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"In the same way that 'Rupe' could turn a raw piece of wood into a polished bat, he could turn a raw farm boy into a skilled baseball player," Barnes said. From RG Johnson Company https://sites.google.com/site/rgjohnsoncompany/r-g-johnson-history R.G. Johnson History Maine Farmhouse Journal Rupert G. Johnson and the Sebago Bat Company July 22, 2004 Jack Barnes and I were sitting on his front porch in Hiram, enjoying some of Diane's freshly made muffins. "I treasured my R.G. Johnson baseball bat," Barnes told me. "Coach Johnson had custom made it for me in his work shop. After I graduated from Standish High School in 1945 I carried it with me on the train when I went to college in Dickinson, North Dakota. It never left my sight," he remembered. "I was at bat for my team and hit a clean single to right field, but as I hit the ball it broke my Johnson bat into two pieces. My teammates were hollering at me to 'run, run!' but I just stood there at home plate staring at my bat!" "By the time I snapped out of it and ran for first base they threw me out," Barnes said. "I don't remember if we won the game or not. But the memory of breaking my Johnson bat is as fresh today as it was nearly 60 years ago." Rupert "Rupe" G. Johnson (1902-1974) was Barnes' beloved teacher and coach at Standish High School when it was located at Standish Lake Station (the building is now the home of the Schoolhouse Players). Johnson was principal there from 1925 until Standish joined SAD6 and moved the high school to Bonny Eagle. He continued as a Bonny Eagle high school teacher and athletic director until his retirement in 1965. Principal Johnson started making baseball bats as a hobby when he lived in Brownfield. As the coach of the boys' baseball team at Standish High School he made bats for his team, while he inspired his boys to play top-notch ball and stretched their capabilities. His boys worshipped him and would do anything for him. The combination of his coaching and his bats was effective, and his team consistently won the Triple C championship (now the Western Maine Conference). During Johnson's tenure Standish won 384 games and lost only 90, a phenomenal .810 record that has never been equaled since in Maine high school competition. Barnes was the captain of the team in 1945 when they were Triple C Champions, and played four years on the varsity team. He told me that Coach Johnson was known as the "Grand Old Man" of sports in Maine and is regarded as the father of schoolboy baseball in Maine. He also was a scout for the Milwaukee Braves and other professional teams. Johnson was voted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 1978 and a custom Johnson bat is at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. "In the same way that 'Rupe' could turn a raw piece of wood into a polished bat, he could turn a raw farm boy into a skilled baseball player," Barnes said. Barnes was not alone in his respect and admiration for Johnson. Everyone whom I spoke with had similar words of praise about his skills as an educator, coach, and role model. They remember how he would buy baseball shoes and other equipment for his players if they needed them. And they remember his custom baseball bats. I probably would never have learned about Johnson and his baseball bats had it not been for an e-mail I received from Utica, NY in May. "Does anyone remember a baseball bat factory in Sebago name R.G. Johnson?" asked Steve Klodnicki. He had a story about an old baseball bat he found in a hidden space in the attic of his house. "One day as I was cleaning an upstairs bedroom closet, I noticed a piece of plaster board screwed onto the closet wall. When I removed the plaster board it revealed an entrance into another part of the attic." There he found an "R.G. Johnson baseball bat. And all around the bat on the floor [were] old Topps baseball cards." He sent me several pictures of the bat with the label "R.G. Johnson, Sebago Lake, Maine" prominently embossed in the wood. It is a size 34 bat, made of birch, and stamped with the name "Hornsby". The bat is cracked in the thin handle part, the sort of break a ballplayer might get when they hit an inside pitch, but was important enough to its owners to be saved and hidden away. Klodnicki did a little research on the former owners of his house, and found that they were big baseball fans. He wonders if Rogers Hornsby (1896-1963), the famous shortstop and second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, might have owned this bat. Klondnicki aroused my curiosity, and I told him I'd see what I could find out about his bat. I I first asked my neighbors, and they remembered that someone used to make baseball bats in Sebago Lake Station. The small building still stands on the side of Route 35 just east of the junction with Route 114, but bats haven't been made there since 1978. In one of Barnes' books, Sebago Lake Western Shore, I found a picture of Johnson and his championship Triple C baseball team. That led me to interviews with Barnes, with Johnson's daughter Janet, and Johnson's grandson Robert Logan. Logan continues his grandfather's legacy and turns out custom R.G. Johnson bats in his Denmark woodshop, using the same lathe and special tools that his grandfather had used. He confirmed what Barnes had told me about "Rupe". "My grandfather started turning baseball bats at his home in Brownfield in 1927 for fun, and supplied his baseball teams when he was principal at Standish High School," Logan said. "His custom bats were much sought after by professional ball players for their craftsmanship. When his home in Brownfield burned to the ground in 1947 the only things he rescued were this lathe and his tools he used to make bats. He then set up shop in the little building by the high school and made bats there." "I started helping my grandfather and his good friend, Ed Woodbrey at the shop when I was just a little kid. I remember that leather belts drove all the machines, and everything was a whirr of pulleys and belts moving whenever they turned out bats. over the years my grandfather let me do more and more of the work. My first order was four dozen bats for my own USM baseball team," Logan said. "From there, I just sort of took the business over, and after he died I moved everything back here to Denmark in 1978." At his workshop Logan showed me the lathe and equipment where blanks of wood are turned into baseball bats. He uses only knot-free white ash, rock maple and yellow birch, cut from trees individually selected in Maine and New Hampshire. Trees are sawn into 3" x 3" blocks 40" long and air dried for a year. The blocks are then turned into round billets by his son Michael in Fryeburg and air-dried for another year before the billets with the clearest grain wood are turned into custom bats. "I've replaced the belt-driven system with electric motors, but everything else is original," he said as he showed me how a wooden billet is turned into a finished bat using a model bat as a guide. Logan burns the "R.G. Johnson" label into every bat. When they were first made "Brownfield, Maine" was also burned in. Later it was "Sebago Lake, Maine", and now it is "Denmark, Maine". Bats are sanded and receive a coat of lacquer and then two coats of polyurethane. On the wall was a box of metal nameplates, including a "Hornsby" plate. Logan explained that there are 71 different bat models, each one patterned after a favorite bat used by a big league player. These plates are used to burn the name of the model into the bat. I showed Logan the photos of the old Johnson bat from Utica, NY. "This bat is stamped with the name "Hornsby", "I said, "after Rogers Hornsby?" "Yes, you are right. But it doesn't mean that this particular bat was ever owned or used by Hornsby." "So this bat isn't famous?" "Well, it's a Johnson bat," he said. "Isn't that famous enough?" Johnson bats are made in different lengths and weights, and Logan makes custom bats on special order. Because of their fine craftsmanship and quality wood, major league players, serious amateur ball players, and school teams alike seek Johnson bats. He and his wife ship them around the world from his Denmark workshop, and from the R.G. Johnson sporting goods store run by his son Bob in Bridgton. FMI contact the R.G. Johnson Company at (207) 452-2770. I wrote back to Mr. Klodnicki with the story of the R.G. Johnson - Sebago Bat Company. "I hope it has answered some questions for you. Hold onto the bat, you have a wonderful piece of history there." RG Johnson Baseball Bats http://vintagebaseballbat.com/vintage-j-g-johnson-baseball-bat-bottle-style-32-1-4-sebago-lake-maine-rare.php Original baseball bat made in the great state of Maine by the RG Johnson. Examples of his bats are on display at Cooperstown, NY. Company began making bats by hand in the 1920's and are still making bats today. They made bats for numerous professional teams/players. Talked with one of the of the grandsons of the founder and he stated this particular bat was designed by his grandfather and was produced in the 1950's. Design style was called a "Bottle Bat"! Note that the bats taper does not start until approx 19/20 inches from the end. Condition is very solid still and would make a fantastic addition to anyone's collection. The bat is cracked and shows a lot of wear towards the end of the barrel. Please review the pics carefully for your assessment of its condition. Has great patina and the logo stamp is amazing. Bat size is still very visible. Rescued this piece of history hidden in a barn located in southern Maine. Johnson Baseball Bat Bottle Style 32 1/4, Sebago Lake Maine RARE" is in sale since Tuesday, November 15, 2016. Johnson Field http://www.standishrec.com/info/facilities/details.aspx?FacilityID=12987

Gren Jordan was one of the premier pitchers in Maine baseball during the 1930's and early 1940's. The tall and lanky Jordan possessed a blazing fastball and a wicked curveball, according to those who faced him. Cape Elizabeth baseball coaches were quick to recognize Gren's talents as a pitcher. He began his career as a sixth grader pitching for the eighth grade. Before it was over, he would go on to lead clubs from Cape Elizabeth High School, the Cape Athletic Association, and numerous other semi-pro teams to league and state championships. His numerous no-hit, one-hit, and two-hit games in the leagues he pitched in serve as reminders of his pitching dominance. While pitching for Cape Elizabeth High School in the early 1930's the Portland Press Herald called his pitching "phenomenal" and suggested he was the best schoolboy pitcher in the state. The Triple-C Championship match-ups between Cape High teams and Rupe Johnson's Standish High nine are legendary battles. One such game featured a 3-2 Cape victory with Jordan besting Lefty Libby of Standish. Both pitchers struck out 13 batters. Showing his talent was not limited to pitching alone, Gren's game included a couple key fielding plays and the game winning hit! After high school, Jordan's pitching was in great demand by the semi-pro teams of the time. Gren's first loyalty was to his hometown club, the Cape AA. The Capers barnstormed throughout the state , winning the State amateur championship many times. Indicative of his success at this level, Gren was named the outstanding pitcher in the Twilight League in 1935. Other teams benefiting from his pitching talents included the Portland Pilots, Portland Boys Club, Fro-joy Ice Cream, and Titus Drug. The highlight of his career may well have been the game he pitched against the Pittsburgh Pirates at the old Bayside Park. After the game he was invited to play for the Pirates’ New York State team. The times were tough and Gren was needed on his Uncle's dairy farm; he turned down the offer. During WWII Gren worked at the South Portland shipyard helping to turn out the much-needed Liberty snips. Later years saw the creation of a very successful career in the construction of new homes and other real estate development. Gren is still Known to work at a pace that tires men less than half his age. He now lives in Scarborough with wife Lydia, daughter Pam, and granddaughter Amy. A newspaper account of a Jordan no-hitter in 1936 proved prophetic. After a Jordan no-hitter against Thornton Heights, where Gren came within one base on balls of pitching a perfect game the paper wrote, "Gren Jordan wrote his name in the pitchers hall of fame Sunday..." Tonight after 59 years we make it official.

One of Portland High's most outstanding and versatile athletes, Jordan played five sports and earned 14 varsity letters from 1927 to 1930. Jordan was a pitcher-outfielder at Portland. He led the Telegram league in hitting in 1929 and 1930 with averages of .457 and .438. He was an All-Telly selection both seasons. . Also, he captained the Bulldogs in baseball and hockey and lettered in football and track. Jordan was the fourth Portland High athlete to win four letters. in 1931, Jordan was Hebron Academy’s leading hitter and an All-Prep selection. Two years later he repeated these feats for Maine Central Institute. After a broken leg in the summer of 1933 cost him a scholarship to Dartmouth, Jordan enrolled at Gorham state Teachers College where he was the top pitcher and hitter. Jordan retired 43 years as a school administrator in Massachusetts. Albert F. Hackett He was All-State in basketball and baseball at Milo High School where he was a four-year starter. Hackett concluded his high school career as most valuable player in the state basketball! tournament and hit .600 during his senior baseball season. Hackett enrolled at the University of Maine at-Orono in 1949 and over the next four years set nine university records (season and career). In baseball he led several leagues in hitting, including Tri-County in 1948 (.386) and 1949 (391): Canadian league in 1952 (.376): European Military League in 1954 ( 370): and Eastern Maine League in 1955 (.421). He joined the Foxcroft Academy staff as guidance director and basketball and baseball coach. His 1960 basketball team won 28 straight before losing its final game of the year to Houlton where his brother, John, was coach. After five years at Schenck HS in East Millinocket Hackett was appointed to the UMO admissions staff where he still serves as Associate Dean of Admissions. He is a commentator on radio for University of Maine baseball games. From Swampscot News By Terry Date, Patch Staff Apr 26, 2012 https://patch.com/massachusetts/swampscott/former-hadley-principal-one-year-older-100-year-old-school Keith coached baseball and he and the members of the state champ teams from the 1940s still have reunions. Discipline at Hadley wasn't a problem. The kids liked to fire spitballs at each other or make a whhaaaanging sound by tapping the metal hinge as they lifted their desk tops, he said. The custodians, Frank Coletti and Wendy Jones were like brothers to him, he said, and they helped him dispose of the distracting desks. Legacy Pages Marblehead https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/wickedlocal-marblehead/obituary.aspx?n=keith-jordan&pid=160341907 Swampscott — Keith Leslie Jordan, age 100, formerly of Swampscott, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, coach and principal, died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Sunday, October 7, 2012. Born in Sebago Lake Village, Maine, he was the son of the late Leslie and Grace (Ingalls) Jordan. Keith was a graduate of Portland High School, where he played five sports and earned 14 varsity letters. He also attended Hebron Academy and MCI. Keith graduated from Gorham State Teachers College, now the University of Southern Maine, where he was the star pitcher and hitter. He also played semi-professional baseball for eight years, at one point playing on the same field with Babe Ruth. Recently he was honored by the Boston Red Sox at Fan Appreciation Day at Fenway Park. Keith was also a member of the Army Air Forces Aircraft Warning Service Reserve. Greatly respected and admired as a coach and administrator, Keith’s career took him from Rangeley, Portland and South Portland, Maine, to Swampscott, Mass., where he retired after 43 years as a school administrator. He was Principal at the Hadley Elementary/Junior High School and the Shaw Junior High School for 34 years. He was also the Swampscott High School Varsity Baseball Coach for five years, winning two State Championships, and was named Coach of the Year. Keith received four Hall of Fame inductions: Maine State Baseball Hall of Fame, Swampscott High School Athletic Hall of Fame, Portland Maine High School Hall of Fame, and the University of Southern Maine Husky Hall of Fame, where he was the first person inducted.

One of the best tributes to character and ability occurs when a protege follows the career of a respected mentor. In the case of Wesley D. Jordan, this has happened five times. Jordan, who recently completed his 30th consecutive year as trainer of the University of Maine baseball team, is responsible for developing five trainers who have been active in professional baseball: D. Mark Letendre, San Francisco Giants; Dick Young, New York Yankees (Greensboro, N.C.); Tim Weston, New York Yankees (Albany, N.Y.); Bill Guerrette and Carl Randolph, New York Yankees (Oneonta, N.Y.). In 22 of the 30 years Jordan has served at Maine, the head baseball coach has been John Winkin. "| can only say he is the very best in the business," said Winkin. "I consider Wes Jordan's many years of work with and association with baseball programs for 30 years worthy of Hall of Fame recognition. No one is better as a baseball trainer. This fine man deserves that kind of honor." Jordan was inducted into the National Athletic trainers Association HoF in 1994. in addition to his service at Maine, Jordan has served as host trainer for six different NCAA Regional Tournaments held at the University of Maine. When Winkin coached the USA baseball team in 1983, Jordan was trainer. He has also served seven other USA teams as trainer. In April, 1979, he was trainer of the United States Men's Field Hockey Team in Holland and London. In February, 1980, Jordan was trainer during the Xill Olympic Games at Lake Placid, N.Y. A native of Lisbon Falls, Jordan graduated from Lisbon High Schoo! in 1957. He played varsity football, basketball and baseball. As a senior, he was captain of ail three sports. Jordan attended Colby College for two years, then transferred to the University of Maine at Orono, where he earned his B.S. degree In education and physical education in 1963. Jordan also completed requirements for a M.Ed. degree in education and physical education at Maine in 1969. He was a student assistant trainer at Maine 1960-63 and teacher trainer-coach at Brewer junior-senior high school 1963-1965. Since 1965, Jordan has been head athletic trainer at Maine. He has been associated in clinics with several physicians who specialize in care of pitching arms, including Dr. Arthur Pappas of the Boston Red Sox. Jordan worked with Dr. Pappas in the development of the renowned "Pappas Program" used by many baseball programs for their pitchers. Maine's program in conjunction with Jordan and Pappas tested this program. Jordan's distinguished reputation brought him many professional honors. in 1979, he was recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, presented by the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association. In 1992, Jordan was honored for his outstanding contributions by the Maine Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association. Since 1982 Jordan has served as a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association ethics Committee. in 1993 he was elected to the National Athletic Trainers Association Honors and Awards Sub-Commitee. Wes Jordan was hired by Athletic Director Hal Westerman in 1965 while Wes was teaching at Brewer High School. He began college at Colby, where he played football, before transferring to Maine where he also lettered in that sport. His honors were many, including membership in the National Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame, State of Maine Hall of Fame, University of Maine Hall of Fame, and he was selected to serve as athletic trainer for several USA baseball teams and for the U. S. team at the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid. From U Maine Alumni Magazine https://www.umainealumni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/08-Athletic-Training1.pdf WES JORDAN ATHLETIC TRAINING EDUCATION COMPLEX A new athletic training education facility, dedicated to the memory of Wes Jordan, was dedicated on September 15, 2006, at Lengyel Hall. It is home to the University’s new curriculumbased athletic training academic program. It features completely renovated space and state-of-the-art equipment for use by faculty members and students in the program. The facility was built following a fund-raising campaign headed by Mark Letendre, director of umpiring medical services for Major League Baseball and a devoted student of Wes during his undergraduate days; and Gary Thorne, nationally-prominent sportscaster and good friend and admirer of Wes during his college days as well. Some $875,000 was raised with contributions from more than 500 individuals. Also playing a most prominent role in the campaign was O. J. Logue, associate dean of the College of Education. Among major contributors were two of Maine’s most prominent baseball alumni, Mike Bordick and Billy Swift, and former hockey standout Art Demoulas. The heart of the program is the Wes Jordan Athletic Training Complex, a spacious, recently renovated facility that features classrooms, an aqua-therapy lab, a rehabilitation lab, and a lab designed to replicate an athletic training room. Each of these labs has supplies and equipment that a certified athletic trainer would use in the field, providing real-world experience in a state-of-the-art on-campus setting.

In 1971 Raymond “Lanky” Jordan became an early member of The Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Tonight we welcome his son William “Buck”,a posthumous selection to the Hall. “Buck” graduated from Fryeburg Academy in 1935 where he had been a football and baseball star. His coach was Cliff Gray Hall of Fame ‘76),. It was on to the University of New Hampshire where he had a varsity baseball job for 3 years. He had an 8-5 record. He was widely acclaimed as an outstanding pitcher who had a tantalizing knuckleball. He was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics and placed in the Northern League by Connie Mack. Like many a young man of the time, from 1942-1944, “Buck” served in the U.S. Army during the Second World War. After the war he moved to Sanford, Maine, working for Coca-Cola and passed time as the pitching coach for Cheverus High School. He was a member of a unique staff headed by Bill Kiley (Hall of Fame 81). Way ahead of its time the Cheverians had “Packy” McFarland (Hall of Fame ‘93) as an assistant coach, Ceddy Simpson and Johnny McCarthy (Hall of Fame ‘81). From 1944 to 1946 “Buck” was a player-coach for the Portland Gulls, Magnate Haley’s (Hall of Fame ‘69) New England League nine. From 1957 to 1959 Bill coached the Fryeburg American Legion baseball team. After several years in southern Maine, he moved back to Fryeburg to work for the Postal Service. He became postmaster in 1954 and remained in that post until his untimely death in 1960 at the age of 44. “Bill cared. He cared about Maine and he cared about baseball, he cared about his job and country, his family, his town, his friends and the people he worked with.’ -Scott A. Kelly Theta Chi Tribute https://www.thetachi.org/theta-chi-inducted-into-hall-of-excellence-at-fryeburg-academy Published: September 19, 2013 Italicized portions of this article were reprinted with permission from The Bridgton News. Seven new members were inducted into the 2013 Hall of Excellence at Fryeburg Academy during a ceremony held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 at Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center. The Hall of Excellence was started in 2010, and honors athletics and athletic contributions to Fryeburg Academy. The six alumni and one contributor inducted were: Paul McGuire (Significant Supporter), Joanna Kinsman ’03, Amanda Keaten Wine ’89, Cheryl Turner Schneider ’84, Louise Perry ’65, Peter Hastings ’53 and William “Buck” Jordan ’35. William “Buck” Jordan graduated from Fryeburg Academy in 1935. While he was an outstanding varsity player in both football and baseball at FA, he was best known for his talents on the baseball diamond. An outstanding pitcher, his athletic talent helped to earn him a spot at the University of New Hampshire, where he graduated in 1939. He pitched for UNH for three years and received the New England Conference Award during his senior year, winning all but one of his games. His best (and most feared) pitch was his knuckleball. Buck completed a successful season with the Newport Frontiers of Vermont, a semi-professional club, prior to playing for the Philadelphia Athletics as a knuckleball pitcher in the Northern League. In 1942, he was called to serve in the U.S. Army during WWII in the European Theater. Following his military career in 1944, Buck worked for Coke-A-Cola and then as a pitching coach at Cheverus High School, as well as a player-coach for the Portland Gulls. Buck returned to Fryeburg and coached the Fryeburg American Legion Team from 1957-59. He was the Fryeburg postmaster from 1957 until his untimely death in 1960 at the age of 44 following a long illness. Buck was a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity at University of New Hampshire (Zeta Chapter), the Frank W. Shaw Post #137 American Legion in Fryeburg and in 2003 he was inducted posthumously into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. He was a well-loved member of the Fryeburg community who loved his town, his friends and his country.

A multi-faceted, externally devoted baseball work in progress, if ever, as this was written Portland native Ken Joyce was awaiting word of his next assignment in the Florida Marlins organization he’s served for several years (minor league staffer in the upstart Marlins’ 1997 World Championship year). Last season, the health and physical education teacher at Portland’s Lincoln Middle School was the pitching coach of the Catskill Cougars of the Northern League. In three summers with the Utica, N.Y., Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League, Ken was pitching coach in 1997. And in his second campaign as manager he guided those Sox to the McNamara Division championship. This followed stints as bullpen coach of the Portland Sea Dogs, regular season Eastern League champions, 1995, and Portland's hitting guru as the Dogs won the league’s Northern Division title in 1996. Yes, championships have blazed the Joycean trail the better part of two decades -- starting from Ken’s telling hand in the Caldwell Post state American Legion Title in 1982 and as All-Telegram League utility choice as the classy second baseman of Deering High’s state Class A schoolboy rulers. Joyce also bolstered the university of Southern Maine as captain in the 1985 NAIA college World Series. Joyce returned to USM in the 1989 NCAA College Division World Series as assistant coach, one more credential leading to 1999 induction in the Husky Hall of Fame. Titles aside or evidence of Joyce’s roles therein, however, 18 Ken's knack of teaching young players -- stressing proper conduct as much as techniques -- that he first displayed while playing 10 seasons in the Portland Twilight League. These Instructional groups included Ed Flaherty’s Play Ball Camps ( the strikingly successful USM coach Flaherty, fellow Maine Baseball hall of famer, was Joyce’s coach at Deering) and the Southern Maine Camp. Similar functions came later, as a natural communicator at all levels, Ken Joyce usually applies the right touch -- keyed by the ever-buoyant redhead’s sheer, infectious love of the game. From Baseball Reference https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Ken_Joyce In 1996, Ken Joyce was named hitting coach for the Portland Sea Dogs, an affiliate of the Florida Marlins in the AA Eastern League. In 1997, he was the hitting coach of the Utica Blue Sox of the New York-Penn League, also in the Marlins' organization. He became a manager with the Utica Blue Sox in the same league in 1998 and 1999. Joyce was named pitching coach for the Catskill Cougars of the independent Northern League East) in 2000 and took over as the manager of the Adirondack Lumberjacks in 2001.He joined the Toronto Blue Jays as hitting coach for the Medicine Hat Blue Jays of the Pioneer League in 2002, then became hitting coach for the AA New Haven Ravens who led the Eastern League in hitting for the 2003 season. In 2004, he managed the Charleston Alley Cats and was named the South Atlantic League North Division Manager for the league's All-Star game. The next two seasons, became manager of the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League. He spent 2007 and 2008 as the hitting coach for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League, then was named as hitting coach for the AAA Las Vegas 51s. That team led the Pacific Coast League in hitting for the 2009 season. He joined the San Francisco Giants organization as the AAA hitting coach with the Fresno Grizzlies in 2010 and the Richmond Flying Squirrels in the Eastern League from 2011-2016. He then moved to the New York Yankees' chain as hitting coach of the Charleston RiverDogs in 2017 and Staten Island Yankees in 2018-2019. Ken Joyce set an NCAA record at the University of Southern Maine with 7 hits in 8 AB's vs. Concordia College in a Regional Tournament in 1985. He played in the 1985 NAIA World Series and was an assistant coach in the NCAA Division III World Series for the University of Southern Maine. Joyce was head coach at New England College in 2000. From University of Southern Maine HOF induction 1998 https://www.southernmainehuskies.com/huskyPride/hof/bios/joyce_ken?view=bio Ken Joyce, 1987- Ken Joyce has parlayed his four-year baseball career at USM under coaches “Dusty” Drew and Ed Flaherty into a professional baseball coaching position with the Utica Blue Sox of the Florida Marlins Organization. A slick fielding infielder, Joyce still holds the school’s single-game record for most hits with seven against Concordia (May 16, 1985) and shares the single game assist mark of nine against North Carolina Wesleyan (April 3, 1986) with fellow inductee Todd Bickford and four others. A two-time captain of the baseball team, Joyce hit .356 during his 136-game career and still ranks among the program’s top 12 all-time in seven statistical categories. He enjoyed his finest season as a junior (1986) batting .380 with eight doubles, two homers and 25 RBI. He was a key member of Drew’s 1985 team that advanced to the NAIA World Series Tournament and Flaherty’s 1987 team that began a string of 12 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. He also served is alma mater as an assistant coach in baseball and women’s basketball. From SFGate Giants' Ken Joyce is a Harper-Trout expert Giants Minor-league coach got to work with Harper, Trout in Arizona Fall League https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/Giants-Ken-Joyce-is-a-Harper-Trout-expert-3679577.php From Portland Press Herald August 21, 2014 https://www.pressherald.com/2014/08/21/portlands-ken-joyce-is-living-the-dream/ Portland’s Ken Joyce is living the dream The baseball life still burns brightly for Maine native Ken Joyce after a two-decade career in professional baseball. “First time I got to sleep in my own bed since February,” said Joyce, who parlayed a volunteer gig with the Portland Sea Dogs into a two-decade career in professional baseball. “The visits are never long enough. But the fortunate thing is that it’s near the end of the season so it won’t be long before I’m back here.” Twenty years ago, Joyce strode through this same parking lot carrying a catcher’s mitt and a dose of apprehension. He was 29, teaching middle school health and physical education and coaching JV and American Legion baseball, and he had just met the manager of Portland’s new Eastern League franchise, the Sea Dogs. We could use a bullpen catcher, Tosca had replied. Have you ever caught? Not since Little League, but Joyce had played middle infield at Deering High and the University of Southern Maine and been a three-year assistant to USM Coach Ed Flaherty. True, Joyce had never played professionally, but neither had Tosca. Soon enough, Joyce had earned a Sea Dogs uniform and a succession of thumb sprains (thank you, Jarod Juelsgaard). Throughout the 1994 and 1995 seasons, Joyce soaked up as much baseball knowledge as he could from Tosca (now the Atlanta Braves’ bench coach after spending 17 years in the minors), from Florida Marlins farm director John Boles and from a succession of coaches and roving instructors. All while working as a volunteer coach and still as a teacher. During the 1996 All-Star break, the foundering Marlins abruptly replaced field manager Rene Lachemann with Boles, and Boles chose Double-A hitting coach Jeff Pentland to join him in Florida. Suddenly, the Dogs had a vacancy for a paid coach on their staff. They also had an apprentice ready to fill the role. “Baseball is always looking for good people,” said current Sea Dogs manager Billy McMillon, an outfielder on the ’95 club managed by Tosca. “(Joyce) was around. He paid attention. He went out of his way to help out when needed. Then, because he was such a good person and he worked well with everyone, when an opportunity opened up in the organization he was offered a position.” Joyce finished out that season as Portland’s hitting coach and spent the next three with Florida’s short-season affiliate in the New York-Penn League. After two years in the independent Northern League, Joyce returned to organized baseball and spent eight years in the Toronto Blue Jays’ system. He managed for three seasons in Class A and, as a hitting coach, rose as high as the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2009.

The Kevin Joyce resume for induction into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame shines with excellence—from a stellar playing career at the high school, collegiate, and Twilight League levels to a 28-year tenure as one of Maine’s premier umpires. Kevin grew up in Portland playing baseball in the Deering Center neighborhood. After playing Babe Ruth ball under the tutelage of Maine Baseball Hall of Famer Lou Tripaldi, Kevin starred at Cheverus High School as the varsity catcher for four years, earning All-Telegram League honors in 1974. Kevin also played three summers for the Andrews Post American Legion team. Kevin continued his career as a four-year mainstay behind the plate for the University of Southern Maine and showed his versatility with an occasional mound stint for Coach Dusty Drew’s Huskies. He still holds the school record for the longest outing by a starting pitcher, toiling 10 innings in a 4-3 loss to UMaine Orono in 1978. Kevin carried his leadership mantle proudly during his collegiate years, being voted the USM team captain for his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons. A .348 career hitter, Kevin was an NAIA All-Conference selection three out of four years and led USM to its first-ever regional tournament in 1978, where they lost 9-8 to George Mason University in the final game. When his collegiate playing career ended, Kevin stayed at USM as Drew’s assistant for four more years. Playing variously for the Yarmouth Townies, Maine Merchants and Intown Portland over an 11-year career in the Portland Twilight League, Kevin deferred to teammate John Gleason behind the plate and ended up playing the outfield and pitching most nights. In 1983, his playing career behind him but his devotion to baseball still ardent, Kevin turned to umpiring as a way to stay in the game. Encouraged by his buddies and men in blue, Ed McDonough and Chris Gratto, Kevin became a member of the Western Maine Board of Umpires and embarked on a second career of regional and national prominence. In 26 of his 28 years behind the plate, Kevin has umpired a state championship game, a selection based on coaches’ recommendations and overall ratings. For the past 20 years, he has served as the Rules Interpreter for the State of Maine and also sits on the Maine Principals Association Baseball Committee as the liaison for umpires. At the collegiate level, Kevin is a founding member of the Maine College Board of Umpires Association, a certification that allows Maine college umpires to officiate anywhere in the country. He has umpired at all collegiate levels, including numerous conference and district tournaments, and in 2006 worked the Division III College World Series in Appleton, Wisconsin. Portland Sea Dogs fans will often recognize Kevin in the umpiring crew at Hadlock Field, as he has filled in for seven or eight games a year since 1993 as a substitute umpire. Player, coach, umpire—three roles performed with distinction—land Kevin Joyce a well-deserved place in the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.

From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Joyce_(baseball) Richard Edward Joyce (November 18, 1943 – January 23, 2007) was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball during the 1965 season. Listed at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m), 225 pounds (102 kg), Joyce batted and threw left-handed. He was signed by the Kansas City Athletics out of the College of the Holy Cross. A native of Portland, Maine, Joyce was a basketball and baseball star at Cheverus High School. In 1961, after his graduation, the Boston Red Sox offered him a $100,000 signing bonus – an astounding figure at the time – but he rejected it down to attend Holy Cross. He appeared in the 1962 and 1963 College World Series, alongside future entrepreneur John Peterman, and also was a member of the baseball team that played in the 1964 Olympics. In December 1964, Joyce signed with the Athletics for a reported $40,000. He started his professional career in 1965 with the Double-A Birmingham Barons and joined the big team late in the season. He posted a 0–1 record with a 2.77 ERA in five games, including three starts, seven strikeouts and four walks in 13.0 innings pitched. After that, Joyce developed arm troubles and never pitched again. Following his playing retirement, he developed a long career as an IBM executive. Portland Press Herald Legacy . https://obituaries.pressherald.com/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/obituary.aspx?n=richard-e-joyce&pid=86354346 The son of Joseph Jabber Joyce and Alice Nevers Rich, Dick was born in Portland on Nov. 18, 1943. He began his baseball career as a pitcher in Portland's Little League where his father, a pitching legend in his own right, was his first coach. He gained local and national recognition pitching for the Andrews Post Junior Legion and Cheverus High School where he was also an outstanding basketball player. Dick went on to earn a BA degree in English from Holy Cross College, graduating cum laude in the class of 1965. The Sept. 15, 1961 issue of Time magazine highlighted Dick's surprising decision to turn down a six-figure bonus offer from the Boston Red Sox, choosing instead to accept a full academic scholarship to Holy Cross College where in 1963 he pitched in the College World Series in Omaha. In 1964 he was a member of the United States Baseball Federation team that toured Japan during the Tokyo Summer Olympics. In December 1964, Dick signed a contract with the Kansas City A's where his teammates included Sal Bando, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Catfish Hunter and the fabled Satchel Paige. He had been inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, Cheverus Hall of Fame and Holy Cross Hall of Fame. FROM: The Portland (Maine) Press-Herald ~ By Tom Chard, Staff Writer January 23, 2007 Dick Joyce, one of Cheverus High's all-time great athletes and a member of its Hall of Fame, died Tuesday in North Carolina. Joyce, an overpowering pitcher who made it to the major leagues, lived with his wife, Jeanne, in Cary, N.C. Joyce, 63, suffered from diabetes and heart problems, and underwent two major heart surgeries since October. In 1961, the Boston Red Sox offered Joyce, who also pitched for Andrews Post in Portland, a $100,000 signing bonus -- an astounding figure at the time. Joyce turned it down, opting to attend Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass. He never regretted it. In a 1961 story in the Press Herald, Joyce said: "I'd like to get as much education as possible and I probably never would finish college if I decided to try baseball right now." Three years later, Joyce, who retired last August after a long career as an IBM executive, signed just before Christmas with the Kansas City Athletics for a reported $40,000. After a minor-league stint in Birmingham, Ala., where he played with future Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson and Rollie Fingers, Joyce was brought to the majors in 1965. He pitched 13 innings in the majors and had an 0-1 record. On Sept. 19, 1965, he started at Fenway Park against the Red Sox. In the crowd of 10,854 that day were numerous Portland friends and former Holy Cross teammates. But Joyce lasted only a third of an inning. It was his last appearance in the major leagues. He developed arm trouble in 1967 and retired. Joyce had pitched in four other big-league games and started the game that shortstop Bert Campaneris played all nine positions. At Holy Cross, Joyce pitched in the 1962 College World Series. He was beaten by Missouri 4-2 but struck out 14. He had a 20-5 college career record. At Cheverus, he won three straight Telegram League titles, including the 1961 team that went 16-0 in the era before state playoffs. His three-year record was 22-8 and his American Legion record was 38-5. At 6-foot-5 and more than 200 pounds, Joyce was imposing. In an era before radar guns, his fastball was likely 92-93 mph. "I've never seen anyone better around here," said Pat Feury, a Cheverus teammate who has been involved in local baseball for more than 50 years. "I remember a Legion game against Falmouth when he struck out 25 batters in nine innings. The first 11 batters he faced didn't even touch the ball." "Dick had a very good fastball but his curve was devastating. He also had pinpoint control. With Dick and Joe Cloutier pitching for us, we never expected to lose a game." "Dick's matchups with Eddie Phillips of Deering were events. It might have been the only time two Maine high school pitchers opposed each other who later made it to the big leagues." Phillips pitched briefly for the Red Sox in 1970. In 1960, Andrews Post went 35-0, meaning from June to June, Joyce's teams were 51-0. Joyce, who also started on Cheverus' 1961 state title basketball team, was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2004. He was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977, joining his dad, Jabber Joyce [1], also a pitching legend. Dick Joyce is also a member of the Holy Cross Hall of Fame. "Our school feels honored to be a part of his life," said Cheverus Athletic Director Gary Hoyt. "We've very proud of the fact that Dick became such an accomplished athlete, family man and community leader. His loyalty to Cheverus and to the Greater Portland community, although he moved away, was always present in his life and everything he did. Dick was one of our very first inductees into our Hall of Fame." A funeral Mass will be held Feb. 10 at St. Pius X, Ocean Ave, Portland at 11 a.m. Following burial, a reception will be held at Cheverus. --- Photo: http://www.holycross.edu/departments/publicaffairs/hcm/summer05/issue- images/sum05-ath5.jpg (w/catcher Tim Murtaugh, son of Danny) 1979 One Year Winners (#27) baseball card: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/dick_joyce_autograph.jpg Stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/j/joycedi01.shtml His father Jabber Joyce pitched in the New York Yankees and Boston Braves farm system.

It is rare when a gifted person is enshrined in two Halls of Fame in one year, but that is what will happen today when Lewiston’'s Billy Joyce is inducted into the Maine Baseball HOF. Last April 8, Joyce was honored by selection to the Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame. In welcoming Billy Joyce, we are "signing on" another of Maine's premier catchers - a backstop with excellent credentials. "Chick" Leahey, longtime Bates College coach and '82 HoFer, labeled Joyce “an excellent selection." For four seasons, 1935-1939, Joyce was the starting catcher for the Lewiston H.S. team. in 1935, he caught for the Blue Devils state champions and batted .577 his senior year. in 1935 and 1936, he led the Lewiston American Legion team to the New England tournament. He also played summer ball with Lewiston teams - the Rangers in the Heart of Maine league and the Buccaneers. With the Buccaneers, he was managed by "Bucky" Gaudette (HOF '71) and formed a battery with his cousin, Portland's "Jabber" Joyce (HOF '75). in 1941, while playing with the L&A Bakers, he was scouted by the Boston Bees' (later the Braves) Jeff Jones and signed to a Double-A contract with the Bradford, Pa., Bees. At the time of his signing, Joyce had committed only one error in 125 chances with the Bakers and had been credited with 20 assists in 17 games. Joyce became the starting catcher with the Bradford club. However, World War Il intervened and Joyce found himself catching, and occasionally pitching, in the Panama Canal Zone League. Playing for the U.S. Army team at Cristobol, he was managed by Mickey Harris, a Red Sox pitcher. Probably his connection with Harris led to a Red Sox offer but, instead, the Lewiston receiver opted to join the Detroit Tigers farm club, the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, for the 1946 season. following the 1946 season - the year in which Billy married Valerie Ferguson, the sister of George Ferguson, Sr. and aunt of George, Jr., both HOF er's - he returned to the L-A area to again catch for the L-A Bakers. And he also joined the Lewiston Police Department. rom 1946 to 1960, he was the player-manager for the Lewiston Police Team and also found time to devote countless hours to the Lewiston Police Athletic League for youth baseball and skating. He served as a Lewiston police officer until 1971 and as a security guard for Northeast Banks until 1983. Billy and Valerie are the parents of four children and grandparents of five.

“He was one of the greatest hitters I ever coached. He may be the university’s top hitter of all time.” -John Winkin “I have always loved playing baseball, especially hitting. There is nothing better than hitting a baseball and going into a trot or running hard for second base and sliding in safe.” -Dan Kane Anyone who has spent much time talking with Dan Kane would most likely tell you that he sees baseball and life as being intertwined. The vicissitudes of life are mirrored in the streaks and slumps, the wins and losses. Teammates are family members who look after and bring out the best in each other. Many times bringing out the best involves giving praise and encouragement. Other times, it entails making those we care about face some hard and perhaps uncomfortable truths about their commitment and the effort necessary to reach their goals. The very best parents, coaches, friends and teammates not only give their best to each other; they expect the best back in return. The early innings began for Dan in a household made up of his parents, Walter and Patricia, who are able to enjoy this day with him, and six brothers: Scott, Chris, Steven, Douglas, Patrick and Jamie. Seven boys is only two short of a team. One thing is for certain: they were already pretty well set in one outfield spot. As a standout athlete at Ellsworth High School, Dan played baseball, basketball and soccer earning ten varsity letters. During his stay there, the Eagles won a state championship in 1983. That same year he was MVP of American Legion Zone One. Curiously, it is pretty fortunate that Dan was a soccer player, because that is where Coach John Winkin first spotted him. It was an Eastern Maine Championship game played against Waterville, the school Coach Winkin’s son attended. “The sweeper was different in that game, and Ellsworth won,” said Winkin, “And I knew that day that Danny Kane was the competitor I was looking for.” More about that later. “The pitcher has only got the ball. I’ve got a bat. So the percentage is in my favor, and I let the fellow with the ball do the fretting.” - Hank Aaron Who is surprised that this would be Dan’s favorite baseball related quotation? He made quite a name for himself while he spent his middle innings at The University of Maine during a four year career as a DH and outfielder. The list of accolades is a lengthy one: 1984 Citrus Tournament at Pan American University All Tournament DH Played in the College World Series Highest team batting Average All Tournament DH Northeast Regionals Jody Ramsay Tournament at Pan American University All Tournament Outfielder 1986 Played in the College World Series Florida International All Tournament Team DH 1987 Captain of the Black Bears University of Minnesota Wheaties Tournament of Champions All Tournament OF ECAC All New England Outfielder ECAC Player Of The Year School and New England Record set - Most Doubles- Season 19 Career UMaine Records – Doubles – 48, Hits – 217, RBI’s – 158, Games Played – 190 2005 Inducted into The University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame In his spare time he was also a two time All Star of The Portland Twilight League, and its MVP and Home Run King in 1988. Coach Winkin said, “He was one of the greatest hitters I ever coached. He may be the university’s top hitter of all time.” Surely we can accept his opinion. “Danny is one of the most respected coaches in Maine. Whatever he does, he makes it fun, and you know his guys are going to compete.” - Dr. John Winkin. It is probably not fitting to say we have reached the late innings because there does not appear to be an end in sight for Dan’s time in baseball. After all, at least for now, baseball remains the game in which there is no clock. For young men in the areas surrounding Blue Hill, that is a good thing because that means time is not running out on Coach Dan Kane. That stage began in 1989 when he was the JV and Assistant Coach of a State Championship Ellsworth team skippered by Maine Baseball Hall of Famer Jack Scott. Oh yes, somewhere between innings Dan and Arnie, his wife of twenty four years, were married, and son Nicholas, who is now twenty three, became part of the family. From Ellsworth, Coach Kane embarked on a career of coaching at George Stevens Academy which has spanned twenty seven years and appears to be going strong. His coaching record at GSA is no less impressive than that of his playing career: 362- 136-2 Won/loss record; Nine Eastern Maine Championships - 89, 94, 96, 97, 02, 03, 04, 05, 09; Three State Championships - 1997, 2003, 2004; Four Peter Webb Sportsmanship Awards - 2002, 2008, 2009, 2015; MPA Good Sportsmanship Award; 2011 NFHS State of Maine Coach of the Year; PVC Coach of the Year Coach Kane has also coached American Legion Baseball for four summers (Zone One Coach of the Year 2010), six seasons of coaching Coastal Junior Little League, twenty seven years running a summer baseball clinic for the Blue Hill Activities Group and seven years running “Covering All the Bases” baseball clinic at GSA. Dan cites Coach Winkin as the person who made the greatest impression on him in his baseball life. “Coach Winkin was the most organized and intelligent baseball person I have ever met. He had a way of finding winners and putting them together to make great teams. Many of his players didn’t have the perfect tools. He just knew how to get the most out of what gifts the player possessed. He helped make me a better player and person both on and off the field.” I am thinking those words remind some young men in the Blue Hill area of another coach quite a bit closer to home. Jim Murphy, Dan’s longtime AD, put it this way, “He (Dan) taught them not only baseball, but how to be a better person by stressing sportsmanship, camaraderie, caring, and what it means to compete.” Former player Matt Haney had these words, “An example of the fondness he engenders came at an alumni event several years ago. Coach Kane invited all of his former players back for a little baseball and pig roast. At least sixty players from his twenty five years of coaching showed up to the festivities. Coach Kane threw each one of us batting practice. Remarkably, where we all liked the ball and was able to put it there for us” Let’s bring back Coach Winkin to close this one out. “Danny Kane will tell you that anybody you coach automatically becomes a son- like one of your family. I would put my life in his hands; he is a man of integrity, and whatever he does in life is quality.” Surely we can accept his opinion. Weekly Packet Blue Hill http://weeklypacket.com/news/2016/jul/21/gsa-baseball-coach-slides-into-hall-of-fame/#.XSTdLZNKhE5 by Monique Labbe George Stevens Academy head baseball coach Dan Kane was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame over the weekend as part of the 46th annual induction ceremony held at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. On Saturday, Kane and the other inductees were acknowledged on the field during a Portland Sea Dogs game at Hadlock Field, where they received a formal introduction to the fans in the stadium. Hadlock Field is also where the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame is physically located, with photos, names and induction years on the wall. Sunday night was the induction ceremony itself, which Kane said was an “awesome experience.” “The Maine Baseball Hall of Fame put together a good program [during the weekend],” said Kane. Kane had 24 friends, family, former players and representatives from George Stevens Academy in attendance for the ceremony. Each inductee received a plaque and a personalized baseball bat. Kane, whose most recent accomplishment was leading the George Stevens Academy Eagles to a Class C North regional championship in a walk-off win over Houlton in June. The Eagles were defeated by Sacopee Valley in the State Championship, by a score of 3-2. Kane has been the head coach for the George Stevens Academy baseball team for 28 years, during which time he led his players to appearances in 17 Class C Eastern Maine title games, including this season’s. Of the 17, Kane’s Eagles took home nine Eastern Maine championships and three Class C state titles. Kane won his first state championship as a coach during the 1989 season, the first time a GSA baseball team had ever taken home a title. A graduate of Ellsworth High School and a standout on the school’s baseball team, Kane went on to play baseball at the University of Maine. Kane was one of nine Maine baseball standouts named to this year’s Hall of Fame induction class. The 2016 class also included former University of Maine players John Sawyer and Dave Gonyar, along with longtime umpire Ralph Damren, Dan Deshaies, Thom Freeman, Mike Mazerall, Gary Williamson and Amel Kiszonak, who was inducted posthumously. Retired Portland Press Herald sports writer Tom Chard received the Sonny Noel President’s Award. From Bangor Daily News GSA good sportsmanship award https://bangordailynews.com/bdn-maine/community/gsa-good-sports-on-a-roll/ BLUE HILL — Good sportsmanship is a longstanding tradition for the George Stevens Academy baseball team, under the watchful eye of Head Coach Dan Kane. For four consecutive years, and seven of the last 18, the Eagles have been awarded the Peter Webb Good Sportsmanship Award. The award, named after a longtime official in Maine, goes to a team in Class C or D whose players, coaches and team staff “have shown outstanding sportsmanship throughout the season,” according to the Eastern Maine Baseball Umpires Association, which bestows the award. The Maine Principals Association also honored the squad with its sportsmanship award in 2013. “It is important to us that the team plays well and handles themselves with class,” said Kane, and they take “pride in knowing that other teams and officials respect us for the way we go about our game,” which incorporates a focus on “respecting players, coaches, opponents, umpires, fans and the game of baseball.” These ideals are promoted by the school’s coaching staff, which also includes Assistant Coach Bill Gray and JV Coach Scott Kane. Winning games takes more than respect, it also takes hard work and a competitive spirit. “As a team, we display a competitive spirit on a daily basis with an attempt to win in both practices and games,” Dan Kane said.