WESTERN NEW YORK BASEBALL HALL OF FAME 2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 Pat Sullivan – Founder, Past Pres. Inducted 2000. Played over 20 years in MUNY, Cheektowaga Classic and Suburban league. On many All Star teams, and at different positions.

Don Colpoys – Pres. Inducted 1998. Played 3 years in the St. Louis Cards org. Played and managed Simon Pures for 14 years. G.M. of the Buffalo Bisons for 6 years. Coached Canisius College for 25 years.

Don O’Brien – Sec. Inducted 1998. Played 4 years in St. Louis Cards org. Played 25 years in MUNY and Cheektowaga Classic. Was with Eldredge Club team that won the NABF World Series (Nationals) in 1974.

Bob Miske – Treas. Inducted 2000. Played and managed in MUNY and Cheektowaga Classic for many years, winning championships in 1955 and 1964. Has been a baseball scout for over 40 years, currently a pro scout with Seattle. He is in 6 Hall of Fames including Greater Buffalo, U. at Buffalo and Mid Atlantic Scouts.

Jerry Attea – Inducted 2000. An infielder, who played over 10 years in MUNY for many teams including Simon Pures and 101’s. All Catholic third baseman at St. Joe’s for 2 years.

Ray Bellet – Inducted 1998. Pitched 35 years in MUNY and Cheektowaga Classic. Had a 20 win season with the Sloan Bruins. Pitched in national tournaments for Bruins in Wichita and Eldredge Club in Cleveland.

Mike Groh –Inducted 2001. Played 12 years for the Voyageur’s winning 10 MUNY titles. With the Voyageur’s when they won the NABF World Series (National) crown in 1979. Then went on to play and manage Amherst City Mattress in the Suburban league that won playoff titles in 1991 and 1992.

Mike Hallinan- Inducted 2001. Played 17 and also managed 14 in those years the Orchard Park team in the Suburban League. Also was an officer in Lake Shore Baseball team, the Lake Shore Twilight League and the Buffalo Evening News Suburban Baseball Assoc.

Roy Macaluso – Inducted 1999. Played outfield for 24 seasons in the Suburban league for Lockport based teams. He is also in the Buffalo State Athletic Hall of Fame, where in 1966 he was 15^th in the Nation-Small Colleges with a .440 batting average.

Maury May – Inducted in 1997. He was a sports writer for over 40 years with the Buffalo Evening News, spending most of his career covering the Suburban League.

Bob Plezia – Inducted 1997. Played in the Braves org. Played 10 years in the MUNY and Cheektowaga Classic winning the 1964 MUNY Playoffs with 101’s. MUNY player of the Week in 1960. MUNY All Star 1964. Wrote a book on hitting, A Plan on Developing a Hitter, 2006. Was hitting coach for the 2007, New York Collegiate Baseball League, Niagara Power.

Dave Smolinski – Inducted 2005. An infielder with the Boston Town Team, that in 2001 was named team of the decade (late 1960’s-early 1970’s) for winning 5 Suburban all around championships. Was the baseball coach at Hamburg Central for 30 years.

Don Szen – Inducted in 2000. Played 13 years in the MUNY and Cheektowaga Classic, and was on the following championship teams- John Maroone’s 1955, Buffalo Stars 1959 and 101’s in 1964. He then coached baseball in Buffalo city high schools.

Dick Wolf – Inducted 1998. Pitched close to 20 years in the MUNY and Cheektowaga Classic. He was on the following championship teams- Al Dekdebruns in 1954, Buffalo Stars in 1959 and the 101’s 1964. He then pitched for the W. Seneca Kandefers in the Suburban League for 5 years.

FORMER BOARD MEMBERS: Vic Baron, inducted 1998, Tom Dryja inducted 1999, Earle Hannel* inducted 1998, Jack Heitzhaus inducted 1999, Paul Mullen* inducted 1998, Jerry (Apples) Piepszny* inducted 2000, Bill Rogowski inducted 1998 and Vini Vara* inducted 1999. (* indicates deceased.)

2008 Inductees

Voyageurs (1977-1983) The Voyageurs were one of the most dominant teams in AAA MUNY over a 15 year period. There first year was 1970 and their last year was 1990. They were in 2^nd or third place from 1971 to 1976, then MUNY Champs from 1977 to 1990. In 1987, they went 36-0. They not only dominated local baseball, they were in Nat’l Amateur of Baseball Fed. (NABF) finals in 1979, also being national champs that year, and in the national playoffs in 1981, 1984, 1987 and 1990.

Thru this time, the Voyageurs had only one manager, Bob Ponto. Ponto was a colorful, irascible sort especially with less than the best umps.

Soon after they started, the Voyageurs wore the Baltimore Oriole uniforms, but Ponto had “Weaver” on the back of his shirt. According to Ponto, they chose the Oriole look because the Orioles were winning a lot in those days.

Individual inductees from the Voyageurs (1977-1983) were the core players from the team that began winning championships and many players that played for a number of years.

The most noted players of the Voyageurs, for Ponto, were the late Joe Lang who was a top hitter during his career with the team and captain of the team from 1976-90, Ray Mattingly outstanding, long time pitcher, Mike Groh a slick, long time 2^nd baseman and leader, Jim Mary an outfielder and top clutch, tournament hitter, Mike Rodriguez, catcher, from 1983 to 1990 who joined the Voyageurs after a pro career that reached the AAA level; and Tom Makowski, former Major Leaguer pitcher, and Duke Maguire, another former pro and noted top hitter, who also starred especially on the 1979 National Champ team.

Some 22 former Voyageurs are already in the WNY Hall of Fame.

Rich “Abe” Abrahamson: Abrahamson has over 45 years involvement, to date, with most facets of baseball in WNY first as a player in the early 1960’s, then a youth coach, then in running leagues and organizations, mostly the West Side Little League and at the Butler Mitchell Boys Club. But he is most noted as an umpire, where he started in the late 1970’s. He started in youth leagues, then moved to High School, to American Legion, then men’s leagues, to the top MUNY levels, in the late 1980’s into the college level, then in 1990 as one of the heads of the WNY Collegiate Umpires Assoc. Starting in the mid 1980’s, he was involved with heading up the umpiring at the Empire State Games. Due to a job change in 2000, his umpiring was curtailed, but since his retirement in 2006, he is back umpiring 6-7 days a week.

“Abe” was noted as being professional, fair, consistent, a good communicator, open, very knowledgeable (that allowed him to do clinics on rules interpretation and changes to college coaches and other umpires), a student of the game, confident, approachable,  always in the right position, one of the best umpires in WNY.

Fred Adams: Adams noted pitching career started at White Plains High School in the late 1950’s where he pitched a no hitter in his senior year and was on the first team All County. He matriculated to Brockport State where he also threw a no hitter in his senior year. He made the All State Univ. Conf. Honorable Mention his junior year and All Conf. in his senior year. Moving to WNY in 1965, Adams played for Al Maroone’s in AAA MUNY. In 1966, Adams moved to the Cheektowaga Classic with Travelers for a year then Kicks and Eddies where he pitched and managed until 1970, when he moved to the Buffalo Mustangs back in AAA MUNY. The Mustangs went to the finals in MUNY in 1972 and won the MUNY championship in 1973 with Adams winning the Division title game pitching a 6 hit effort.

Adams not only coached the Kicks and Eddies, he coached Burgard High School from 1970 to 1980. Beginning in 1992, he coached his 2 sons thru the Orchard Park L.L. (O.P.L.L.), then American Legion, CEBA, and Clarence Travel League.

He also held administrative positions (Commissioner and Tournament Dir.) for several years with the O.P.L.L.

Frank “Butch” Benhatzel: The diminutive left handed pitcher began pitching in the MUNY league in 1955, and was named MUNY player of the year in 1960 for the Class A, Kicks and Eddies. He then was the top pitcher in the Cheektowaga Classic league, in 1961, with the league winner 101’s. He then moved to the Sloan Bruins to pitch for them in the Suburban League, MUNY League and Cheektowaga Classic for balance of the 1960’s where he was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 1963 and 1964, was player of the week numerous times and where the team won numerous league titles in this period with Benhatzel being the leading pitcher on those teams. During his tenure with the Bruins he set records for Most Innings Pitched in a season, Most Strike Outs in a season, Most Games Pitched in a season, Most Shutouts in a season, Most Wins in a season, and Most Complete Games in a season and Highest Percent Wins.

John Fauth: Started playing AA MUNY as a 15 year old infielder, mostly shortstop, playing for the Travelers from 1944 to 1947. Signed by Detroit out of High School, he played in their organization in 1948 and 1949 before suffering a knee injury. He next played in the Service in 1951 for a championship team in Indiantown Gap, Pa. He then ended his playing career playing for the late Paul Mullen, a WNY Hall member, and the Ebenezer Stars in MUNY AA in 1954-1955.

Noted for having “soft” and quick hands and range, he also hit for high average with power. He hit .455 in 1951 in the Service, going 2 for 3, singling in the ninth, then stealing 2^nd, 3^rd and home to win the championship game. In 1955 for Ebenezer, he hit in the high .300’s with 7 HR’s, 2 against the Simon Pures.

John Greco: Greco played center field for Lockport Bus Line from 1972 to 1985. During that period, “The Bus” won 8 Divisional pennants, 4 Twi-Light League titles, 2 President’s Cups and 3 All-Around Championships-1977, 1980 and 1983. Greco was an All-Star selection 11 out of the 14 years he played for The Bus. It was estimated he batted about .350 over those years; a clutch hitter, he batted a high of .423 in 1982. Defensively, his fielding average was over .980, and in the championship year 1980, he committed only 2 errors in the season.

Off the field, Greco was noted as a gentleman, leader-being the captain from 1977 to 1985, focused and intense.

Greco is still involved with the Lockport Little League and Lockport High School baseball.

Jim Healy: Healy led off and played shortstop for the Lockport VFW/DMI in the Suburban League for 14 years from 1978 to 1991. The team went to 2 All-Around championships and won 3 Rechlin Cups. Healy was an All-Star in 1981 and 1986. His best years were 1980 to 1987 where his batting average was around .400 and had an On Base Percent over .500.

He also was player/manager for Lockport for 3 years in the late 1980’s.

He played with the Eldredge Club in AAABA and the Tonawanda News League under WNY Baseball Hall of Famer, Al Chester.

John Miosi: Miosi was the leadoff hitter and second baseman for Clarence in the Suburban League from 1977 to 1983. During this period, Clarence won the All-Around in 1981 and 1982, and the Director’s Cup in 1983. From 1981 to 1983 Miosi hit .429 with an On Base Percent of .625. He also was named Player of the Week 5 times during this period.  (He had a career batting average of .413 and .564 On Base Percent for Clarence.)

In 1980, he led the North Forest team of the AAABA to the National finals in Johnstown being named to the All-Star team and runner up for the tournament MVP; he hit .458 in the tourney.

He also had an outstanding career (1980-1983) at Canisius College where he hit .347, and had an On Base Percent of .486. In 1983, he hit .464, and had the highest On Base Percent in Div. 1 of .639.

Jim Monin: Stared at shortstop for the Buffalo Stars in the Cheektowaga Classic in 1961-62, 101’s in MUNY AAA in 1963-64, where the 101’s won the championship in 1964, and Simon Pures in 1965. He played AAABA for 4 years, going to Johnstown each year. The 1964 Buffalo team went to the finals in Johnstown and Monin broke the tourney record for hits with 17, hitting .586 for the tourney high, and was named tourney MVP, the first short stop in the history of the tournament to date to be named MVP. He matriculated to the Univ. of Kentucky where he was All Conf. in his sophomore and junior years.

He was the 44^th pick in the 1965 draft and signed with the Houston Astros. He was the All Star short stop in 1967 for Ashville. He played 5 years in the Astros system.

Although remembered as a power and high average hitter, Monin was a slick fielder with range and had a “major league” arm.

Pat O’Brien: O’Brien was a premier short stop in the AAA MUNY from 1974 to 1980 for the Eldredge Club (managed by WNY Hall of Famers Henningham and O’Brien (father), Sen Wels, Desidario’s and Fiber McGee’s (managed by the elder O’Brien). O’Brien played with the Eldredge Club team that won the national NABF title in 1974. The Eldredge Club was AAA MUNY Champs in 1974, ’75 and ’76.

O’Brien was a 3 year starter (1973-75) at short stop at Kenmore East, 4 year starter with the Eldredge Club in the AAABA (1973-76), 3 year starter in American Legion (1973-75) and 4 year starter at short stop for Yale Univ. (1976-1979). With every team O’Brien played with, those teams were league champs at least once. O’Brien was All League and All WNY in his senior year at Kenmore East.

Pat was also an outstanding football player at Kenmore and Yale.

O’Brien’s main asset was his leadership qualities at Kenmore and Yale.

Dave Robbins: Robbins began his playing in 1957 for the Gowanda Merchants in the Suburban League, and other than 2 years U.S. Army-Special Services playing for Ft. Dix and Ft. Meade in 1964-65, he still (2008) is involved with the Gowanda Merchants in the now merged MUNY and Suburban league.

From 1966-1970, Robbins played for Gowanda State Hospital in the Lake Shore league.

Robbins was a player/manager from 1971 to 1997 for the Merchants, and since has been the manager. Over the 26 years Robbins had been the manager, Gowanda won or shared 14 titles.

He was an All-Star his first 3 years with the Merchants, and team MVP in 1958. He was an All Star numerous years in the 1971-1997 period.

Robbins also played 3 years at Fredonia State, has been an umpire for 20 years and was President of the Central League 3 different times for a total of 9 years.

Ray Suto: Suto was a left handed pitcher, noted for his control, who played in the Suburban league from 1954-56 for the Blasdell Red Sox. He was the team MVP and League All-Star in 1955. He was signed by the Dodgers and played in their system in 1957 and 1958.  He returned to pitch for Simon Pures in MUNY in 1959. He was drafted in the Service and served in 1961 to 1963. He returned to the Suburban League in 1969 with the Lakeshore West Herr to pitch and managed in 1970. He retired again until 1979 returning to Lakeshore West Herr to pitch, and then managed again in 1980 when Lakeshore won the Amer. Div. and were runner up for the All Arounds. 

He also pitched in the Electric and Twilight leagues with the Simon Pures.

Suto sponsored and coach little league teams 1976 to 1981.

John “Beanie” C. Taylor: Taylor, born and raised in South Buffalo, had more than 50 years involvement in baseball, primarily in South Buffalo. Taylor was one of the revivers (the Assoc. was originally founded in 1918), with Tom Mercer Jr. and Bob Stedler, noted sportswriter at the time. Taylor was the first President of the South Buffalo Community Baseball Assoc. in 1932. The purpose of the Assoc. was to develop South Buffalo baseball players so they could move up in the MUNY leagues. This Assoc. eventually led to the Cazenovia Twilight League.

Taylor also was an umpire and held the position of the President of the WNY Ump. Assoc. in 1953-55. He initiated a training course for umps. His emphasis on quality umpiring and umpire training led to an award, the John C. Taylor Award, given to the ump that exemplifies exceptional quality umpiring and professionalism, and exceptional ability to assist and train fellow umps.

Jim Voutour: Voutour played in the Suburban League for Lockport Diversified Manufacturing Ind. (DMI) from 1982 to 1991 then went to the Lockport Bus Lines from 1991 to 2003. He played 4 years at SUNY Brockport. And he split the 1990 season first playing for DMI than playing in the New York Penn league with the Niagara Rapids.

For Wilson High School, who won the State Title in 1983 with Voutour as a junior in the outfield, Voutour was then All WNY in his senior year. As of the late 1990’s, Voutour still held 7 season records and 3 career records at SUNY Brockport where he played outfield and caught.

The 6 foot, 4 inch, left handed hitter was known for his many long homeruns, but especially for his gentleman demeanor on and off the field.

Karle Wicker: Wicker managed Fat Man’s Pizza from there entry into MUNY A in 1977, thru 1980 when they entered the AAA level until his untimely death in 1994.

Wicker’s innovative organizational contributions to the league were far more valuable to local baseball as he was able to convince the MUNY league, in the mid 1980’s, to add Canadian teams (cross border) into the schedule. With the significant changes to the MUNY League and amateur baseball in WNY starting in the late 1970’s, Wicker proposed and was instrumental in initially interlocking schedules then ushering the merger of the Suburban Leagues and MUNY leagues in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.