outstanding player, coach, and academic mentor, Ray Baum is Rumford’s 2007 contribution to the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. A catcher at Lisbon Falls High School, Baum was his team’s captain in 1926. The following year he attended Kent’s Hill Seminary and caught for their baseball team. From 1928-1930 he captained the squad at Bay Path Institute in Springfield, MA. During his final year there he was offered the opportunity to join a Cleveland Indians farm club, but opted instead to complete his secondary education in order to keep a financial commitment he had made to his father. Baum spent a decade playing summer semi-pro ball in the Pine Tree League. He spent five seasons each with the Lisbon Falls Lemons (1927-31) and the Lewiston/Auburn Buccaneers (1932-36), and later managed both the Rumford Papermakers and the Augusta Loggers. While he enjoyed success as a player, his greatest impact was as a developer of young men through his teaching and coaching. He served two terms as coach of Stephens High School in Rumford, from 1932-45 and again from 1950-56, winning a state championship during each of his stints. In 1937 Stephens edged Cony 1-0 in a preliminary game, defeated defending champion Livermore Falls 7-5 in the semi-finals, and dominated Winslow in the championship game, 10-1. Seventeen years later Coach Baum led Stephens High to the school’s second Maine state title, beating Cheverus (7-6), Thornton Academy (3-0), and Stearns (5-4) en route. Ray Baum passed away on January 2, 1986, but is anything but forgotten by the legions of people he influenced through his coaching and 41 years of teaching at Stephens High. Testimony to Baum’s lasting influence comes from former UMaine head football coach Walt Abbott, now an associate professor at the university who played for the 1954 state championship team. “He was a mentor for all who played for him. Many of his players continued their baseball careers as players and as coaches,” says Abbott, who has spent more than half a century working in athletics. “Coach Baum was one of the reasons that I have devoted my life to sport. Coach did not just emphasize baseball. He molded us into men, always stressing the value of proper social behavior. He encouraged us to take pride in our academic work. With his mentoring he helped shaped the lives of those who played for him.” Ray Baum led by his gentlemanly example and continually focused on teaching the fundamentals of baseball. His players could always expect positive reinforcement and encouragement. His legacy as a teacher and coach made him a respected icon in Rumford. Ray Baum was the beloved husband of Stella Politis Baum (deceased), and the proud father of Raymond Jr., Beverly, and Edward. His life was blessed with 8 grandchildren, and many more great grandchildren.

When the doors of the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame swing open today to welcome Bob Baumer, he’ll be joining three Lisbon Falls and Roberts 88’ers teammates – Stan Doughty, Marty Roop and George Ferguson – who have all been inducted in recent years. After graduating from Lisbon High School in 1954, Baumer was offered a scholarship to pitch for powerful Rollins College, which was located in Florida. Not wanting to attend school so far from home, nor spend a year at a prep school such as Bridgton Academy, Baumer opted to stay in town and began working for Morse Brothers Oil, a local heating fuels distributor. Pitching for the Lisbon Falls Merchants from 1954-1959, he helped them wage battle in the competitive Lakes Region League against the likes of Winthrop, Richmond and Randolph AC, the strongest clubs in that loop. In 1956, Baumer was added to the Randolph roster as a post-season play-off pick up. He was instrumental in Randolph’s post-season success, as the team claimed the YABC crown and journeyed to Battle Creek, Michigan, to take part in the National Amateur Baseball World Series. Like most young men of this era, Baumer fulfilled his military requirement with a year spent abroad in 1960, stationed in Europe. While in the service, Baumer was a member of one of the stronger service teams that consisted of college players, professionals, and talented amateur players. Baumer returned home to Lisbon Falls in 1961 to find that there was no town team available, but landed a spot on the roster of the Orleans Cardinals in the powerful Cape Cod League and spent that summer honing his pitching skills against some fast collegiate competition. In 1962, Baumer once more found himself lacking a hometown team, so this time he ventured up the road to pitch for the Auburn Asas, before baseball made its triumphant return to the town for the 1963 season. With the revival of the team in Lisbon, Baumer once again found himself able to represent his hometown in baseball battles against surrounding communities. In 1964, Noyes Lawrence, the owner of Roberts Pharmacy on Main Street in Lisbon, offered to buy new uniforms for the team. Since the pharmacy had been founded by Lawrence’s grandfather, George Roberts, in 1888, Lawrence suggested naming the team, the Roberts 88’ers. The idea was met with enthusiastic support so the Lisbon Falls 1964 entrant in the Andy County League would now be known as the Roberts 88’ers, a name that would resonate in Lisbon proper for decades to come. Baumer was joined on the 88’ers by Stan Doughty, Marty Roop, Herbie Whitman, Dick Pohle, Dave Begos, and later, George Ferguson. The Lisbon Falls contingent was one of the pre-eminent town teams in Maine from the mid 1960’s into the early 1970’s. During a span from 1963 to 1970, Baumer won 85 games and lost only 19, a winning percentage of .817, and as dominating a stretch of pitching any town team or semi-pro pitcher in Maine has had in any era. This was during a period when the 88’ers were playing in the tough Andy Valley League against teams like Stubby Truman’s Norway Paris club, as well as the Auburn Asas and always tough Turner Townies. Bob’s most dominating season was 1965 when he compiled a 14-0 record, leading the 88’ers to a 21-3 record that summer, one of their best seasons during their decade-long dominance in the 1960s. That summer, Bob’s ERA was a stingy 1.31. In addition to pitching and running the 88’ers, Bob was active in the formation of the Lisbon Junior Athletic League in the early 70s. On many evenings when Bob wasn’t playing himself, he’d be behind the plate, umpiring a Little League game for Lisbon’s future high school and town team players, helping to maintain the strong legacy of baseball in the town of Lisbon. Bob’s lofty standing in the Lisbon Falls community is illustrated by this quote from his niece Julie-Ann: “To we kids, growing up in Lisbon Falls, he was our guardian angel, riding high above the street in his oil truck and wagging his index finger to remind us to stay on the straight and narrow path. It was hard to be a delinquent in Lisbon Falls when you knew the oil truck might be just around the corner. Even today, when I am in Lisbon Falls, if I stay in one place long enough, I can be sure that Bob will show up.” Today, Bob can ride a little higher in that oil truck and proudly wave his Maine Baseball Hall of Fame hat. (Excerpts from this article were taken from When Towns Had Teams, with the permission of the author.) Click to read full obituary online~Posted 9/12/2023

Al Bean, the indefatigable director of athletics at the University of Southern Maine, demonstrated early evidence of his dedication and determination as a member of the Stewart P Morrill Post American Legion baseball team. Although still eligible for the Babe Ruth program at the age of 15, Bean elected to step up a year early. A right-handed pitcher, he played for four years under coaches Leroy Rand and Jack Clark, compiling an overall record of 20-2. After his 1970 to 1974 experience in American Legion, Bean enrolled at the University of Southern Maine. A 1973 graduate of South Portland High School, he was a four-year member of the varsity baseball team under Gene Davis and captained the Red Riots in his senior season. He was also a three-year member of the school’s basketball team. At USM, Bean was a four-year member of the varsity baseball team under coach Dave Drew. Bean’s pitching ability earned him recognition on the NAIA All-District team, the coach’s award and the team’s Most Valuable Player Award, all in 1976. In 1989 Bean was inducted into the USM Husky Hall of Fame. After graduating in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in history and secondary education, Bean served as a career counselor and history teacher at Windham High School for four years. The 1981 yearbook was dedicated in his honor and two years later Bean was selected as class speaker by the graduating seniors. He continued his involvement with baseball, serving as head coach of the Cape Elizabeth freshmen, directing the Morrill Post/Griffin Club to a 65-18 record from 1978 to 1980, and putting in one-year stints as head coach of St. Joseph's College and the South Portland Baseball Club. In his capacity as player/coach of South Portland in the Twilight League, Bean led his team to a 30-6 record before losing in the finals of a five-game series with the Auburn Asas. He later served as player/coach of the Forest Gardens Baseball Club for four seasons, 1982-1985, working as an assistant to Dennis Gratto and taking a turn on the mound. Bean returned to Legion Ball for two years as assistant coach/pitching coach for the Griffin Club under Mac McKew. The team advanced to the finals of the state tournament in 1986. As manager of Forest Gardens from 1985 to 1989, a team featuring former professional players, and current and former collegiate standouts, Bean lists two championships (1986 and 1987) in the Northern New England League. Bean returned to his college alma mater in 1983 as director of sports information, a position he held for 10 years while also performing multiple staff and committee duties including designation as assistant director of athletics. He was confirmed to his present post in 1993 and in January of this year began a term as a member of the NCAA Management Council. Bean continues to serve as Commissioner of the Little East Conference. During his tenure at USM, Bean has never been far from baseball either as assistant coach or pitching coach The highlight was the Huskies’ victory in the 1991 NCAA Division Il! World Series. Since assuming his present duties, Bean has relinquished responsibility for the total development and on-going instruction of the pitching staff. He devotes full-time (what’s new) to USM’s bustling, Successful and ever-expanding program of intercollegiate sports for women and men.

Jim Beattie (Maine Baseball Hall of Fame 1990) had a nine-year major league pitching career that included a win in the 1978 World Series tor the New York Yankees. "In order to be the best, you have to play against the best," said Beattie. "| was fortunate to be able to do that every day of my life just by getting out of bed and asking what we were going to do today.” Beattie’s comments describe his brother, George E. Beattie, who today joins his brother on the MBHoF roster. George Beattie is 44, but in 1993 he led the Southern Maine Men's Baseball League in batting with an average of about .500. At South Portland High School, Beattie hit .339 for the Riots as team captain. He was named the All- Telegram League shortstop. re could also pitch. In an American Legion game at Lisbon, Beattie stuck out 15 batters in seven innings. Beattie's coach was Leroy Rand, who remembered the game when he spoke with Larry Woodward, a sports staff writer with the Portland newspapers in 1994. "Bill Monbouquette stopped George as we came off the field, said Rand. "And a few days later, | got a letter from George, postmarked Oneonta, N.Y. He'd signed with the Yankees." Beattie played one summer of Single-A baseball as an infielder for the Oneonta Yankees in the New York-Penn League. He was then released. still only 18, Beattie enrolled at the University of Southern Maine. But his brief professional experience made him ineligible for college competition. Beattie then transferred to Acadia University in Nova Scotia. In basketball, his team won the Canadian national championship. He hadn't played high school football, (Beattie was an outstanding baseball and basketball player 1966-1970) but became a wide receiver and defensive end. After one year and not having played since junior high school, Beattie was invited to try out by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. During Rookie camp with Toronto, he was asked to make a position change to running back. He decided not to and returned home rather than pursue a career in professional football. But he remained active in sports. He has played softball and he organized and plays in a 3-on-3 basketball league in Scarborough. Baseball, however, holds Beattie's best memories and remains his favorite sport. in a 1994 interview with the Portland Press Herald, Beattie said, "| use the experience of years to make the plays. Most of the players are in pretty good shape, although the rookies -the thirty year olds- try to show us up.” Jim Beattie, now an executive with the Seattle Mariners, said he frequently thinks about his brother when they were growing up in South Portland. "George's record as a high school and college athlete and then as a professional speaks very well for the athletic programs in which he participated," said Jim Beattie. “sports have been a big part of George Beattie's life. | owe much of my success In baseball and basketball to the competition and instruction my brother gave to me as a youngster"

Although Jim is a native-born Virginian, Maine can rightfully claim him as one of his own because he learned the rudiments of the National Pastime on the fields of South Portland. He was an outstanding performer for Gene Davis’s Red Riot teams and for the Stewart P. Morrill Post. He was equally at home on the basketball court and, after his graduation from South Portland in 1972, he continued to star in both sports at Dartmouth College - developing into an excellent pitcher. Jim was a 4th round draft selection of the New York Yankees in 1975 and decided to forego his senior hoop season to pursue his diamond career. After four minor league seasons in which he posted a 23-17 mound record and also experienced his first arm problems, Jim in 1978 won the James P. Dawson Award as the outstanding rookie in the Yankees spring training camp. In 1978, Jim shuffled between the Yankees and Triple-A Tacoma but played a vital role in the Yankees miracle comeback of that season. He was 4-2 with a 2.68 ERA in the second half of the season; defeated the K.C. Royals in the opening game of the A.L. Championship Series; and turned in a complete game victory over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series - the only Maine H. of Famer with a World Series mound win. In 1979 he achieved his first Major league shutout - a 4-hit win at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, but after a disappointing 3-6 season he was traded to the Seattle Mariners. With the Mariners from 1980 to 1986, Jim turned in some impressive Stats, although never able to fully shake nagging tendonitis problems. At one time Jim was Seattle’s all-time leader in innings pitched and 2nd all-time in wins, strikeouts and shoutouts. In 1982 he set the club record for a starting pitcher with a 3.34 ERA. He had 140 strikeouts in 1982 (8th in the A.L.) In 1984 he tossed a career high 211 innings and fired 19 consecutive scoreless innings in 1982. Jim finished his Major league career in 1986 with 52 wins and 87 losses, ranking him #2 of Maine’s major leaguers in wins behind Irving Young's 62 victories in the early 1900’s. Jim recorded 7 major league shutouts and 31 complete games. He struck out 636 while walking 447 and compiled a lifetime ERA of 4.10 - a very impressive record for one who was thought to be finished early in his career and a mode! of dogged determination. Jim is presently the Seattle Mariners Director of Player Development for the Minor Leagues. He resides in Washington with his wife, Martha, and three youngsters, Sam, Beth and Nell. Welcome home to a class guy - major league in every aspect. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=beattji01