Search Results

“Spirited competition on the playing field under the wise direction of coaches can do much for the morale of the whole community and for the development of the manly character of the contestants”. So reads the inscription on the Kenneth C.M. Sills Award, given to Brewer's Shirley “Slip” Corey honoring him as the outstanding Little League manager in Maine in 1960. Corey’s entire 36-year Little League coaching career in Brewer embodied the Sills credo. Winner of 11 league championships and three Brewer Little League All-Star state championships, Slip Corey combined irrepressible enthusiasm, fervent devotion to fundamentals, and the rare ability to inspire Brewer's coltish youth. More than the array of honors and trophies garnered over four decades of service, Corey’s legacy was to instill the idea of fair play, sportsmanship and the goal of giving one’s full measure to his youthful Charges. Corey excelled in three sports at Brewer High School, splitting time between third base and pitching duties for baseball coach Dana Cougherty. Corey was instrumental in the Witches’ 1938 Bangor Daily News League Championship and state runner up finish that year. Following his graduation from high school in 1939, Corey married his high school sweetheart, Helen Kealiher, in 1940 served in the U.S.Army, 277th Company Engineers from 1943 - 1945, and began a 27-year career working at Bangor and Aroostook Railroad as manager of its Highway Division. Slip continued his baseball career in the highly competitive Eastern and Tri-County semi-pro leagues. Slip starred on a 1946 Brewer Jaycees team that beat Dover and Oakland to win the Northern and Eastern League Championship.A newspaper account of the Dover game notes “the capacity crowd of 3,000 odd fans, topping all previous baseball attendance records in eastern Maine that year, were treated to the best game of the season”. Corey also played for the Brewer Easterns in the Tri-County League, winning that circuit’s championship in 1947, and Brewer A.A. who copped Eastern League honors in 1949. His sparking semi-pro career notwithstanding, Slip Corey’s enduring legacy will be his unmatched contribution to Little League baseball.A founding gather of the Brewer Little League in 1954, Corey and long-time assistant Bob Debeck devoted countless hours of instruction and encouragement to Brewer’s budding ball players. “Being a Little League manager is like being a second father to 15 boys for eight weeks”, Corey said in a 1970 interview, “and it’s fun”. The rare combination of joy in playing a boy’s game and responsibility to teaching higher values was evident in the Corey coaching style.An observer of his practices in 1970 noted:“His technique of coaching is a positive thing. When his kids are working out, Corey keeps up a steady patter of encouragement around the whole ball-field. Corey may be coaching a budding second baseman in the subtleties of the position while another youngster has batting practice. At the crack of the bat on ball, he’ll look up with a grin and shout ‘Good cut!’”. Gentle. Wise. Patient. Supportive. Slip Corey was all this and more to hundreds of youthful aspirants during his coaching days.The Maine Baseball Hall of Fame is proud to add his name to the pantheon of coaching icons whose dream was to make it possible for others to dream. Slip has two children - a daughter Donna Varney and a son Dana Corey. Helen, his wife of 42 years, passed away last year.

Dick Cormier brings to the Hall of Fame a glittering record of consistent slugging through high school, college and semi-pro ranks. Undoubtedly, he ranks as one of Eastern Maine's outstanding power-hitting outfielders. it Was a rare season when Cormier was not atop the home run derby. The slugging saga began at Fort Fairfield H.S. where Dick was a 4-year letterman, 1946-1949. He was the Aroostook League's homer leader in 1948 and 1949, and in the letter season he hit over .500. One of his home runs was recorded as 422 feet. At Fort Fairfield, Cormier was also a pitcher who helped his club to an Eastern Maine runner-up finish in ‘49. After a summer with the fast Augusta Millionaires semi-pro outfit, Dick attended Houltons Ricker College, 1950-53. Here he teamed with Portland’s fire-bailing lefty, Dave Redmond (HoF '82). Redmond is Cormier's big booster, still recalling with awe some of his Herculean clouts. At Ricker, Cormier led the club in homers in all four seasons and in batting average, three years. During the summers, Dick cavorted the outfield for fast Maine and Canadian semi-pro teams: Houlton Collegians, Halifax, N.S. Capitals and Presque Isle Indians. in 1950, he shared the lead in homers for the Maine - New Brunswick League. Gene Hunter, best known for his basketball coaching but himself a fine baseball player, labels Cormier a graceful fielder who could throw, and a fine hitter - “a definite prospect" and “one of the pest”. The first of two professional offers beckoned in 1951, when "Doc" Gautreau of the Boston Braves tendered a $3,000 bonus. But signing would necessitate leaving college and making Dick liable to the draft. He “turned the contract down, although, during later years, I sometimes wish I had accepted . After a 3-year stint with the U.S. Army, where he led his Fort Benning team in homers and batting average, Cormier got his second pro opportunity. The Pittsburg Pirates offered the 25-year old a minor league opportunity, but again he declined. From 1955 to 1961, he was a player-coach with New Brunswick nines while beginning a long career in education. He taught at Oakfield H.S. before moving to Van Buren H.S. in 1959. At Van Buren, he served as assistant-principal and A.D. from 1969-73 and as principal until 1986. "Dick" Cormier, 82, of Ocala, Fla., passed Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, at Munroe Regional Hospital after a brief illness. He was born March 3, 1930, in Fort Fairfield, son of the late Jack and Anna Cormier. Dick was predeceased by his wife of 51 years, Della Cyr Cormier of Van Buren .

Longtime sports editor of Portland newspapers

My baseball career started just before I entered high school. Barrs Field was my playing field, and sliding 1nto home plate became a challenge because I carried my snack in my back pocket — an unwrapped peanut butter sandwich. I was helped along, as were my brothers Henri and Adrian, by local baseball greats such as Gene Hebert and ‘‘Husky’’ Aube. They were both pitchers in college at that time, and both were having good careers. Hebert pitched for Holy Cross while Aube pitched for Fordham. I played baseball for three years at Westbrook High School under Paul ‘‘Ginger’’ Frazer, mostly as an outfielder or catcher. While in High school I also played in the Twilight League in the summers. For the next five years I played for John Garner’s Kesar Falls team on summer weekends. In 1934 Joe Conley got me interested in a different aspect of the game of baseball — that of the umpire. Joe was the assigner at the time. A few years later, Carroll ‘The Eye’’ Rines became the assigner, and we talked about forming an umpire’s board to recruit new umpires. That board became very effective because we would hold clinics to make us better umpires. My umpiring career spanned 44 years — umpiring college and high school games, American Legion, Babe Ruth, and Little League. After that many years as an umpire shutting out the screams of the spectators, it was quite easy to say, ‘I’m not deaf, I’m just ignoring you.”’ One of the highlights of my umpiring career was being behind the plate with my son Ronald also behind the plate as the catcher for Cheverus High School. When Little League came into existence, we umpired the games for no charge in order to help baseball. I got interested in coaching Little League when Jack Flaherty asked for my help. At that time the League consisted of Portland, Westbrook, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, and South Portland. The first All Star Team of that League went to Williamsport and lost in the final game. Later each city started their own league. I was asked to take over as coach when Bob Pratt quit. That began my twenty year career as coach of the Westbrook Kiwanis. Two of my own sons played for that team. My son Marc joined the team as mascot at age 2-1/2. Over the next ten years he graduated first to batboy and then to shortstop and my older son Paul preferred individual sports and specialized in swimming and skiing. In 1959 S.D. Warren gave away the plot of land which included the Little League Field for the purposes of building the Westbrook Community Hospital. Now the Westbrook Little League was left without a playing field. Consequently I spent all that fall and winter bugging Rudy Greep, the S.D. Warren mill manager, to let us have the plot of land on East Bridge Street. In the spring, S.D. Warren gave us the land, which is the field we now have, and I spent all that summer getting the field ready with the help of Ovide ‘‘Pattou’’ Aube, Husky’s older brother. Pattou was a mill supervisor in charge of bulldozers. The field needed a fence, so for half the year we used a snow fence. I then got help from Paul Flaherty, who started contacting the ‘‘right’’ people. One day he called me and said that we would get a four foot wooden fence, but I would have to get the people to put it up. My brother Henri told me that the telephone company would dig the post holes if they could get publicity for it. WGAN promised to cover it for us. Soon the fence began to give way. I went back to Pattou Aube. S.D. Warren was installing wire fencing around the mill, so Pattou got us the wire fence and the same group installed it. Blue Rock Quarry built the dugouts for us. I was so busy that summer that my wife was ready to throw me out. You can understand why! Building this Little League playing field was one of the reasons that I was chosen to receive the Sills Award in 1961. My whole family and I went to Bangor to accept that award. I had very good Little League teams because I was the only coach who would have three practices a week. | would teach the fundamentals of hitting and pitching and bunting. I was pleased to have four of my Little Leaguers chosen for All Telegram, and some for All State, too. I also made it a point each season to personally deliver the uniform to each of my players. It not only gave me personal contact with the young boy’s parents and family, but also gave me some insights into each boy’s feelings and actions. I am pleased to see that some of my Little Leaguers are now coaches themselves. I have always enjoyed working with young people. They sure can try your patience sometimes, But I know how kids can be — I was one once. I never expected to be chosen for an inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. It is the highlight of my baseball career.

Stan Coulling’s baseball career spanned the Worid War II era and included stops in many states and leagues. He pitched professionally at the time when leagues were labeled AAA, AA, A, B, ©, D. it all began at Belgrade High School where he won 31 and lost 6 over a three year period. As a legion pitcher he won 12 and lost 3. Ben Houser (72) selected Coulling to join the semi-pro Worumbo Indians and he was 2 and 0 in 1939. He played semi-pro in 1940 and gained recognition as a promising prospect. After attending Joe Stripps School of Baseball in Orlando, Florida, Stan signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates and began his pro career at Mouttrie, Georgia, a Class D loop. His two year record was 21 and 20. 1942-1945 Armed Service Career: Camp Barkley Texas 90th Infantry Division 6-0 one no hitter but only six games in three years! After the war Coulling, a 6’3" right hander with a label of “good control” resumed the quest for a major league opportunity. 1946 Centerville, MD Orioles Class D 17-8; 1947 Montgomery, AL Class B 113; 1948 Montgomery AL Class B 16-5, one no hitter, 3.07 ERA; October exhibition at Colby College - 2 scoreless inning vs Birdie Tebbetts Major League All Stars; 1949 spring training with the Hollywood stars - AAA Pacific Coast League; limited relief pitching - sold to Chattanooga (South Association) when Branch Rickey bought the Stars; Chattanooga Lookouts and Memphis Chicks AA - more relief pitching - soon developed arm trouble (elbow injury) returned to Montgomery; 1950-91 Fort Lauderdale and Gadsden, AL - Class B, elbow injury continued to plague him - retired from baseball. While playing pro ball Stan used off seasons to continue his schooling. He attended Stetson College in Deland, Florida and Farmington Teachers College. In 1952 he received his B S. in Recreation and Camping from Springfield College. He is presently living in Wheeling, West Virginia.

As a youngster he was right handed but his father Maurice wanted Tommy Cousens to pitch left handed and that’s why his nickname became the “Baffling Southpaw. Cousens, who grew up in Kennebunk and now lives in Waterboro, also was called the “Pitching Genius” and the “Miracle Man.” That last description probably was the result of one of the most unbelievable pitching feats ever. Cousens pitched four complete game victories in four days. The four games in four days stint occurred while he was working and pitching for the Kittery Naval Yard and also pitching for a Kennebunk ballclub. On the final pitch of the fourth day, Cousens pulled a vertebrae in his back. Unable to move his arm for the only time in his lengthy career, he sought out a chiropractor. The chiropractor supposedly smiled when he saw Cousens come in saying, “You don’t have to tell me why you’re here I’ve been reading the sports pages. Two weeks later Cousens was back on the mound. Well known throughout Maine in the 1930s and 40s as a journeyman pitcher, coaches were constantly calling Cousens and offering him $25-$50 to pitch. That was far more than he was making at the filling station he worked at. Cousens, who began his baseball career as a teenager in the Kennebunk area, was signed in 1936 by the Boston Bees. Assigned to Beaver Falls, Pa., a Class B team, he played the outfield as well as pitched. In fact, he was such a good hitter that a coach there wanted him to be a permanent outfielder. Unable to make ends meet there, however, Cousens returned to Maine. Soon after his return, Cousens was signed by the Class B Portland Pilots. In 1945 he pitched the entire season without a joss. He later played for the Goodall-Sanford nine until 1949.

MAINE AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL LUMINARY IS IN LATEST INDUCTEE CLASS FOR MAINE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME A quick glance at the baseball resume of Mike Coutts compels the thought not just that “He belongs” in the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Instead, “What has taken so long?!” Coutts, who played schoolboy baseball in Auburn and graduated from the University of Maine at Orono in l98l, is what social commentators in the l960s and 70s would have called “the Howard Johnson’s” of baseball coaches--his track record includes many different varieties, levels and geographic areas of baseball coaching. If Howard Johnson’s and its famous orange-roofed roadside restaurants had more varieties and types of ice cream than could be listed on the counter blackboard, Coutts has probably coached baseball at most any place you can think of. His senior year at Orono, he captained a team that made a trip to the College World Series. A third baseman, he hit .319 that year, and was among team leaders with 43 hits, 32 runs, 23 base on balls, and 24 RBIs. He then soon jumped into the coaching world: *assistant baseball coach, UMO, to John Winkin, l987--93; *associate head baseball coach, UMO, to John Winkin, l993-97; *head coach, Cape Cod Baseball League in Massachusetts, Cotuit Kettlers, l995--2002; *head coach, Alaska College Summer League, Peninsula Oilers, 2005 *head coach, New England Collegiate Baseball League, Sanford Mainers, summer 2007. Oddly enough, however, if you really want to capture the essence of Coutts, set aside those gloried stops in the baseball coaching world, and glimpse what he took on voluntarily in the summer of 2006 --head coach, struggling American Legion baseball team sponsored by Libby-Mitchell AL Post 76 of Scarborough. A back and forth between the Post Commander and the Post Baseball Committee search group tells the story: Commander: “So who do we have for candidates for the head coaching position?” Baseball Committee: “A fellow named Mike Coutts. Coached at UMO with John Winkin. Coached in the Cape Cod Summer League with top college players for several years. Coached last summer in the Alaska Summer League with more top college players.” Commander: “So why does he want to coach a bunch of high school kids with Libby-Mitchell Post?” Baseball Committee: “Well, we don’t actually know yet; we haven’t met with him. But he did just move to town.” Commander: “Oh, son on the team?” Baseball Committee: “No. His son is in kindergarten, I think.” Commander: “Nephew? Cousin on the team?” Baseball Committee: “Not that I know of.” Commander: “Well, why in the world would he want to do this, and why should we pursue this?” Baseball Committee: “We have some letters and phone calls from people who know him, played with him in college or summers, people who have coached with him.  Apparently, the guy just loves baseball, loves to coach, loves kids.  One guy said if he doesn’t coach Libby-Mitchell this summer, he will certainly have other opportunities, and will be somewhere, in some dugout, at some baseball field, coaching kids.” Commander: “Okay, hire him.” Baseball Committee: “Aren’t we required to interview him first?” Commander: “Oh...yeah...right. Well, let’s interview him. Then hire him.” The Post hired Coutts to hire a young team in summer 2006. The team struggled. It was saddled by injuries, and a downturn in talent. Despite that, Coutts represented the Post well. “The word we got from everybody was that Coach Coutts did the job you would want a coach to do. Ran a good team. The kids behaved. They played hard. They were respectful of umpires, other teams. You would never tell when they showed up for a game, or when they left the dugout at the end of a game, whether the team won or lost, or whether they were having a good year,” said former Libby-Mitchell Commander Dave Dolloff. “First class operation.” When the Sanford Mainers came calling the following winter, Coutts was gone--and the loss was Libby-Mitchell’s. Former UMO player Nick Caiazzo offers a strong endorsement of Coutts. “I have had the chance to be a player for Coach Coutts at UMaine, and was able to play four and a half years of professional baseball. I can honestly say he was one of the best teachers of the game that I have come across in my time playing,” said Caiazzo, now a business partner of Coutts in Frozen Ropes in Portland, in his letter nominating Coutts for induction in the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Caiazzo says Coutts legacy to baseball in the state of Maine does not end with his playing career at UMO, or in his impressive and varied coaching resume. “Mike can teach any ability of player--both oys and girls. That is a rare quality.” said Caiazzo. Todd Cifelli echoes many of these sentiments about Coutts. “I had the privilege also of playing for Coach Coutts at Orono.  While his impact as a coach and player is outstanding, perhaps the most impressive aspect of Mike Coutts is how he has been a driving force to promote baseball within the state of Maine,” said Cifelli, now at Lewiston High. “Whether it is thru Frozen Ropes and teaching kids...or being the head of the Maine Baseball Coaches Association...he is constantly trying to find ways to encourage youngsters to play the wonderful game of baseball.” Kevin Fifeld, co-owner of Frozen Ropes with Coutts, chimed in with similar comments in his nominating letter as well. “Mike eats, sleeps, breathes and lives to provide opportunities for youth baseball. He is more passionate about baseball than any person that I have ever met.” Fifeld noted that Coutts was the initiator of the Maine High School Senior All Star Game, which annually pits the best players in the state against each other, and also against kids from New Hampshire. “Mike’s mission is quite simply to provide the best opportunities for players of all levels,” Fifeld added. “He has the passion. He wants everyone to experience what baseball can teach us.” Coutts is married, and lives with his wife, Lynn, a former standout UMO softball player, in Scarborough with their two children. His induction is an honor for him, and his family and friends, and also for American Legion baseball in Maine, which has thrived for more than 50 years because of the involvement of individuals such as Mike Coutts.

Announcement of Wally Covell’s retirement is like predicting great baseball weather for the first several days of April. It’s a little premature. In 1995, after seven seasons as head baseball coach at Maine Central Institute, Covell did step down from that position. In 2002 he returned to coaching football at Orono High and baseball at Lawrence High. He is still in both positions. Playing and teaching athletics is Covell’s vocation and avocation. Starting in 1947 with the Tri-Corner town team at Greene and continuing with Monmouth Academy,Winthrop American Legion, Lewiston High, 7 Monmouth town team, University of Maine and the Bucksport town team, Covell was a pitcher-infielder-outfielder. After graduating from Maine in 1955, Covell’s first coaching job was a t Bucksport High where his baseball team won the Hancock County championship. Over the next four decades, he coached American Legion, high school, college and the Waterville Red Sox and South Portland in the Twilight League. After Bucksport, Covell coached at Orono for seven years then moved on to Colby College in 1969 as John Winkin’s assistant. When Winkin left to take over the University of Maine’s program, Covell was named head coach in 1975, a post he held until 1984. “As Athletic Director at Colby, I hired Wally for our baseball and football (assistant to Dick McGee) staff” said Winkin. “I've known him as a fine baseball person for over thirty years. “To put it simply, Wally Covell has been a steady, excellent, baseball person in various baseball responsibilities in the amateur baseball level, all of which have earned him the highest kind of respect. After Colby, Covell was an assistant to head coach Dusty Drew at the University of Southern Maine, Salisbury State College (Maryland) and Warren Wilson College (North Carolina) before his appointment at MCI. Mike Rutherford, baseball coach at Portland High and an outstanding athlete who won the Fitzpatrick Trophy in 1982, was on the first Southern Maine team to win a regional tournament and advance to the world series. “His passion for the game is at the level it was when I played for him in 1985.” said Rutherford.“ I have had the pleasure to play for John Winkin and Ed Flahery, two of the best coaches Maine has seen. I believe Wally Covell should be included with those two. Bob Keefe played varsity baseball at Colby 1974 through 1977. Covell was Winkin’s assistant the first year and head coach the last three. “To this day I consider Wally a mentor and a friend,” said Keefe.“I am always impressed with his passion for the game and his love of coaching, He has had a positive impact on hundreds of young players. Frank Jordan played on Covell’s first team at Orono High when baseball was revived at the school after being discontinued. Covell was also Jordan’s football and junior varsity basketball coach. “Coach Covell helped me make it through high school,’ said Jordan.“ Wally helped me make it through Vietnam five years later. I learned more about myself from Coach than from all the rest of the people in my life. I know I owe my life to Coach Covell. | never would have survived my two-year Vietnam experience without Coach Covell as a role model.” Ron Joseph was a catcher on Waterville’s American Legion team in the late 1960’s. He remembers games and plays “like it was yesterday.’ But playing for Covell included lessons that aren’t included in box scores. “Every team has mediocre players, said Joseph.“Coach Covell always made them feel an important part of the team by giving them responsibilities during games. He never let them idly melt away on the bench. “I admire that quality of his coaching more that the fond memory of his teaching me the proper catching and hitting techniques and all the rewards both brought me.”

Rick began his baseball journey in Little League 2 in Portland Me. He is the son of George and the late Lorraine Crawford. With his older brother Joe and younger brother James they covered the playgrounds and Portland parks playing baseball almost every day in the summer. By the time Rick reached high school he had a reputation as a steady middle infielder and consistent hitter. At Portland High Rick settled in as the starting second baseman. He was named captain of the varsity team in his senior year. Like so many before and after him, Rick holds coach Edson Hadlock in the highest regard. In his senior year, Rick batted .322, scored a league high 22 runs, 8 stolen bases, and made 71 out of 76 chances in the field. For his efforts Rick was named the 2nd baseman on the 1969 All-Telegram team. He also received the Robert Tanner Memorial Award as the Team MVP. Rick decided to go to the University of Maine at Presque Isle to pursue a degree in physical education and athletic administration. The baseball coach at UMPI was Peter Storey. It did not take Rick long to establish himself as a solid college Div. 3 player. In his first college game, he had 4 hits including 2 triples and 7 RBI’s. He was the MVP of the team each of his first 3 years at school. Showing his leadership ability at a young age, Rick was named captain of the team each of his last 3 years at the college. Despite being tucked in northern Maine, his talents were noticed through -out New England. Rick was a first-team selection on the All- Northeast All-Star team his sophomore and junior years in school. A season ending injury sidelined Rick for most of his senior year, After graduation Rick began his professional career in Calais Maine. He was a physical education teacher as well as the varsity cross country coach, JV boys basketball and varsity baseball coach. In his 4 years as Cross Country coach, Calais went 65-9 as well as the 1975 Eastern Maine Regional champions. His two year record as JV basketball coach was 34-2. When the varsity basketball coach stepped down right before the 1975 season, Rick took the reins as head coach. In his one year as varsity coach he led Calais to 18-0 record and the number one seed in the Eastern Maine class B tourney. Despite an early loss to Hampton, he led the boys to an incredible year. All this set the tone for the1976 baseball season. This team had a tremendous record. They only lost one game all year. On a June day in 1976, Calais won their only State Class C Baseball Championship. They beat Massabesic 10-6. This was the crowning achievement for this small Maine town. Six times since, they made the state championship game only to fall a little short. Rick left Calais the next year for Brunswick. In only 4 years, Rick left a wonderful legacy for other coaches to follow. In 1970 Rick began his playing career in the Portland Twilight league. He was the starting third baseman for the Falmouth Townies. It did not take him long before he was batting fourth in the line-up. He played under Dick Loubier for two years. In 1971 Rick led them to a 5-2 record in the talent laden Labor Day Tournament. In 1972 Rick played for Yudy’s Tire. He became a steady player on a very talented team. In 1973, Rick placed fifth in the league batting .391. In 1974 Rick played for Haverty Buick. He led the league in hitting at .481 with a league high 38 hits in 79 at bats. He scored 29 runs, 5 doubles, 3 home runs, and 27 RBI’s. He also had 13 stolen bases, 52 total bases, and .658 slugging percentage. At the time, the league was extremely competitive. Included in the top ten batters were future Hall of Famers, Ron Butland, Tony DiBiase, George Ferguson, Frank Davis, John Mullen and Dennis Libbey. In 1975 Rick played for the Maine Merchants under Ziggy Gillespie. He batted .341. with 30 hits in 88 at bats. He also had 13 stolen bases and 21 RBI’s. That same year brother Joe Crawford, a mainstay for many years in the league batted ,329 with 5 home runs and 19 RBI’s. Rick continued his fine play for another 7 years. In 1980 he hit 4 home runs in one game, all off Hall of Famer Steve Conley. A feet matched only on a few other occasions in this era of the league. Carroll Rines stated, “ Rick Crawford was known for his consistency and fine play.” In high school, college, and the Portland Twilight league, he showed tremendous ability, great character, and a hard work ethic to achieve all the accomplishments in his life. Rick was the Athletic Director of Brunswick high school for many years. His experience helped lead the school to many athletic accomplishments through several decades. He did coach baseball for Brunswick Jr. High, was the assistant coach at Bowdoin College and most recently at Mount Ararat Middle School. Rick lives in Topsham Me. with his wife Michele, and has a son Michael and a daughter Chelsea. From his many years as an educator and coach, Rick has affected so many lives in a positive way. The Maine Baseball Hall of Fame is fortunate to have him as a member.

Johnny C of the San Francisco Giants said the induction to the Maine Baseball HOF was "the perfect climax to my biggest year". The Paper city (aka Westbrook) southpaw was honored by some 200 at the annual dinner, and he was exceptionally pleased with the turnout as it gave him a chance to personally thank all his friends and fans for the support given hi this past season. "Especially does that include my parents, and it certainly is good to be back in Maine" . Johnny introduced his wife Pat, and paid tribute to the high school and legion ball coaches Mickey Dolan, Luther Small, and Joe Morse. He had fellow Paper city well wishers Gene Hebert, Roland Chamard, Ovide Caron, Billy Hamilton and Bunky Buotte there to cheer him on as well. Johnny C received a telegram from Jeff Jones, New England scout who signed him for the St Louis Cardinals organization in 1966 and said he'd make it to the top in 5 years. He went from the cards to the Yankees in '68 and wound up with the Giants in 1970 . The shift worked wonders for him and the Giants, they lost division honors in the last couple days in '71 with Willie Mays and Juan Marichael as teammates . From wiki . He played one season of college baseball at Maine in 1966. Batted: Right Threw: Left MLB debut September 27, 1968, for the New York Yankees Last MLB appearance July 27, 1974, for the California Angels MLB statistics Win–loss record 15–16 Strikeouts 137 Earned Run Average 3.82 From Topps Cumberland pitched four innings for the Yankees over those two appearances, allowing two earned runs on three hits and four walks, not factoring in a decision. The previous season he had his first taste of the Big Leagues, pitching in one game at the end of the year, throwing two innings and allowing two earned runs. In 1970 he would be traded to the San Francisco Giants for veteran pitcher Mike McCormick, where he would have his best season as a Major Leaguer in 1971, going 9-5 with a nice .292 ERA over 45 appearances and 185 innings of work, including two shutouts. However he would find himself struggling in 1972, going 1-5 with a bloated 7.71 ERA in 23 games, finding himself with the St. Louis Cardinals by season’s end, then spending all of 1973 in the Minor Leagues before making it back in 1974 with the California Angels where he appeared in the final 17 games of his 6-year career, going 0-1 with a 3.74 ERA over 21.2 innings pitched. All told, he finished his playing career with a record of 15-16, with a 3.82 earned run average over 110 appearances and 334.1 innings pitched, with two shutouts and two saves. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=cumbejo01

Portland's own Tate Cummings caught for a flock of area clubs over a 20 year span, a veteran of area action coming from Boston's hotbed. He was a skilled receiver, a fleet and heady base runner and a fan favorite . Cummings was a rocking chair catcher. He handled that rough assignment with such aplomb that umpires frequently were lulled into "Strike" calls by glove magician Cummings. (Vern Putney, Portland Press Herald) .

From the beginning Tim Curley demonstrated he processed a vast array of skills that would eventually be performed on higher levels. Still, prior to making the dreams materialize Curley honed his skills on numerous baseball diamonds through out the state of Maine and beyond. Curley actually began making a name for himself, while becoming a star for the Sanford High School baseball team. He excelled as a pitcher, center-fielder and hitter for the Redskins. This included a three-year batting of well over .300 and was named All-Telegram League Player in 1985. Curley also displayed a fleet of foot by successfully stealing 14 of 14 bases in ’85. “One of the greatest clutch hitters to ever don a Sanford baseball uniform,”former Sanford coach John Cochin said, who nominated Curley. “Tim hit many line drives in spacious Goodall Park that would have been home runs in any other Park.” They say apples don’t fall far from the tree and Curley (born in Sanford on August 24, 1967) is certainly living proof of it. He is the proprietor of Curley Associates Insurance in the Sanford-Springvale area. He continues giving back by working with and coaching Sanford Area Youths. Following a freshman year at Saint Joseph’s College, Curley transferred to the University of Southern Maine and played from 1987-89 under the tutelage of Ed Flaherty. He was selected 1st Team All-New England in 1987 and ’88. “Tim was what is described today as a five tool player,”Flaherty said, who is a MBHOF member. “He could hit for average, with maybe the smoothest swings ever seen here at USM. As he got stronger he hit for power, as evidenced by his spike in home runs. He was an outstanding runner and had a cannon for an arm.” In, ’88, Curley played in the prestigious Cape Cod League for the Brewster Whitecaps. He was among the league leaders in runs scored, SB and batting avg. in ’89, USM finished fourth in the College World Series and Curley signed a Professional Contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his first full year, he was named MVP for Class A Princeton. He batted .265, team highs in SB (15), runs scored, doubles and triples. That fall, he was invited to the Pirates Instructional League and worked with Hal McRay. He played for Class A Augusta (Georgia) for two seasons, before being released in ’91. Curley also excelled in the Portland Twilight League and was selected 1st Team both offensively and defensively. He was the TWI Rookie of the Year in ’86 and MVP in ’94. He was inducted in to the USM Hall of Fame on Sept. 15, 2000.