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Since World War II finished in 1945 one of the rarest of finds in the major leagues is a Maine native who plays but is not a pitcher. Bill Swift of South Portland leads a number of pitchers (e.g, Carlton Wiley, Bert Roberge, Peter Ladd, Fred Howard) who made it to the Big lop. but | remember only too well every day players: a catcher, Ron Tingley, born in Presque Isle who made it in the 80’s with the Cleveland Indians, and Ellsworth’s Dick Scott, a shortstop who got a “cup of coffee” in the 1990’s and also checked in with an RBI . Today we honor one of those with very good credentials - one of Maine’s best hitters - Vinnie Degifico. Vinnie graduated from South Portland High School in 1983 alter being named to the All-Telegram League team in 82 and 05. He was coached by Rod Choroszy at South Portland and by Dick Loubier in American Legion baseball. Vincent enrolled at the University of Southern Maine in 1984 and participated in the NALA World Series. In 1986 and 87 Vince enjoyed two All-American seasons with USM. In 19386 he led the nation in hitting with a .526 batting average and .937 slugging percentage. He was the 17th selection in the 1987 June draft chosen by the Boston Red Sox and began his professional career with Elmira of the NY-Penn League. Degifico played in the Red Sox minor league system for six seasons (1987-1992). In 1989 Vince was listed as a first baseman on the top ten Red Sox prospect list. He received awards for the highest batting average, most home runs, and MVP at Winter Haven. He was named one to the top nine players in the Florida State League in 1989 where he had 15D home runs and 5? RBIs. In 1990 he played at New Britain and enjoyed a terrific season rooming with Jett Bagwell. Others he remembers well include Tim Nehring, Paul Quantrill, Eric Wedge. He has always been connected with baseball. He has been active in the Twilight League. He helped Peggy Seigel open the first indoor baseball facility: Four Seasons. He has been assistant coach for 13 seasons (1992 - present) at USM. Presently he is employed at the USM Ice Arena where he is the manager. In 1987 Vincent married his high school sweetheart Cindy White and they have an eight year old son and a 2 year old daughter. Vince entered the Husky Hall of Fame in 1997. The same year USM won the National Championship with Vince helping Eddie Flaherty. http://www.greatest21days.com/2016/05/interview-part-1-vinnie-degifico-great.html

“Mentor, leader, professional, perfectionist, I could fill the page with accolades. Dan is by far the best umpire I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and in all probability the best our state has ever had.” -Bob Esposito retired CBUA, WMBU, Umpire and past President “Little Things It Takes to Make a Good Umpire: - Get on deck hitters chasing, hustling, for balls behind you. - Never walk; a steady jog will make you and your partner look like $100. - Bases: Force plays; find and follow ball, look at feet, listen for ball hitting glove, then find ball before making call! - Plate Ump: Watch ball leave pitchers hand, get set, let ball hit mitt, take a picture, and make the call. - Arguments; don’t allow any two on ones, if an ejection get in to help partner, help with dugouts. - Professionalism; before, during, after the games. Set a presence (perception).” -Dan Deshaies Passion for a sport produces endless opportunities, especially for a kid who grew up in a small Maine town and made it as a major league umpire, even though it was only for one National League exhibition season. It all began when Dan Deshaies was 12 years old and playing Little League in Livermore Falls, Maine, his hometown. His team almost folded because they had no coach, so young Dan knew enough to lead his friends as the player coach. After all, it was better than no team at all. Dan says, “I got the boys together, ran practices, scheduled games with local teams, and went out and beat the dreaded league champs, The Chisholm Tigers.” His future was about to become predetermined. In middle school the guidance councilor called Dan down to his office to ask what he wanted to be when he grew up. Without hesitation, Dan replied, ” I want to play professional baseball.” That set the wheels in motion. The guidance counselor immediately called Dan’s father at work and asked him to come in to help move their conversation forward. And so it did. In high school, Dan was the starting catcher on the Livermore Falls High School varsity baseball team as a 5 ‘, 101 lb, freshman. He went on to earn letters in five different sports while at LFHS. After graduation in 1973, Dan continued his enthusiasm for sports at the University of Maine at Presque Isle where he played four sports for the Owls, including soccer and wrestling, which had not been offered at LFHS. Again, he repeated his impressive athleticism at baseball by being chosen the starting catcher his freshman year at UMPI, along with being named The Most Outstanding Athlete of the year in his senior year. Four years later, in 1977, marked the beginning of Dan’s baseball umpiring career. He had graduated from UMPI with a degree in Health/PE/Recreation, but school was not done. He then went to Harry Wendlestedt’s Professional Umpiring school. At the time, several umpiring schools produced 250 prospective professional umpires. There were only twelve job openings nationwide, and Dan got one of them. The rest reads like a history book, a baseball history book. 1979… Entered the NY-Penn (A) League as a crew chief, worked the playoffs, and featured Don Mattingly’s rookie year in pro ball. 1980-81… Promoted to the South Atlantic League, crew chief, worked leagues all star games, playoff crew chief, named umpire of the year, and featured Lenny Dykstra, Don Mattingly, Jon Gibbons (now Toronto manager), David Cone, and Brett Butler. 1982-83 …Promoted to the Southern League (AA) working as a crew chief, worked the all star game, playoffs, and featured Brett Saberhagen, David Cone, Don Mattingly, and yes all of your favorite, Grady Little. By 1984 it was off the AAA and the Pacific Coast League. His first two partners were Gary Darling, who spent 30 years as a major league umpire and Jim Joyce who is famous for the call that cost a pitcher a perfect game but who is one of the best umpires in the Major Leagues still to this day. Sitting in the hotel room one day Dan received a call calling him up to San Francisco to work a Dodger/Giant series but his league president told the National League office that if he sent up an umpire who had been there so short a time that other umpires might decide to retire so another umpire got to go up for that series, which was fine with Dan who did not want to disrupt the umpiring staff. In the fall of 1984 he travelled to Columbia, South America, to umpire in the Colombian Major Leagues. Jackie Gutierrez, former Red Sox 300 hitter, was the hi-light of that league along with umpiring again with Gary Darling and current major league umpire Gary Cedarstrom. They left that country with a police escort swinging billy clubs and machine guns cocked to the air. Returning from Columbia led to working the exhibition season for the National League in 1985. He umpired games with players such as Pete Rose, Tom Lasorda, Chris Chambliss, Gary Carter, and Bruce Sutter. Dan’s last year in professional baseball was the 1985 season, working the International League. His first crew chief was John Hirshback, who is still in the Major Leagues now. Mike Greenwell was in the League and the third longest professional baseball game was played with Dan behind the plate for 28 innings in a game at Syracuse, with Greenwell’s team losing 7-6. Then, his amateur career began in 1986, coinciding with the choice to be a family man and focus his professional career on local sports: 29 State championship games Four Babe Ruth World Series for 16-18 year olds 29 State Legion Tournaments State interpreter for rules for high school baseball for 31 
 years State interpreter for college baseball rules for 25 years Currently on the NFHS national baseball rules committee, 
 the next time a person from Maine will be on the committee 
 will be in 32 years Umpired 6 Div III Regional tournaments and 1 Div III College World Series When asked for inspirational quotes, Dan cited six principles that he often used to share his wisdom with his fellow officials. These set his mark as a baseball umpire: 1. “You are 50% right 100% of the time.” This is to encourage my partners to have the courage to make the tough calls despite what anyone might think in the game we are going to do. Half of the fans/players will think you got it right, and half will think you missed the call. 2. “I do not like either team or coach today, but will treat all with respect.” If you like a particular team or coach you might not make a call against them that you should on that given day. 3. “Two bads equal a good.” This is said when the two teams might have losing records. It is easy to get up for two good teams but I believe I have been able to get up for the games that might not have teams with good records that day or a lower level game. 4. “It is nothing until you call it.” If you make a call too quick the chances of missing a call increase. See the play, take a picture of the play in your mind, find the ball, and make the call. This is all TIMING and is the biggest part of an umpire being a very good umpire. 5. “You miss more calls/pitches in a three hour game than you do in a two hour game.” This encourages umpires to be aggressive with the strike zone and build on the theory that all pitches are strikes until the ball proves you different. 6. “Have fun today.”I believe no one should officiate a game without being able to smile or laugh with their partner(s) at least one time during that game. It is amazing when it gets down to the critical time in the game and a quick smile/laugh can ease the tension in the game! “ As you have read, I didn’t get here alone. Thank you to all who been a part of my officiating career. I share this honor with the booing fans, the players/coaches who have endured my missed calls, and most of all my family and friends who never knew until the last minute if I would be at family/friend events due to ‘the beautiful game of baseball.’ ”

https://www.fosters.com/article/20101209/gjsports03/712099907 Goodall-Sanford’s one year in the Downeast League The Rochester and Sanford’s rivalry brewed and stewed all season. Paul Demers, the ever agitator, would start a brouhaha, and then stand back and watch. Hot summer days and evenings, wearing woolen uniforms and the umpires in their dark blue wool¿ surge suits; patience grew thin and tempers flared leading to many player and manager ejections, fisticuffs and protests. Local umpires included Min Desmarais, Freshie Hammond and Joe Nunan, Mike Twomey from Biddeford and John Michaels from Kennebunk. https://www.fosters.com/article/20150623/SPORTS/150629769 During the Great Depression, baseball flourished in Sanford. The four-team Velmos Twilight League and the Velmos travel team played in the Ossipee Valley, Saco Valley and Southern York leagues. They formed a friendly rivalry with the Kennebunkport Collegians that featured Yale’s first baseman, George H.W. Bush and was managed by his grandfather, Herbert Walker. The Goodall’s rival and nemesis, the famed Worumbo Indians, hired Freddy Parent away from Sanford and he brought speedy centerfield Henry “Min’” Desmarais with him in 1936.

Ivy League graduates often find jobs with the most prestigious corporations in the country. So it was with Charles Devens, who, in the midst of the Great Depression, was hired out of Harvard by a fairly successful firm called the New York Yankees. Devens pitched parts of three seasons with the Yankees, from 1932 to 1934. He played with Babe Ruth, one of four ex-Yankees alive to make that claim. As such, he will be welcomed back to Yankee Stadium in a few weeks for Old Timer's Day to represent Ruth's teammates in the continuing celebration of the Bambino's 100th birthday. Devens was a New Year's baby, born Jan. 1, 1910 in Milton, Mass.. where he still lives. For the past 44 years, he also has maintained a residence in the Prouts Neck section of Scarborough. Prior to attending Harvard, Devens went to Groton School in Groton, Mass., from 1922 to 1928. He was one of the school's finest athletes, having played football, baseball, hockey and tennis and being named captain in three of the four. Ironically, all but baseball. At Harvard, Devens made the varsity football team as a sophomore halfback and continued to succeed in that sport until he suffered a broken leg In a game against Dartmouth. hockey was not taken so seriously at Harvard at that time, but Devens played nonetheless. The contests, generally held on Friday afternoons, often were followed by debutante balls. It was with baseball that Devens found his greatest success at Harvard. A tall (6-foot-1), strong (180 pounds) right-hander, Devens pitched three years for the Crimson varsity. The-hard-throwing Devens could be dominant (he struck out 18 as a Junior to beat Dartmouth) as well as wild (he walked 13 as a sophomore but still beat Yale, 14-4). As a senior, Devens pitched and batted cleanup for a team that went 16-6, Harvard's best record of the decade, and outscored opponents, 158-61. in the season finale, Devens pitched a 6-0 shutout against Yale and homered off Johnny Broaca, later a Yankee teammate. in 1932, Devens joined Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Lefty Gomez and the rest of a Yankees team that won 107 games and swept the Chicago Cubs in the World Series. Devens appeared in one game that season, earning a complete-game victory. The following season, Devens pitched in 14 games, starting eight, and compiled a 3-3 record and 4.35 earned run average as the Yankees finished seven games behind Washington. Devens finished his major league career with an 11-inning complete game victory in 1934 as the Yankees once again fell seven games short of the pennant, won this time by Detroit. In total, Devens won five games and lost three. His ERA in 82 innings was 3.73. He struck out 31, walked 62 and gave up 74 hits. Much of those 3 years were spent playing for the Newark (N.J.) Bears, the Yankees top farm club. After baseball, Devens turned to banking and managed one of the first mutual funds. His firm—Incorporated Investors— eventually merged with Putnam Investments. When World War II struck, Devens served as lieutenant commander aboard the aircraft carrier Intrepid in the Pacific Ocean. Fifty years ago this month, he was awarded the Bronze Star for heroism in directing firefighting operations on the flight deck following Kamikaze attacks. Charlie and Edith Devens recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. they have three children —Charles, Jr., Edith Iler and Robert— and nine grandchildren. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=devench01

First base, quarterback, forward – the induction of Tony DiBiase into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame marks the arrival of one of the premier three-sport athletes of any era in the rich sports history of Westbrook, Maine. Combining his natural athletic gifts with an intuitive feel for the game, Tony was instrumental in forging the Blue Blazes into a formidable championship contender in baseball, football and basketball in the early 1970’s. Westbrook football coach Jack Dawson recall’s Tony’s impact on the team: “He was a dynamic physical force. Everything he did was powerful. He also had a great temperament and was intrigued by the structure and strategy of a football game, so it was only natural that he played quarterback and linebacker.” Tony’s prolific basketball career was punctuated by a state championship in 1972 under coach Bill Folsom. Tony thrived under Folsom’s system and attributes his own basketball coaching philosophy to the principles acquired under Folsom’s tutelage. Tony was a sure-handed first baseman, prodigious hitter and a 1971 All-Telegram and All-State choice for a talented Westbrook ball club under coach Roger (Mickey) Dolan. Tony also pastimed for the Manchester Post legion team managed by Luther Small and Jimmy Burrill. “Mickey Dolan was a great coach,” says Tony. “He taught me how baseball could be fun. Luther and Jimmy taught me how important, how serious, baseball was and how you had to focus on every game. All of them were right.” With teammates Larry Theriault, John Mullen, Jimmy Philbrick and Dana Dresser, the Paper City nine went 25-3 in 1972, only to lose the zone championship to a slightly more powerful Caldwell Post team which posted a 26-2 record and was spearheaded by the likes of Eddie Flaherty, Steve Conley, Gary Smith and Steve Merrill. Tony continued his burgeoning baseball career at the University of Maine at Orono where he played football as a freshman (the first freshman to earn a varsity letter in 40 years) and four years of baseball, two seasons each under the legendary Jack Butterfield and John Winkin. Tony’s .350 career batting average is still among the elite numbers in Black Bear history but his senior year in 1976 was truly a dream season as the Winkin-led Black Bears rode Tony’s .361 average and stellar contributions from John Dumont, Bert Roberge, Jack Leggett, Eddie Flaherty and Brian Butterfield to the ECAC Championship and the school’s first trip to the College World Series in over 10 years. The individual awards piled up as Tony was named to the All-Yankee Conference, All-New England and All-East teams that spring. Coach Winkin fondly recalls the era. “Tony was one of my all-time favorite guys. I leaned on him to mold the spirit of the team,” says Winkin. “He made everything fun, he was a prime needler and umpire baiter, but he could get away with it. Most importantly, he would not let teammates be enemies.” Tony continued playing baseball in the Portland Twilight League for 12 seasons, winning four batting titles, being named league MVP in 1975 and making nine All-Star teams over that period. Considering the pedigree of all the coaches who influenced Tony throughout his playing career, it was a natural evolution for Tony to join the coaching ranks when his playing days were behind him. Tony has coached varsity basketball for 31 years, including the last 17 seasons at South Portland where he won a State Championship in 1992. He has also won Gold Balls in previous stints at Gorham and Portland. Tony has also been the varsity baseball coach at South Portland since 1998. Tony credits his dad John for being the single most formative influence in his life. “Mom and Dad were the foundation of my career,” says Tony. Camaraderie and life-long friendships with teammates and coaches are the blessings given to those who, like Tony, have made a productive life in sports. Those fortunate enough to have coached, played with or for Tony during this man’s remarkable career have been equally rewarded. https://goblackbears.com/news/2016/5/18/5_18_2016_69.aspx "More players from Maine's past were arriving. Tony DiBiase, the senior first baseman from Portland and leading hitter on the '76 team, spotted Leggett and Ed Flaherty, who has coached numerous University of Southern Maine teams to the NCAA playoffs and two NCAA Division III championships. "Now there's baseball royalty," said DiBiase, raising his voice and smiling. He is still coaching high school baseball and has for some 40 years." https://www.pressherald.com/2010/05/14/gray-new-gloucester-welcoming-dibiase_2010-05-14/

From 1948 to 1949, the Augusta Millionaires of Ben Houser and Don Brennan (both Maine Hall members) were billed as ‘‘Maine’s Outstanding Independent Baseball Ciub’’. In 1949, Millinocket’s Jim DiFrederico was a 9-0 hurler with the capitol City nine and on his way to a brief career 1n the Boston Red Sox system. Jim comes to The Maine Baseball Hall of Fame with a recommendation by Hugh Lord, veteran sportswriter, as one of the Easter Maine’s best. He must have been one of Maine’s top moundsmen. Jim first attracted attention at Stearns High School and Ricker College, where he was a hard-throwing right-hander. In 1948, while at Ricker, Jim pastimed with the Houlton Collegians and lost a 1-0 decision to the fast Millionaire club — a game in which he struck out 15. So impressed was Houser that he invited the Millinocket youngster to a tryout in 49. With the fabled Millionaires, DiFrederico joined future Red Soxers Harry Agganis and Ted Lepcio, and a host of other top performers, to help write one of the most interested chapters in Pine Tree State baseball history. His perfect 9-0 log attracted the eye of Neil Mahoney, Bosox scout, and DiFrederico, 22 years old, packing 180 lbs on a 5’10’’ frame, was off to a minor league career that included stints at Roanoke, VA and Oneonta, NY. At Roanoke in the Piedmont League, he hurled a two-hit gem against the Newport News Dodgers besting future World Series’ hero, John Podres. He also opposed Roger Craig, present San Francisco Giants manager, while Craig was a Dodger farmhand. At Oneonta, Jim's first shutout was a three-hitter against Three Rivers. He pitched 7 complete games in his first 9 minor league starts, but he also had tough luck, suffering a shoulder injury sliding into home. After his stint in pro-ball, Jim returned to his native Millinocket, where he was a popular mailman and active coach in several athletic programs for the town’s youth. He also gained recognition as one of Maine's top basketball officials and baseball umpires. Jim died in 1985 and is survived by his wife, Pat, three sons and a daughter. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=difred001jam

James E. Dillon of Scarborough goes into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame with one of the most varied backgrounds of any inductee. Just as some Major Leaguers are uncertain about which team cap to pose with on their Cooperstown plaques, will history recall Dillon as a pitcher? A shortstop? Or one of the best switch hitters in Maine baseball history? In addition to this versatility “problem” for his baseball biographers, Dillon’s resume continues to grow annually; at age 34, he is still one of the top players in the Greater Portland Twilight League. Playing shortstop and hitting third or fourth, his team, Mortgage Network, makes annual appearances in the league championship series. Soon, Dillon’s league opponents will literally be half his age. Dillon graduated from Scarborough High School in l986. His high school coach was Hall of Fame member Phil Martin, and he led Martin’s then-Redskins to a state Class B title in spring l986. Dillon spurned professional offers out of high school. He opted to accept a four-year baseball scholarship with the UMaine Black Bears coached by HoFer John Winkin. Dillon’s multiple talents would prove to be a combination of a blessing and a curse for Jim, the third son in the baseball-loving family of Arthur and Kay Dillon. While Dillon was to spend four years in a variety of pitching roles for UMO, he was perhaps never content to be a once-every-four-days player. When off the mound, his gaze returned to shortstop. Dillon made an immediate impact upon arriving at the Orono campus in fall l986 and spring l987. During the spring baseball team trip, he got a taste of North Carolina blue, beating the Tar Heels 4-3 in The Dixie Classic at Shreveport, Louisiana. Later, he got the win over the Cuba National Team 7-3 in The Wheaties Tournament of Champions in Minnesota. In April l987, he threw a complete-game three-hitter against the University of Hartford. Dillon’s biggest splash, however, came on May l, l987. The UMO team arranged to play the Triple A Maine Guides pro team at The Ballpark in Old Orchard. The recent Scarborough High graduate threw a no-hitter for 6 and 2/3 against the Guides. The game ended in a “gentleman’s tie,” 2-2. The highlight of the early part of Dillon’s senior year at Orono came in spring l990. He pitched a complete game 4-l, two-hit victory for the Black Bears over national powerhouse Miami. Dillon’s team-leading ERA dropped to 2.40. Coach Winkin was pleased that this win, and another the next day for the Bears and Mike D’Andrea, put Maine into 25th place in an ESPN college baseball poll. Dillon’s final sprint as a workhorse for UMaine came in the ECACs, where he threw l30 pitches in a hard-luck late-inning loss, and came back only three days later in the NCAA regionals to get four outs against Iowa for a 4-3 win. His last appearance for the Black Bears was an unexpected start against Rutgers. Coach Winkin, playing a hunch, tracked the 6' 3", l90 pound flamethrower down at a fast food restaurant Friday night to tell him he would be pitching the next day. Dillon put on a gutsy performance. He threw l26 pitches, but it all came down to an infield squibber that made it onto outfield grass. Game over. “Jimmy did all I asked him,” the coach said later, dealing with the team’s heartbreak. “I have no complaints.” Dillon was drafted in spring l990 by the Oakland Athletics. Part of a storied draft class of pitchers that included million-dollar bonus babies such as Todd Van Poppel and others, Dillon promptly signed with Oakland. He played first for the Class A Southern Oregon A’s in the Northwest League. In l99l, he was with the Madison A’s (later coached by Maine native and HoFer Dick Scott) in the Midwest League. In l990, he went 4-l with a l.54 ERA and a 3l to 5 strikeout to walk ratio. In l99l, he was 3-2 with a l.69 ERA and a 64-29 ratio. Dillon was released by the A’s in the winter of l993 due to elbow problems. Dillon continues to play baseball with zest. He has been perhaps the premier player in the Greater Portland Twilight League the past l0 years. He has also led a contingent of over-30 and over-40 hardballers to national tournaments in Arizona each winter. He is the Energizer Bunny of Maine baseball. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=dillon001jam http://www.greatest21days.com/2014/03/jim-dillon-that-opportunity-3443.html

In recognizing ‘‘Funzi’’ DePaolo, the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame honors one of the venerable Telegram League’s outstanding schoolboy pitchers. From 1940 to 1942, Portland High’s coach, Jimmy Sibson, could hand the ball to his stocky little southpaw (was he really 5’2’’?) and count on a sturdy performance. And It usually resulted in a Bulldog win. In 1941, supported by a strong cast including Nundi Romano, Hank Stillman, and a superior battery mate, Bob Graff, Sibby’s ‘‘meal ticket’’ posted a 7-0 regular season mark, with 50 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings — and PHS won the Telly pennant. The only blemish on the DePaulo slate was a loss to Hyme Shanahan’s Lewiston nine in the unofficial state tourney. 1942 was almost a carbon copy — another 7-0 regular season and a second All-Telegram League pitching selection. But Funzi’s hitting improved from .242 to 344 He was a fixture in the outfield when not on the mount, and again the Bulldogs led the league through the regular season. But in 1942, the Telegram League employed a new playoff system and, in a startling upset, Deering’s Shirley Hamel bested DePaulo and the heavily favored Bulldogs to cop the Telegram League title. DePaulo finished his high school career at 20-2. Coach Sibson said of his ace, ‘‘The DePaolo boy 1s quite a character. He has all the confidence in the world.’’ And he had a baffling curve ball, once fanning 12 of 13 Deering Rams in a brilliant relief stint, notching 17 K’s in one tilt against South Portland and recording 15 strikeouts in succession against Cheverus. On one occasion he beat South Portland and Westbrook on successive days, going the full nine innings in each contest, with ten strikeouts in each game. It was noted ‘“‘the big difference was Portland’s Funzi DePaulo, ever available to step in the box from left field and fling out the fire’; the ‘‘puzzling lefthander can pitch indefinitely with poise and stamina’’. After high school Funzi, who had received his baseball baptism at Bayside with the Haskell Aces and other youth clubs, joined the Navy for the duration of World War II. An elbow injury suffered in the service, ended any hope of future hurling greatness, although he did pitch with success with local semipro nines. He was a teammate of Hall members Herbie Swift and the late ‘‘Tyke’’ Parker on a strong Century Tire team and he performed for Joe Discatio’s Days Jewelry team. But Funzi has never lost his love for baseball, and many a South Portland lad has benefited from the coaching he provided for Little league and Senior Little League teams — often sponsored by his small neighborhood store.

William H "Doc" Doherty of Portland played first base for the Boston Red Sox in the 1920's . Former US Marshall played in the mid 20's, and was later assigned to assist Duffy Lewis at Portland in formation of a Red Sox farm club in Maine.

Mickey Dolan could qualify for entrance to a number of athletic hall of fames because of his multi-faceted career. He was a standout three-sport performer at South Portland High where he was Valedictorian of the 1944 class. And he continues this versatility to the present by his coaching and officiating career that has embraced football, basketball and baseball. But tonight we honor him for his diamond exploits. Mickey was a varsity baseball player under Coach Bill Curran from 1941 to 1944. Mickey was one of the sparkplugs on a pair of Telegram League titlelists in ‘43 and ‘44 and in both seasons he was selected All-Telly. He was a superb fielder and Curran used him at second, short and third, and also as a catcher. He could swing the Dat as attested by his two .350 plus seasons and a runner-up finish tor the batting title. During the summer months, Mickey played semi-pro and Twilight League baseball - including a few appearances with the classy South Portland Shipbuilders. World War II limited the Mick’s baseball activities to service ball in Georgia and Germany but the end of hostilities saw him attend West Point where he played second base. He can relate some interesting tales of the Cadets exhibition games against the Yankees, Giants and Dodgers. After graduation from Bowdoin (he was a Polar Bear for one year), Mickey entered the coaching-teaching ranks and carved a very successful career. From 1952 to ‘54 he was a mentor of football and baseball at Biddeford and had Biddeford in the playoffs in 1954. In 1955, one legend succeeded another as Mickey Dolan replaced Freddie Harlow at the helm of Westbrook’s baseball program. The next 19 years were to see Dolan enhance on already rich diamond tradition in the Paper City. Mickey’s teams won three Telegram League titles and one Western Maine Class A crown. (This makes Mickey one of the few to achieve all-Telly status and later coach a Telly Champion.) Rarely was a Dolan-coached nine out of contention for the Telegram League championship - whatever The format. Mickey was an outstanding teacher and handler of pitchers and Dolan era at Westbrook is replete with some of the top hurlers in Maine baseball annals: John Cumberland, San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees Don Douglas, Amherst College and Chicago Cubs system; Rick Swan, Pirate farm-hand; Dick Dolloff, a winning pitcher for UMO in the 1964 College World Series; Mike Mazerall, Red Sox system. Joining Mickey tonight will be his wife, Frances, a very knowledgeable diamond devotee; his stepsons Gordon and Dan; stepdaughter Nancy and husband George Ferguson; and his son, Steve, and ‘chip-off-the-block” shortstop whiz at Cape Elizabeth High and Colby College.

Robert F. Kennedy once said: “The greatest use of life is to live it for something that will outlast you.” Frank Donley’s life gives breath to that RFK belief. Franklin R. Donley, who had a try-out for the 1946 "Gas House Gang" St. Louis Cardinals, is a man whose name, upon mention always attracts from followers the words "He had such a great impact on my life." Although Frank was not born in Maine, playing his childhood baseball instead as a farm boy in Iowa, he had the good sense to relocate here as a military man in 1960. Frank served in the Army and later in the Air Force. He played baseball in both branches of the service, according to his son, Charles. Although he is still recalled in service ball for a season in which he was the only player on the team not to strike out all during the entire campaign, it was probably as an umpire, youth baseball coach and American Legion baseball official that he is best remembered. Donley was an umpire in the late 1950's in the Gulf Coast League in Florida. A member of the Air Force, he was transferred to Maine in 1960. He soon began umpiring games at Bowdoin College and caught the eye of Danny McFayden. With McFayden's endorsement, Donley soon began umpiring many college and semi-pro games in Maine. It was after this period in history, however, when he had long ago set aside the catcher shin guards, and umpire's face mask, that he made his true mark on Maine baseball. Frank Donley became a coach and a pioneer for youth baseball. In 1963, he helped organize the first Little League baseball team at Topsham Air Force Base in Maine, according to his son. In 1965, Frank retired from the Air Force thus freeing himself up to pursue his passionate hobby of baseball. Along the way, he owned and operated Donley Driving School for more than twenty years, teaching some of the same boys about how to parallel park and safely make it through an intersection. In the 1960's, Frank coached three years in the Brunswick Babe Ruth League, winning the championship 1n 1969. An All Star team he managed that same year won the district championship, according to son Charles. Early in the decade of the 1970's, Frank found a problem in the Brunswick-Topsham area and he fixed it: There was no American Legion baseball team. Thus, Frank encouraged local kids to join the Lisbon American Legion team, which consisted of players from Lisbon Falls, Brunswick and Topsham. Soon, however, he decided for a more toca! flavor, and enlisted the support of Topsham Post 202 to form a team in 1972. The team was just below .500 that first year but grew into a Zone champion in 1974, 1975 and 1976. Each year, they became a force in the State American Legion play-offs at Togus, finishing 3rd, 2nd and 4th in that three year period. Following the lead of former-catcher-turned-executive Branch Rickey, Frank kicked himself upstairs in 1979. He became the American Legion Baseball Commissioner for the state of Maine, replacing Sid Schwartz. During his tenure, he increased the number of teams participating statewide and increased the State Championship held at Togus from 4 to 8. “He always said he should get more kids that playoff experience at the State level, his son Charles recalled. James D. Levesque is a former player of Frank Donley's, and is currently a financial analyst at Bath Iron Works in Bath. He recalls his fortunate years on the roster of a Frank Donley team. "I played for Frank during my Babe Ruth and American Legion days in the Brunswick/Topsham area Frank had an amazing dedication to the sport of baseball, and more importantly, to kids who wanted to play the game." Levesque remembers Frank's enthusiasm for the game and his positive encouragement of the players. "When I was on the mound," Levesque said, "I can still hear his words from the sidelines, ‘Bow your back son; Bow your back.’ That was very encouraging to It’s easy to remember the championship games, and the coaches who won every year. Levesque, however, says ‘that a Donley-coached team took lessons from every setting.” Another friend, Gil Ormsby of Harpswell, has kept in touch with Frank and gives him the moniker that many people apply to him. “Frank lives in Springhill, Florida but around here his name is still mentioned as Mr. Baseball,’ Ormsby said. Another friend, Dana Houston, echoes the words of Robert F Kennedy 1n remembering Frank Donley. "Though the years have passed quickly, I have found myself coaching at the Babe Ruth and American Legion level. Frank Donley instilled in my life the true meaning for the love of the game of baseball. I hope in some way I have passed this on to the players I have been lucky enough to coach, Houston said. "To me a person elected to the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame is someone who has shown sportsmanship, integrity, longevity and dedication for the love of baseball to his players, community and state. Frank fits all those categories. He will make a wonderful addition to the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.”

Long regarded as one of Eastern Maine's top baseball players, Paul Doughty, a Bangor native, brings strong credentials and ringing endorsements to his HOF induction. At Bangor High Paul graduated in 1945 with varsity letters in baseball, football and basketball. he pitched semi-pro with the Howland team and once struck out 16 in a game against the barnstorming House of David Club. He served in the U.S. Navy and attended Husson College where he captained both basketball and baseball teams. he was undefeated with the Great Barrington team in the Tri-State League. this got him a tryout in spring training at Melbourne, Florida. In 1950 he was signed by Scout Ray Dissinger and began a six-year professional career. His pro career began with a Class C team in New Iberia, Louisiana. me followed this with stints in Norfolk, Virginia; Lynchburg, Virginia; Omaha, Nebraska; and with the Eastern League's Albany Senators. He pitched exhibition games against major league teams including "Yogi" Berra and Mickey Mantle. He played alongside Larry Jackson, Hal Smith and Earl Weaver. Doughty's minor league experience was gained in the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Yankees’ systems. But with only 16 major league teams and several minor league teams it was a real challenge to make the "bigs" and Paul says, "I gave it a good shot". Doughty credits his baseball experience with opening many future doors for him. He spent 19 years promoting Punta Gorda Isles, Inc. of Florida, where he retired as regional director after directing over 50 real estate brokers on the East Coast. He is married to Joan Troup of Quincy, Massachusetts and they have three children, Cathy, Cynthia and Scott. Scott is an outstanding Rollins College golfer. They have two grandchildren.