VOLUNTEER WALL OF HONOR
BACK IN NOVEMBER OF 2012, THE LASALLE LITTLE LEAGUE BOARD DECIDED TO RECOGNIZE SOME OF ITS VOLUNTEERS FROM THE PAST THROUGH A SIGN THAT WILL NOW HANG BENEATH THE SCOREBOARD IN LEFT FIELD WITH THE NAMES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE GONE BEYOND THEIR NORMAL COACHING OR VOLUNTEER DUTIES TO MOVE THE LASALLE BOYS BASEBALL PROGRAM FORWARD OVER THE PAST 68 YEARS.. THE FIRST GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS CONSIST OF 11 INDIVIDUALS STRETCHING BACK FROM 1953 THRU THE PRESENT.
THEY ARE
v WILLIAM PELKEY BECAME THE 1st PRESIDENT OF THE NEWLY FORMED LEAGUE IN 1953 AND SERVED 2 YEARS AND THEN WAS ELECTED TO THE CITIZENS BOARD IN 1955 & 56. HE MANAGED EUC IN 1955 AND LATER MOVED ON TO BE CHAIRMAN OF THE LASALLE PARK BOARD AND CONTINUED WORKING FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE LEAGUE.
vFRANK ASSALLEY 13 YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AS MANAGER OF EUC 56 to 58), MR QUICK (74 to 79) & POLICE (80 to 83). WON DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 1975, 1976, and 1980, A LASALLE INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1975 AND THE LADD BICENTENNIAL TOURNAMENT IN 1976. HE SERVED AS LEAGUE TREASURER AND ALSO A MANAGER IN SENIOR LEAGUE.
vBILL BARON 16 YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AS MANAGER OF STATE BANK (61 to 73) WON 2 DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 64 & 67 AND SERVED AS LEAGUE TREASURER, BOARD MEMBER AND DISTRICT 4 ADMINISTRATOR. HE ALSO COACHED IN PONY LEAGUE.
vJIM KASPROWICZ 23 YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AS COACH (68) & MANAGER OF VFW (69 to 90) WON 8 DIVISIONAL TITLES, 1 MAYORS TOURNAMENT IN 1981 AND 1 DISTRICT ALL-STAR TITLE IN 1988. HE ALSO MANAGED A SENIOR LEAGUE TEAM FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
vSTAN LENSKI 30 YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AS COACH (68) & MANAGER OF THE LASALLE ROTARY TEAM (69 TO 97). WON 4 DIVISIONAL TITLES, 1 MAYORS TOURNAMENT IN 1971 AND 2 CITY TOURNAMENT TITLES IN 76 & 77, AND COACHED 2 ALL-STAR DISTRICT CHAMPS. HE ALSO SERVED AS LEAGUE SECRETARY FROM 1971 to 77 AND SENIOR LEAGUE PRESIDENT FROM 77 to 79.
vRAY LIEBHART 14 YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AS MANAGER OF HOLLERICHS FROM 1962 to 70 AND CIC CONTRACTING FROM 71 & 72’ HE WON 4 DIVISION TITLES AND SERVED AS LEAGUE TREASURER. HE WAS CALLED BACK TO DUTY IN 1974 AND COACHED 1 MORE YEAR WITH ROTARY. AS A BRICK LAYER BY TRADE, HE HELPED BUILD THE ORIGINAL SCOREBOOTH AND LATER THE 2nd FLOOR OF THE PRESENT BERNARDI SCOREBOOTH.
vRAY (WHITEY ) NOLASCO WAS NAMED CHIEF UMPIRE IN 1968 AND SERVED FOR MANY YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AS AN UMPIRE IN THE LITTLE LEAGUE PROGRAM AND COULD BE FOUND BEHIND THE PLATE EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK, MONDAY THRU FRIDAY, WORKING WITH DALE LIESSE AND BOOTSIE JOOP.
GEORGE NORQUIST SCOREKEEPER. SERVED IN THE LASALLE PROGRAM FROM 1953 AS A BOARD MEMBER & IN 1956 BECAME HEAD OF UMPIRES AND LATER BECAME A FIXTURE IN THE SCOREBOOTH IN THE 60’S AS THE OFFICIAL SCOREKEEPER. HE WORKED AS A SPORTS WRITER FOR THE LOCAL PAPER AND PRESENTED THE LASALLE PROGRAM WITH IN DEPTH DAILY REPORTS ON ALL GAMES PLAYED LOCALLY.
vMEL PIERSON 21 YEARS IN THE LEAGUE. WAS COACH (73-74) AND LATER MANAGER OF POLICE ( 75 to 77) WITH 1 DIVISIONAL TITLE AND 1 MAYORS TITLE IN 1977. HE ALSO COACHED IN SENIOR LEAGUE AND SERVED AS PURCHASING AGENT FOR THE LEAGUE AND WAS LATER ELECTED PRESIDENT IN 1978 THRU 93. HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN STARTING THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEAGUE PROGRAM AT NORTHWEST SCHOOL.
vJEFF STRUNA 22 YEARS IN THE LEAGUE AND COACHED THRU 4 DECADES. WAS ONE OF THE INITIAL MANAGERS WHEN THE LEAGUE WAS FORMED AND MANAGED WEST END MOTORS, RETAIL CLERKS, HOLLERICKS, K of C, LIONS AND COACHED WITH VFW. HE WON 9 DIVISIONAL TITLES WITH 3 CONSECUTIVE FOR HOLLERICHS FROM 59 to 61 AND WENT UNDEFEATED IN 1956 WITH THE RETAIL CLERKS WITH AN 18-0 RECORD. HE WON THE FIRST MAYORS TOURNAMENT IN 1960 WITH HOLLERICHS AND ALSO MANAGED THE 1958 ALL-STAR TEAM AND COACHED THE 1980 TEAM WITH MARK MOSBACH THAT WON THE SECTIONAL TITLE AND APPEARED IN THE STATE TOURNAMENT. HE WAS THE FORCE BEHIND THE BUILDING OF THE ORIGINAL 1 STORY SCOREBOOTH AT BERNARDI FIELD IN 1962.
ONE THING THAT CAN BE SAID ABOUT ALL THESE INDIVIDUALS IS THAT WHEN SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE AT THE BALL DIAMONDS, THEY WERE ALWAYS THERE TO HELP. MANY STAYED ON TO COACH EVEN WHEN THEY NO LONGER HAD KIDS IN THE PROGRAM, OR NEVER HAD ANY IN THE PROGRAM. THEY COACHED BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO TEACH WHAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE GAME TO THE FUTURE STARS OF THE LEAGUE. AGAIN, WE AS A LEAGUE WISH TO THANK YOU OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS FOR THE MANY YEARS OF SERVICE YOU HAVE PROVIDED TO THE LEAGUE. WE HOPE THAT THRU THIS SIGN AND THE NAMES UP THERE, THAT MEMORIES OF THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE REKINDLED AND THAT THEIR IMPACT ON THEIR PLAYERS IS EVIDENT TO OTHERS.