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The Hall doors swing open to welcome another good-hitting middle infielder - lawyer type: Ralph “Chubby” Clark of Fort Fairfield. “Chubby” was an outstanding athlete at Fort Fairfield (co-captain basketball for 2 years), but the high school did not field a baseball team his sophomore year. He did star on the Aroostook County champonship team of 1945 and followed up with a good senior year in 1946. in 1947, Clark played for MCI in Pittsfield before heading to Orono where he became a University of Maine star. In 1950, he started at second base for Coach Mike Lude’s team. He hit over .300 and captained the club which shared the Yankee Conference championship with Connecticut. “Chubby” excelled in summer ball. In 1949, he played for the Fort Fairfield Wanderers, one of the best semi-pro clubs of Northern Maine. Comprised of a number of New England collegiate captains, the Fort defeated the strong Augusta Millionaires of Harry Agganis-Ted Lepcio days. In 1941, he pastimed with the Houlton Collegians and hit .338, being nipped at the wire for the batting championship. He was a 98 168 Ib. switch-hitter. He was scouted by the Phillies and White Sox but, facing draft eligibility, never got a chance at pro ball. From 1951 to 53, Clark served in the Air Force tn North Africa where he managed to play some good ball. After his return to the states and civilian life, he played for the Presque Isle Indians. Dr. Randy Walker of the Maine Department of Education labeled “Chubby” an “outstanding citizen and credit to the State of Maine’. Lawyer Clark founded his own firm in Gardiner, served as mayor of the city, became a municipal judge and a bank president and, all the while, promoted baseball in the Gardiner area. He became an avid golfer, placing high in several amateur golf events in Maine. “Chubby” is semi-retired, still practicing a little law and living in Gardiner with his wife of 47 years, Judy. They have three daughters and four grandchildren.

Raymond “Jackie” Clarke When Jack Clarke began his baseball career in the mid 1930's, he played with Harry Angelides and Bill Silsby. At Ellsworth High School, Clarke’s coach was Del Luce. Angelides and Silsby are in the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. So are Charles Jude and Colby Wood who also played for Luce. It is entirely appropriate that Clarke's name be added to the list of Down East elite who have earned induction. during World War Il service with the United States Navy, Clarke was on a starting 9 team with five Double - A and Triple-A players managed by Bill Brandt, a pitcher with the Pittsburg Pirates. After the war, Clarke played two summers for the the Ellsworth Redskins. Wood was the player-manager. In 1946 Clarke tried out with the Brooklyn Dodgers and was offered a contract by Clyde Sukeforth, but he elected to attend Bowdoin College. Clarke played with the Polar Bears 1947 - 48 - 49 -50. In 1947 his .375 average led the club in hitting. He was selected as the second team All-State centerfielder. In the summer of 1948, Clarke played for Blue Hill in the Eastern Maine League. He batted .355 and was a Southern Division All-Star. The following year he hit .348 and again was named an all-star. The following year saw the beginning of the end. Clarke's playing time was limited because of a knee injury which subsequently ended his playing career. But it didn’t end Clarke’s association with baseball. From 1954-61 he coached in the South Portland Schools and Little League. His teams won six league championships and two Greater Portland titles. In 1961, Clarke was the recipient of the Kenneth C.M. Sills Award as Little League Manager of the Year. From 1962-67 in the South Portland National League, his team was league champion three times. In American Legion, 1973-75, Clarke coached Stewart Morrill Post #35 to a 70-23 record. Clarke was most recently associated with Yarmouth Junior High School and Yarmouth Senior League. He was a member of the Board of Umpires, 1954-60.

Born in Sanford, Maine in 1936, John Cochin, the son of an Armenian immigrant, didn’t have a clue what baseball was all about until the final day of school in 1946 when Eugene Gerry, a Sanford policeman and John’s next door neighbor, asked the impressionable 10-year old if he’d like to learn the game of baseball. “I said sure,” remembers John. “He showed me all about the game, how to hit, throw and catch and explained the rules of the game. I was hooked in no time.” The summer of 1946 was a perfect time to fall in love with baseball as Red Sox stars Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio and Johnny Pesky captured young John’s heart and mind. He and Gerry listened to Red Sox games on Gerry’s porch all summer and John Cochin’s baseball journey had begun. The game came naturally to John as the lefty first baseman and pitcher moved from the sandlots at Emerson School to organized baseball. At 14, John was a member of the 1951 Thomas W. Cole Post American Legion team that won the state championship and was New England runner-up. John played every inning in each of four years for Sanford High School under Coach Joe Nunan, splitting time between the mound, first base and the outfield. John was an All-Telegram League selection in 1955. John’s baseball career continued to flourish at the collegiate level. After a year at Northeastern, John transferred to Nasson College in Springvale where he compiled a career batting average of .380 over 3 seasons. After a year of teaching and coaching baseball and basketball a Limerick High School, John landed a job teaching high school chemistry in Sanford in 1963 and served as assistant baseball coach to Bob Blouin from 1966-71. He took over as head coach in 1972 and his teams compiled a 149-81 record over 17 seasons, winning Sanford’s second Telegram League championship in 1974 and first-ever state championship in 1978. He was named Maine High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1978. At one point, John coached a Babe Ruth team, a Little League team, and the Sanford varsity baseball team all at the same time, due to a shortage of youth coach volunteers. In addition to coaching American Legion baseball for several years, he and Norman “Pie” Fournier coached the Sanford Little League All-Stars to the District championship in 1962, earning a berth in the state tournament held in Bangor. John’s strengths as a coach were summed up by long-time assistant Roland Cote: “Cochin knew talent well and what to do with that talent to benefit the team. He knew how to position his players and, best of all, he made it fun. We worked together very well always talking things over before we made a decision.” John retired from full-time teaching in 2008 after a 48-year career, 45 of them as a chemistry teacher at Sanford High. He still serves as sports editor of the Sanford News, a position he has held since its first issue in March of 1980. His weekly articles report on all Sanford high school and junior high sports as well as the local youth leagues. An avid historian of the game John has chronicled the exploits of Tommy Cousens, Mimi Pickett, Paul Demers and the brothers Walter and Henry L’Heureux, Sanford’s semi-pro heroes of the 1950’s, and was instrumental in securing their deserved niche in the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. In retirement John enjoys watching the Sanford Mainers play in Goodall Park which he and numerous other friends of Sanford baseball helped restore after a devastating fire several years ago. An avid hiker, John is a proud member of the New Hampshire 4000 Footer Club, having climbed all 48 mountains in that state with that elevation or higher. Today, John, with a boost from Eugene Gerry, you’ve scaled yet another peak, and the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame welcomes you to the mountaintop.

Louis Colgan's baseball career is defined by his versatility. A catcher, Colgan was also comfortable at first, second or third. He was also known by several names including "Johnny" and “Cougar." Bud Leavitt, the legendary sports writer at the "Bangor Daily News,” called him "Joltin' Johnny." Whatever. Colgan could play. Born March 30, 1923 in Jackman, Colgan attended the Sacred Heart Convent and Jackman High School. Summers were reserved for baseball. He played for the Skowhegan Indians, a semi-pro team in the Pine Tree League. When Colgan was 15 and 16 years old, his wages for this summer labor were $18 per week, plus room and board. This glorious period didn’t last. On April 1, 1940, Colgan enlisted in the United States Army and was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. He was there on December 7, 1941 when America was plunged into World War Ll. While in the service, Colgan played for the Schofield Barracks team, moving through the Hawaiian Islands, taking the field against experienced professionals who were "in for the duration. Upon his return to Maine in May, 1945, Colgan Joined the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service in Jackman. While working for what was known as the Border Patrol, he resumed his career in local baseball, playing for the Greenville Lakers in the Tri-County League. During the summer of 1946, Colgan was encouraged to participate in a tryout at Brewer. It was conducted by Clyde Sukeforth, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers who the year before, had been instrumental in the signing of Jackie Robinson. He was assigned to the Geneva (New York) Robins, Dodger farm team in the Border League, an organization founded by a Catholic Priest, the Monsignor Harold "Judy" Martin. Colgan's manager at Geneva was Charlie Small. Colgan injured his hand while catching, but continued to see playing time at first, second and third. He stayed with the Robins in Brooklyn's vast organization for two more seasons, then returned to Maine and the Greenville Lakers. Hometown teams still commanded major fan interest 1n the years following World War II. Crowds of 2,500 to 3,000 were commonplace. They came to watch homegrown talent. Colgan's daughter, Cheryl Ramsay, remembers. "Dad was still playing baseball locally when I was a young child. I can vividly remember sitting on the bleachers watching him go up to bat and hearing the crowd roar. [| am sure it 1s that image that is ingrained in my brain and that makes me still get goose bumps when I watch a baseball game.” At one point in 1948, Colgan had six hits in eight at bats to lift his average to .591 in the Tri-County League. In consecutive years, he hit .439 and 377 but lost the league batting title by one point each season. Colgan had many multiple-hit games including a five-for-five performance in a 4-3 win against Belfast. When Nick Panella pitched a two-hit shutout against the same team, Colgan recorded 16 putouts at first. In Greenville's 3-2, 10-inning win against the Bangor A.C., Colgan drove in the winning run. Time of the game? One hour, 55 minutes. Colgan's most important contribution to baseball, however, is that he always stressed the importance of playing from the heart.

Greg Conley was an all-around athlete who stood out at Deering High School on the football and basketball teams, but his true passion was on the baseball diamond.  After playing Little League ball from 1975-78, Greg spent three years playing in the Portland Babe Ruth League. He played on the 13 year old state championship team in 1979, and ended his Babe Ruth career with a bang in 1981 when Coach Ron Lemieux’s Portland All Star team won the state tournament and the New England Regional tournament before placing fourth at the National tournament in Mobile, Alabama. Conley caught for Maine state championship teams in 1982 (Caldwell Post; state legion champs), 1983 (Class A Deering High School), and 1984 (Caldwell Post’s second legion title in three years). All three teams were coached by Ed Flaherty, a MBBHOF inductee himself in 1993. Greg was the varsity catcher for three seasons for Coach Flaherty’s Deering Rams, and after his graduation in 1984 the three sport captain (baseball, football, basketball) headed to south to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida to play college baseball for coach Boyd Coffie. Conley was starting catcher for all four of his seasons at Rollins, and made the All-Sunshine Conference team in both his junior and senior years there. In his final year he was named to the Division II All-American team; two of the others similarly honored that year were future major leaguers Tino Martinez and Jeff Branson. Twenty years after graduating from Rollins Conley is still on the Tars’s top ten list for career games played, at-bats, total bases, hits, triples, and extra base hits. He was deservedly admitted to the Rollins College Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, his first year of eligibility. After graduating from Rollins in 1988 Conley was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 26th round of that June’s Major League Baseball amateur draft. He was the regular catcher for the Northwest League champion Spokane Indians that summer.  The following year he earned a promotion to the Padres full season class A team in Charleston, South Carolina, where he again played for a team that qualified for the league playoffs. Conley was invited to big league spring training in 1990 and shared the locker room with Tony Gwynn, Fred Lynn and other big leaguers.  Conley played two more years in the San Diego organization, advancing to the Las Vegas Stars, the Padres top minor league affiliate at the time, prior to finishing his professional career with the Cleveland Indians organization. Greg lives with his wife Nancy, son Bryce (14) and daughters Rachael (12) and Melanie (9) in Alpharetta, GA. Greg’s proud parents, David and Joanne Conley, currently live in Casco.

The early 1940's was a period of talented Portland High School Baseball teams, including three Telegram League title clubs. While only a freshman, Lloyd's diamond skills enabled him to crack the starting lineup of the 1941 P.H.S. Telly champions. He followed that with two All-Telegram League seasons — as an outfielder (.386) In 1942 and as a pitcher in 1943. Lloyd's coach, the veteran Jimmy Sibson, recalled that "Lloyd had a terrific arm, the best | ever saw. Boynton's enlistment in the Navy resulted in him missing not only his senior season at P.H.S., but also the opportunity to accept a contract offer from the Brooklyn Dodgers. Lloyd's naval career included him surviving the sinking of his ship by a German U-boat in the Arctic Ocean. His Navy stint also gave him the opportunity to play service ball with many major leaguers: Dick Sisler, Hank Majeski, Hank Sauer, etc. Following his discharge, Lloyd signed with the St. Louis Browns organization in 1946, playing in the Wisconsin State League. Although illness cut snort his 1946 season in the Oklahoma State League, Boynton was able to finish out the year with the Portland Pilots in the New England League. in 1949, Lloyd earned league MVP honors while campaigning for St. Georges de Beauce in the Canadian Laurentian League. After several winning seasons as the Beauce player-coach, Lloyd finished his active playing career with the Thetford Mines team in the Canadian Provincial League. His baseball experience and knowledge brought him back to the game in 1969 when major league baseball expanded into Canada. He served as an instructor and player evaluator for the Montreal Expos' tryout camps from 1969 through 1971. since the 1950's, Boynton has resided in Canada. The father of three children and a retired sales representative, Lloyd lives in Sherbrooke, Quebec, where he remains active in golf, hunting, fishing, Dowling and curling. Sonny Conley is perhaps best recalled in Maine sports lore for his basketball brilliance as the master dribbler, pesky defender and timely scorer as an All-New England guard for Cheverus High's 1948 state Class A champions and N.E. semifinalists. But the nimble Stag spark-plug — whose Cousy-kin ball-handling wizardry keyed the minute-plus freeze that frustrated Red Barry's first Bangor team in Bill Curran’s club's 35-34 overtime win in the 1948 Class A state title game at the Expo — was to carve out a longer baseball career. This saga gilded at every stage from grammar school through the Telegram League, then international and local semi-pro play plus military and coaching highlights. According to his good wife, Reola, baseball was his first and favorite sport and she notes he was involved in diamond pursuits some 30 odd years, starting at South Portland's F.I. Brown school. Sonny began as a fifth grade second baseman playing with mostly eighth graders. In this tenure, Brown defeated Lincoln Junior for the Greater Portland Championship. Conley became the Cheverus starting second baseman half-way through his freshman season and remained in the Purple and Gold infield the rest of the way, later shifting to shortstop. As captain in his senior year, Sonny won the Telegram League batting championship with a .400 average and made the All- Telegram team. immediately enlisting in the Army, Sonny played shortstop for the Strong Fort Bliss post team. Upon his discharge from the military, Conley returned to campaign several seasons in the prestigious Portland Twilight League and added salient pitching feats to his ample load of credits. His local affiliations included Portland Copper and Eastern Oil. Sonny's pitching masterpieces: Back-to-back four-hitter wins in a Saturday afternoon sweep of Limington and Scarborough in the Southwestern Maine Semipro tournament semifinals. As a twi standout, Conley played shortstop for a couple of all-star teams that faced major league touring combines in exhibitions. Venturing to New Brunswick, Sonny for two seasons was the ace pitcher for the McAdam Legionnaires, his hurling (to classy Portland Bowdoin catcher Bobby Graff) and timely hitting helping the Macs to the 1950 Maritime championship. Back home came more Twi action and then a coaching stint as the Southern Maine Vocational-Technical Institute's (now SM Tech) first baseball coach. Ali the while Sonny was also a respected basketball official for 25 years at the high school! and college level.

Consistent all-star from Little and Babe Ruth Leagues through hign school and American Legion play to college and semi-pro baseball, Steve Conley was a literal tower of strength on the pitching mound. The 6-7 former Deering High School and University of Maine (Orono) ace was no mean swinger of the bat to boot. And championships were coin of the Conley realm at every level. Steeple Steve’s schoolboy highlights: Posted a 7-1 record in a key role for Deering’s 1972 Telegram League and state Class A champions. Named to the All-Telegram team. Hit 474 as well. Wins included title-deciders in league regional and state showdowns. Held Bangor to three hits in 7-2 state crown triumph. American Legion features: Compiled a perfect 11-0 record for Caldwell Post's state champs; batted .393. Won two complete-game victories in the New England tournament. Named to the NE tournament all-star team. University of Maine highlights: Career record, 20-4. All-Maine Intercollegiate Athletic Association selection, freshman and sophomore seasons; last two years of the league. Out pitched University of Massachusetts’ Jeff Reardon, future Red Sox and Minnesota Twins stellar reliever, in 10-inning New England playoff victory, 4-3. Last game and 20th career win, 6-3 decision over Washington state in the 1976 College World Series. Conley had been drafted out of high school by the San Diego Padres in the 1972 second round but opted for U-Maine on a basketball scholarship. Steve had been named to the ‘72 basketball all-state third team as center for Deering’s Western Maine Class A semifinalists. He was a hoop starter his freshman and sophomore years at Maine before concentrating exclusively on baseball. Champions or strong contenders and Conley were close associates in action in the high-caliber Portland Twilight League, along with a stint with Harwich in another premium circuit, the renowned Cape Cod league. Steve’s Twi affiliations: Yarmouth Townies, South Portland, Delta Body and Maine Merchants. He posted a 9-3 card and led the league In strikeouts one season with the Merchants. Conley update: District representative for a national mattress company, Steve has coached soccer, basketball and baseball in the Winthrop YMCA youth leagues for the past two years, involving son Thomas, now 8. Father adds, “and I'll continue to do as long as he lets me!”

The rich heritage of grassroots baseball in Maine includes numerous benefactors whose generosity of spirit and checkbook was instrumental in the development of organized youth leagues and town teams throughout the state. Bud Cook has long been acknowledged as such a figure in the Farmington area. With his induction today into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, the well-deserved recognition becomes official. A 1944 graduate of Wilton Academy, Bud served in the Infantry and Army Air Corps in World War II. Bud later attended Southeast Missouri State where he played football and spent his college summers past-timing with semipro town teams in Cape Girardo and Perryville, Missouri. Bud and his family returned to Farmington in 1952 and Bud began his 32 year career at Morton Motor Company, eventually buying the firm in 1970. Bud quickly recognized the abundance of young ballplayers in Farmington, not all of whom were getting a chance to play, and founded the Farmington Pirates, only the second youth league team in Farmington. Bud built a powerhouse ball club, playing against teams from Strong, Temple, Jay, Livermore and Wilton, while developing a fierce cross-town rivalry with the Braves. Bud led a group of town fathers in constructing and equipping the first regulation little league field in Farmington. Counting Little League, Pony and Babe Ruth Leagues, Bud served as head coach or assistant for 15 years in addition to two terms as commissioner of Little League baseball in Franklin County. In 1972 Bud rejuvenated the dormant Farmington Flyers, a legendary town team from the 50’s and 60’s. Bud recruited Warren “Red” Dean, who was the varsity baseball coach at the Farmington High School, and Roy Gordon, head coach at the University of Maine at Farmington, to spearhead a talented ball club that won 32 straight games en route to a Pine Tree League Championship. Icing on that memorable cake were two other Cooks on the roster - Bud’s sons Randy, a catcher, and Brad, the right fielder. Bud’s commitment to promoting and supporting baseball in the Farmington area is complemented by an outstanding career in public citizenry including membership in Maine Masonic Lodge #20 A.F. & A.M., the Kora Temple Shrine in Lewiston and American Legion Post 28 in Farmington. He is a Charter member of the Farmington Kiwanis Club and a past King Lion. Bud also devotes countless hours of volunteering at Franklin Memorial Hospital. While the record of Bud’s service to the Maine baseball community is impressive enough, his more enduring legacy may be his ardent support of well-qualified but under-recognized ballplayers from Franklin County. Thanks to Bud’s diligent research and dogged advocacy, the doors of the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame have welcomed numerous deserving inductees from Franklin County. Those boys will no doubt make him feel right at home.

Jack Coombs of Freeport pitched and won for the Philadelphia Athletics the day after graduation from Colby College in 1906. Coombs made furter baseball history that season by pitching a full 24 inning game in turning back the Boston Red Sox 1-0 and had a world series record of 5-0. Highlights of a 158-111 win loss record were 31 wins in 1910 . From Wiki John Wesley "Jack" Coombs (November 18, 1882 – April 15, 1957), nicknamed "Colby Jack" after his alma mater, was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics (1906–14), Brooklyn Robins (1915–18), and Detroit Tigers (1920). Coombs set a number of American League and World League records which still stand and, when he won 31 games while losing nine in 1910, he became one of only 13 pitchers to win 30 games in a season since 1900. Born in LeGrand, Iowa, Coombs moved to Kennebunk, Maine with his family at the age of 4. He played baseball in high school in Freeport, Maine, and, in 1901–2, for Coburn Classical prep school in Waterville, Maine He was a 1906 graduate of Colby College in Waterville, where he was a chemistry major and a member of Delta Upsilon. He also participated in football, track, and tennis. Colby's baseball field is named for him. Three weeks after graduating, Coombs pitched in his first major league game for Philadelphia, which was a 7 hit shutout, defeating the Washington Senators 3-0. He finished 1906 with a 10-10 record and 2.50 ERA. In 1906, he pitched the longest complete game in the American League, 24 innings against Boston, winning 4-1.[4] The following year was not great as Coombs went 6-9 with a 3.12 ERA. In 1908 and 1909 his record was only 19-16 despite his ERA being 2.00 and 2.32 those years. His best season was 1910 which is still one of the best single pitching seasons in MLB history. Besides his record of 31–9, he led the American League in wins (31), games played (45), and shutouts (13), which is still the single season AL record. He won 18 of 19 starts that July and racked up 53 consecutive scoreless innings which was the major league record until Walter Johnson broke it three years later. Don Drysdale and Orel Hershiser have since broken the mark. He also won three games in the 1910 World Series, in which the Athletics defeated the Chicago Cubs. He made appearances in the 1911 and 1916 World Series. In 1919, he was the manager of the Philadelphia Phillies for 62 games, going 18-44 before being replaced by Gavvy Cravath. He returned to play one final year in 1920 before retiring. Coombs became a championship-winning coach at Duke University (1929–52) who sent many players to the majors. Duke University's baseball field is named after him. He spent his retirement as a sports historian and writer. In 1938, he published, Baseball – Individual Play and Team Strategy. “‘Bread at Every Meal–That’s our Training rule’ says Jack Coombs Baseball Coach at Duke University.  ‘It’s on of the most valuable foods for supplying sustained energy–which stays with you through the game,’ adds Coach Coombs.” Coombs was best known for pitching a 24-inning complete game for the Philadelphia Athletics against the Boston Americans as a rookie in 1906, and for beating the Chicago Cubs three times in the 1910 World Series. Coombs, who never played a game in the minor leagues, finished his career with the Detroit Tigers in 1920. He was coach at Williams and Princeton before arriving at Duke where he coached from 1929-1951, compiling a 382-171 record.  Twenty-one future Major League played for Coombs, including Billy Werber, Dick Groat, and his nephew Bobby Coombs. Duke’s Jack Coombs Field is named for him.

Bobby Coombs, Kennebunkport, ex-New York Giants and A's player, now Williams College baseball coach. From Revolvy Raymond Franklin "Bobby" Coombs (February 2, 1908 – October 21, 1991) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The 5 ft 9 1⁄ in (1.77 m), 160 lb (73 kg) right-hander played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1933) and New York Giants (1943). His career was unusual in that he went almost ten years between major league appearances. A native of Goodwins Mills, Maine, Coombs made his major league debut in relief on June 8, 1933, in a home game against the New York Yankees at Shibe Park. His final game, almost ten years later at the age of 35, was in a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field on June 6, 1943. Coombs' career totals include 30 games pitched, all in relief, a 0–2 record with 17 games finished, 2 saves, 49 earned runs allowed in 47​1⁄ innings, and an ERA of 9.32. Coombs died at the age of 83 in Ogunquit, Maine. Coombs coached at Williams College from 1946–73, where there is now a Bobby Coombs Field.

Although Greg Coppeta grew up in Methuen, Massachusetts, he attended the University of Southern Maine and has essentially called Maine his home ever since. The oldest of five boys, Greg is the son of the Robert and Beverly Coppeta who always supported Greg and his love of the game. Greg now resides in Westbrook with his wife of sixteen year, Melissa, their son Justin and their daughter Olivia. Professionally, Mr. Coppeta is employed by Eisai Pharmaceuticals. As a youngster, Greg played Little League, Babe Ruth and Legion Baseball in Methuen. As a senior at Central Catholic High School, Greg posted a record of 7-0 including a no-hitter and was selected to the all Conference team. He was also invited to play in the Brockton Invitational for the top seniors in the state. From 1988-1990, Greg attended the University of Southern Maine where he compiled a remarkable career record of 23-2 for Ed Flaherty. During his Junior and Senior years, Greg was an All-American selection as well as twice being named the ECAC player of the year. As a senior, the Lefty posted a record of 9-0 with an ERA of 1.95. In 1989, Greg and his team competed in the Division three College World Series in which USM finished 4th. According to his college pitching coach, Ken Joyce, “Coppeta’s pitching success is the result of a hellacious changeup, impeccable location and a strong will insulated with composure and savvy.” In 1990, Greg was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 9th round. He would play four years for the Tiger’s organization reaching the double A level with the London Tigers in the Eastern League. Over his four-year minor league career, Greg recorded 27 victories while striking out 233 batters. After his professional career, Greg returned to USM as their pitching coach in 1995. He would coach for three years including the Division three National Championship team in 1997. Greg would later be inducted into the University of Southern Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. After a brief stint as the pitching coach at Westbrook High School, Greg shifted his focus to youth baseball coaching as a volunteer. Greg coached in the Westbrook Little League system for four years including the head coach of the all-star team in 2012. In addition, Greg has also been the head coach of the Southern Maine Tomahawks in AAU Baseball for the past three years. He is well known in Westbrook for helping out anyone at anytime. A real “class act” who continues to give back to the Westbrook baseball community. Greg has certainly made a significant contribution to baseball in the State of Maine.

Is there a more quintessential image of a “Down East” Mainer than a lobsterman, raised under the beacon of a lighthouse tended by his father, tying up his boat and scurrying up the wharf to play ball for the local team? No fuzzy image, this is an accurate portrayal of Cutler’s Neil Corbett, the pride of Washington County, who joins the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame today. Born November 23, 1916 in Roque Bluff, Neil Corbett moved to Cutler when he was six and started playing organized baseball for the Cutler AA at the age of 15. For the next 65 years or so, as player, manager, umpire, commissioner and benefactor, Neil Corbett left an indelible mark on baseball “Down East”. Neil served in the Army during World War II and saw action in the New Hebrides Islands, Guadalcanal, and the Russell Islands. Returning home, Neil was instrumental in the formation of the Quoddy League based in Washington County, one of numerous postwar semi-pro leagues which sprang up across the county sparked by the surging popularity of town team ball. Neil became player-coach of the Cutler Cardinals in 1955 and skippered the local nine for thirty-five years. Along with entrants from other Down East communities such as Eastport, Addison, Pleasant Point, Machias, Millbridge and Peter Dana Point, the Quoddy League thrived on spirited play and local pride. Competing against Down East legends and fellow Maine Baseball Hall of Famers Omar and Chick Norton of Eastport, Carlton Willey of Cherryfield, and Tony Tammaro of Woodland, Neil Corbett established a reputation a as hard-nosed competitor and tireless supporter of the team and league. Not content merely to show-up and play, Neil Corbett threw himself into the necessary but often thankless tasks required to field a team. According to his former players, Neil was always the first one at Corbett Field (donated to the town by Neil’s father), did most of the ground work, bought the equipment and balls, stocked the concession booth and recruited wives and girlfriends to run it, took the collection, coached third, pitched batting practice and even umpired the game if necessary. Hauling lobster traps and playing ball, Neil Corbett built a town team dynasty of sorts with the Cutler Cardinals, winning 14 Quoddy League championships in a skein that started in 1962 and ended with their last championship in 1988. Even after his playing days had officially ended, it was not unusual to see Neil’s son waving the flag from Cutler’s Wharf signaling his father to “Come on in – we need you to play today”. Local legend has is Neil once had three doubles and a walk in a win over Peter Dana Point after hauling 125 lobster traps that morning! Neil recalls a game in 1957 when Carlton Willey assembled an all-star team of “Washington County boys”. Playing against the Central Maine League All-Stars, Willey pitched a three-hit shutout and Neil drove in the game’s first run with a double which clanged off a bulldozer parked in the fenceless outfield. In 1960 Neil was elected Commissioner of the Quoddy League, a position he help for more than 20 years. Still active as a player-coach, Neil’s sense of fairness and overarching dedication to the survival of the league nevertheless made him a superb steward. It was widely acknowledged by many that baseball survived as long as it did Down East due to the unstinting efforts of Neil Corbett. Neil’s innate knowledge of the game and boundless desire to serve also made him a highly respected umpire. He often umpired league play-off games when Cutler was not involved and was a charter member of the Down East Umpires Association founded by Tony Tammaro. Neil also counts over 20 years working games for the University of Maine at Machias, Washington Academy and Lubec High School. Neil continues to reside in Cutler with his wife of 57 years, Allie, and spends his days repairing lobster traps, tending his garden and no doubt reminiscing about the heyday of Cutler Cardinal baseball. Considering his firmly planted roots, it’s no wonder this son of a lighthouse keeper kept Down East baseball shining brightly for so many years.