July 6, 2015 at 2:02 p.m.
Reliving the glory days
Former Hodags return for annual RHS alumni baseball game
Reliving the glory days
The game featured graduates from classes as recent as 2012 and as far back as 1976. The players were divided into two teams based on graduating year. Class members of odd years teamed up and faced class members who graduated in even years. The odds won the contest 12-1 over the evens.
The game's unofficially-elected MVP, class of 2009 graduate Jesse Robinson, went 4-for-5 with five RBIs and a pair of runs scored for the odd team. Robinson, who is currently serving in the U.S. Navy, said he looks forward to the alumni game every year and even skipped out on the final two games of the season with the team he plays for in San Diego to come home and play in the annual alumni game.
"I played as soon as I got to San Diego for a couple seasons ... almost two years and then I went on deployment, so there was like a big gap where I didn't play," Robinson explained. "I just started picking up a baseball bat again back in December. I started hitting the batting cages and started playing in a league in February and our season is actually in the playoffs right now and they are mad at me because I am missing the last two games of the season because I came home."
For some it was a fun way to heckle old friends and teammates. A familiar face to Rhinelander baseball, Rich Fortier, former RHS boys' basketball coach, seemed to be on the receiving end of the smack talk. The ribbing was to be expected for Fortier, who now coaches at Lakeland, but he dished it out as well, even taking the microphone for a short period during the seventh inning.
Fortier wasn't alone. Others received their fair share of heckling. Andy VanDyke was on the receiving end of some of the smack talk. The assistant RHS baseball coach ground into two double plays generating plenty of comments from teammates, opponents and fans alike. VanDyke, who is no stranger to being in the spotlight, took the friendly criticism with a smile and enjoyed the attention.
Others on the receiving end were the games oldest participants. The young bucks jumped at the opportunity to show up the old guys.
Ken Zuiker, class of 1982, said this is his third year playing in the alumni game and it is pretty special for him personally being that he is now the head coach for one of the town's Babe Ruth youth teams. He sees the alumni game as an opportunity to be on the other side of the fence and he enjoys playing with other RHS graduates.
"It's fantastic," he said. "To get all the old Rhinelander baseball players together, just the camaraderie and because I'm active with the youth side of it, it's kind of a give-back opportunity and you see some of the parents of the youngsters and a lot of guys from out of the state just coming back for one chance to get together."
For others like the Kowieski brothers, Mark and Brad, the game is a great opportunity to take a stroll down memory lane.
"I just always look forward to coming to the park and seeing the old field and reliving some memories," said Mark, who went on to mention he enjoys using the opportunity to teach the younger players a thing or two. "You know those young kids, sometimes they have a lot to learn still. They don't realize what 20 years of experience playing the game and watching the game can do for an individual, so even though I may be 38, I've still got a couple tricks up the sleeve."
Mark's brother Brad said that for the two of them this is a great opportunity to do something together.
"Mark and I come together and we make it a brothers event because it's really fun for us and it keeps our spirit up," Brad said. "It gives us an opportunity to really show the skill sets we learned in Rhinelander Little League and the dedication of the people that coached us. You bring it forward because it can be a game you can have fun with."
The odd team started off the game plating four runs and they never looked back, scoring in all but the third inning and holding the evens to a solo run which was scored by Bryan Kronberger in the bottom half of the first inning.
Although the game was one-sided it allowed for many opportunities for all players to field many different positions and see what skills have carried on while others may have gotten a little rusty over the years.
Zuiker hopes the game continues and he hopes other alumni play in future years.
"Get as many of the alumni back here as possible," Zuiker said. "Rhinelander baseball means an awful lot to me. I think this is my fourth year of Babe Ruth and then I had 20 in Little League, so you know it's been a huge part of my life. Getting together with guys and carrying on the tradition is awesome."
Lindsey Nylund may be reached at [email protected].
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