League: Chippewa River Baseball League

Primary League

Larry Bowe

Inaugural Class of 2009

Pitcher, 1st Baseman

Lafayette Generals 1964; Lafayette Indians 1964-66, 68; Cadott Red Sox 1969-85

Rarely mentioned as one of the league’s great pitchers, the right-handed throwing Bowe burst on to the league scene with the Lafayette Indians during the 1960’s, later turning into a consistent workhorse and veteran presence for the powerhouse Cadott teams of the 1970’s and early 1980’s.

After a modest but winning start to his career, 1969 saw Bowe blow up for 176 strikeouts in 129 innings, despite a 7 and 8 record to go along with a 3.07 ERA.

Larry jumped to the Cadott Red Sox in 1970, where he went 7 and 3 with a 2.70 ERA, 97 strikeouts, and 80 innings pitched while tying for the league lead in saves with 1 and shutouts with 2.  For the Sox in 1971, he racked up 140 K’s in 111.2 innings pitched while going 8 and 5 with a 3.22 ERA.

From 1968 to 1977, Bowe’s yearly averages were that of 6 wins, 74.1 innings pitched, 85 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.94.  The righty had an ERA under 3.00 seven times, with a low of 2.25 (4 ER/16 IP) in 1978.  Led the league or tied for the lead in saves four times, with a high of 2 in 1978.

Was a member of eight division winners, five league championship teams, sixteen WBA qualifiers, and three Final 8 teams while on the Cadott Red Sox.  Also won a division title and played in the WBA for the 1966 Lafayette Indians.  Individual highlight in these team accomplishments came in 1975 when he threw a complete game six-hitter in Cadott’s 5-2 championship game win vs. Tilden.

Upon induction, ranked 4th all-time in wins with 73, 4th all-time in innings pitched with 881.1, 3rd all-time in strikeouts with 987, and tied for 6th all-time in shutouts with 7.  Twirled the league’s 15th no-hitter in 1976 vs. Tilden, a 8-0 victory that marked the first time Tilden had been no-hit in their long, storied existence.

A full time player for 15 of his 21 years in the league, Larry gradually built up the offensive career totals of 221 hits, 149 RBI’s, and 175 runs scored in 939 at-bats.

Appearing in five All-Star games (1968,1970-1973), Bowe was named co-MVP of the 1973 contest in which he started and pitched 3 scoreless innings for the South in their 6 to 4 loss at Bloomer.  He was elected All-CRBL in 1972 and 1974, the only years in which that honor was awarded prior to it becoming a yearly tradition in 1978.

Roger Bergeron

Inaugural Class of 2009

3rd Baseman, Outfielder, Manager

Jim Falls Nosal 1958; Jim Falls Dairymen 1959-60; Jim Falls Cadets 1961-64; Jim Falls Sturgeons 1965-81

Roger “The Duke” Bergeron spent his entire 24-year league career in Jim Falls, using his left-handed stroke to amass one of the more impressive offensive careers in CRBL history.

Piled up 366 hits in 1,257 at-bats for a career average of .291.  Holds league records for career triples with 14 and single-season triples with 5, set in 1968.  Hit over .300 for eight consecutive seasons, starting his tear at a clip of .362 in 1967 and concluding it at .311 in 1974.  Other .300+ season came in 1965, when he hit .333 (20 for 60).  Had 20 or more hits in a season five times, doing so four years in a row from 1967 to 1970.

In 1968, led the newly named CRBL with 72 at-bats, 22 hits, 5 triples, and tied for the lead in RBI’s with 15 for the 14 and 4 WBA qualifying Sturgeons.  Followed that in 1969 with possibly his finest season when he led the league in batting average at .378 (28 for 74), hits with 28, triples with 3, RBI’s with 22, and runs scored with 19.

Steered the ship as manager of the Jim Falls Sturgeons from 1971 to 1979, a nine season period considered to be one of the best eras in franchise history.  Playing at Jim Falls‘ famous field, Roger and the Sturgeons captured a division title and played for the league championship in 1973.  The Bergeron led Jim Falls squad qualified for the WBA three times (1972, 1973, 1975), and made the Final 8 twice (1972 & 1975).

Appeared in eight All-Star games (1961-1965, 1968, 1970,1971).  Elected All-CRBL in 1972.  First player in league history to reach 50 doubles, 300 hits, and 1,000 at-bats in a career.  Retired as the all-time leader in games played, at-bats, hits, singles, doubles, triples, RBI’s, runs scored, walks, and total bases.

Frank Atkinson

Inaugural Class of 2009

Shortstop, Pitcher

Jim Falls Nosal 1958; Jim Falls Dairymen 1960; Jim Falls Cadets 1961-64; Jim Falls Sturgeons 1965-69, 71-77;

Jim Falls Mobile 1970

A standout shortstop and a reliable relief pitcher, Atkinson spent his entire 19-year league career playing for five different teams in Jim Falls.

The bulk of his time and greatest success came with the Sturgeons, as he helped them win division crowns in 1967 and 1973, and qualify for the WBA in 1967, 1968, 1972, 1973, and 1975.

Hit .300 or better in 10 seasons, doing so consecutively in his last seven years of play, during which he averaged 20 hits a year and hit an accumulative .374. Won back to back batting titles in 1975 at .462 (24 for 52) and 1976 at .438 (21 for 48).  Led the league in hits with 24 in 1975, doubles with 5 in 1974, and tied for the league lead in triples with 2 three times (1963,1967,1975).  Still tied for 2nd all-time in triples with 11.

Led the league in runs scored with 16 in 1974 and 14 in 1975, stolen bases with 10 in 1968, and tied for the league lead or led the league in walks three times (1969,1971,1975) with a high of 19 free passes in 1971.  Ranks 5th all-time in stolen bases with 77, leading the league with 10 bags in 1968.  Topped the 20 hit mark a total of five times.

From the slab, knuckleballing Atkinson led the league with a career high 4 saves in 1975, tying for the league lead in that category five times previously.  Captured an ERA title in 1965 with a mark of 2.22 (7 ER in 28.1 IP) and again in 1973 with a miniscule 0.52 ERA (1 ER in 17.1 IP).  His career total of 15 saves currently ranks 3rd all-time.

A participant in 10 All-Star games (1961,1963-1968,1971-1973), Frank was named the game’s MVP in 1965 when he went 2-for-2 with a double, RBI, and some flashy defensive plays in the East’s 4-0 win over the West.  Playing in the era before yearly All-CRBL teams, the right-handed swinging Atkinson was the first league player to collect over 300 hits and compile over 200 innings pitched. Undoubtedly, Frank will be remembered as one of the best players to ever represent Jim Falls in league competition.

 

Bloomer Woodticks

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Jan Krueger Memorial Field – Augusta, WI

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Stanley Slammers

Stanley

The Slammers finished the 2018 season 6-16 and hosted the 2018 WBA regionals losing to Wausau 10-0. The Slammers had four players in the 2018 All-Star game hosted by Whitehall: Luke Merritt was the starting pitcher and Keith Smasal, Brandon Wright, and Kevin Christorf were reserves. Brandon Wright was the Slammers Honorable Mention All-CRBL selection. The Slammers will be looking at the young players along with the few veterans remaining to help make 2019 a successful season. The Slammers would like to wish everyone in the CRBL good luck on the upcoming second and look forward to a great summer of baseball.

Roster: Kevin Christorf, Keith Smasal, Kasey Van Den Heuval, Ryan Joten, Brandon Wright, Brandon Herrick, Reece Drost, Scott Horn, Tanner Henderson, Clayton Peters, Noah Gilingham, Bryan Mason Neil Hebert, Collin Meyer, Luke Merritt, Matt Drost, Jeremy Bremness, Zach Edwards, Zak Ingersol, Ian Lagasse, Cole Ciokiewicz, Shane McQuilllan, James Zastrow, Jakob Rosemeyer, Bryce Lingen
Manager: Brandon Geist
Assistant Manager: Brian Smasal

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