League: Chippewa River Baseball League

Primary League

Ron Rubenzer

1st Baseman, Outfielder

Jim Falls Sturgeons 1986-90, 93-03; Cadott Red Sox 1991-92

A left-handed slugger, Ron Rubenzer’s large stature and monstrous swing cut an imposing presence for Chippewa River Baseball League pitchers during his 18 seasons of league play.

As a young player, Ron entered the CRBL in a part-time role with the talented, successful, and veteran laden Jim Falls Sturgeons of the late 1990s.

Moving to the Cadott Red Sox in 1991, Rubenzer had a breakout campaign, getting named All-CRBL as an outfielder on the merits of his .397 average (23 for 58) to go along with 4 doubles, 3  home runs, and 11 RBI’s.

After one more season in Cadott, the Big Lefty returned to his hometown Sturgeons in 1993, which began an eight season run (1993-2000) in which he averaged over 4 home runs and 14 RBI’s while hitting a accumulative .325 (145 for 446).  Within that stretch, Ron had perhaps his finest season in 1994, when he hit .500 (26 for 52) with 4 doubles, 5 home runs, and 16 RBI’s in route to his second All-CRBL award as an outfielder.

Rubenzer’s performance in his last two seasons as a full-time CRBL player in 1999 and 2000 validates his reputation as a true masher.  In 1999, the Big Sturgeon tied for the CRBL lead in home runs with 7 while knocking in 26 run in 18 league games.  He followed that up in 2000 by hitting .411 (23 for 56) with 6 long balls and 22 RBI’s in another 18 game CRBL season.  In both years, Ron was named Honorable Mention All-CRBL.

Rubenzer was also a very durable and valuable pitcher for both Cadott and Jim Falls.  Logging 422 innings over his CRBL career, the left-handed thrower posted a league leading ERA of 2.66 in 1990 (7 ER in 22.2 IP) for the Sturgeons.  In six seasons, Rubenzer pitched over 40 league innings (1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999) and surpassed 50 innings twice – 54.1 in 1992 and 54 in 1997.

From 2001 to 2003, Ron circled back to a part-time player role with the Sturgeons before going on to finish his amateur baseball career with the Weyerhaeuser Black Hens of the Dairyland League, playing in to the late 2000s.

A participant in ten All-Star games (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000), the thunderous power and towering home runs that Rubenzer regularly displayed make him one of the most prodigious power hitters in CRBL history.  Upon induction, Ron’s highest all-time rankings can be found in home runs (9th), slugging percentage (14th), RBI’s (33rd), and innings pitched (39th).

Tim Peterson

Media

Chippewa Herald 1978-86, 96; Leader-Telegram 1986-94

Arriving on the Chippewa Valley sports scene in the late 1970s, journalistic and statistical wizard Tim Peterson began covering the CRBL in 1978.  In short order, Mr. Peterson quickly recognized that the Chippewa River Baseball League’s documented history and decades- long existence separated it from the common ambiguity of amateur baseball leagues.

When he debuted his “CRBL League Leaders” column in July of 1980, Tim permanently altered nearly every facet of the CRBL from that day forward.  For the first time in league history, player stats, names, and performances were now being regularly viewed and assessed by thousands of people through the public forum of a newspaper – the Chippewa-Herald.

Through that pursuit of clarifying the documentation of CRBL statistics, Peterson made his most impactful contribution when implemented a standardized template for the “abbreviated” box scores to be used by CRBL team managers reporting to the local papers.  Instituted in June of 1984, the “leading hitters” and “winning/losing pitchers” box score format exponentially improved the consistency and accuracy by which game stats and results would be recorded.

Mr. Peterson’s arrival at the Leader-Telegram in 1986 brought extended coverage of the CRBL back to Eau Claire’s paper after nearly a 20 year absence.  Tim’s comprehensive and sincere reporting on the CRBL reintroduced the league to the city of Eau Claire and coincided with the Eau Claire Pioneers’ inaugural season of play in 1986.  Not since the Twin City Sports in 1968 had the city of “clear waters” fielded a CRBL squad.

Justly stated, the CRBL’s cooperative relationship with local media as well as the strength and traditions of the All-CRBL awards, the CRBL Record Book, the CRBL All-Star Game MVP award, and the CRBL Championship Game MVP award can all be attributed to the professional methods and expectations that Mr. Peterson instituted in the late 1970s.

It is just and righteous that Tim Peterson be inducted in to the Chippewa River Baseball League Hall of Fame.  Plainly stated, the CRBL Hall of Fame would not exist if not for the visionary and influential methods employed by Tim nearly forty years before his induction.  Thank you Mr. Peterson!!!

Ben Morrison

Utility

Augusta Athletics 2002-09

A left-handed hitter, Ben Morrison used a smooth and easy inside-out stroke to become one of the greatest contact hitters the Chippewa River Baseball League will ever see.

Joining an already potent Augusta line-up in 2002, Ben hit .383 (18 for 47) his rookie year in the CRBL for an Athletics squad that went 12 and 7 from the South Division.  Marching through the WBA, Morrison and the 2002 A’s made it to the Final 8 at Augusta before losing in the tournament championship to the Hudson River Rats, 19 to 9.  In total, Ben and the Athletics partook in six WBA tournaments together (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008).

Possessing the uncanny ability to hit behind the ball, Morrison’s line-drive producing swing wore out left-center gaps across the CRBL in route to his shining .382 lifetime batting average. In Ben’s eight seasons of competition, he eclipsed the .400 mark three times — .441 (26 for 59), .413 (19 for 46) in 2005, and a career best .475 (29 for 61) in 2007.

Falling just short of the 500 at-bat qualifier for the “Top 50” career batting average list, the portside swinger’s .382 career mark would have placed him third in CRBLhistory.

Excelling as a utility player, Ben was a regular off the mound for Augusta, logging 181.1 innings and gathering 14 wins during his CRBL career.  His best season pitching came in 2008, when the right-handed thrower was 5 and 2 with a 3.55 ERA and 29 K’s in 50.2 innings framed.

In addition to being named Honorable Mention All-CRBL in 2005, Morrison was voted All-CRBL in five (2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008) of his eight seasons.  The frequency of accolades given to Ben brightly illustrates his place as one of that era’s best players.  As a member of the CRBL Hall of Fame, he will forever be remembered as one of the CRBL’s all-time greats.

Shane Dutton

Outfielder

Augusta Athletics 1997-2010

One of the most consistent and explosive hitters to ever play in the Chippewa River Baseball League, Shane Dutton was truly an offensive force during his 14 seasons of competition for the Augusta Athletics.

A highly regarded and respected player, Dutton’s vicious right-handed swing resulted in season after season of elite production accentuated by an array of laser-like doubles and booming home runs.

Hitting in the middle of Augusta’s volcanic 1990s line-up, Dutton hit an incredible .380 for his CRBL career.  Shane captured a batting title in 2006 when he paced the circuit with an unearthly .508 mark (30 for 59) while also leading all hitters that year in hits with 30 and doubles with 9.

The hard swinging righty’s other league leading outputs cam in 2000 (34 hits), 2001 (4 doubles, tied), and 2009 (28 hits and 5 doubles).

A member of three South Division Champions (1997, 1998, 1999) and two CRBL champions (1998, 1999), Dutton was the championship game MVP in back to back years of 1998 and 1999.  In Augusta’s 1998 5 to 4 CRBL title game win over Tilden at Augusta, Shane was the difference maker, going 3-for-3 with 2 doubles, a solo homer, 3 runs scored, 2 walks, and 1 RBI.  His performance in the 1999 championship series – in which Augusta swept Tilden, 2 games to 0 – was truly awesome.  In the two game set, Dutton went a combined 7-for-10 with 3 home runs, 7 runs scored, 4 RBI’s, and 3 walks.

The league success of Shane and the Athletics carried over to the WBA, where together they qualified for the tournament 11 times (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008) as well as two Final 8’s in 1999 and 2002.  In the 2002 Finals held at Augusta, the Athletics lost to the Hudson River Rats 19 to 9 in the WBA Championship, marking the third time the A’s had appeared in the WBA title bout (1993, 1994 champions, 2002).

A participant in six All-Star games (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007), Dutton was a bestowed All-CRBL in eight campaigns (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2009), as well as Honorable Mention All-CRBL in 2007.

Upon induction, the right-handed slugger’s all-time rankings show him 4th all-time in batting average, 9th in slugging percentage, tied for 13th in doubles, tied for 14th in home runs, 18th in total bases, 20th in hits, 22nd in runs scored, and 24th in RBI’s.

Jon Soiney

Field & Facilities Manager

Osseo Merchants 1999 through induction

Formed in 1999, the Osseo Merchants enjoy the privilege of playing at one of the nicest amateur baseball parks and facilities in the state of Wisconsin.  Talk to any Merchant player and Merchant supporter about their top-notch field, and credit will quickly and unabashedly be given to Mr. Jon Soiney, Field and Facilities Manager for the Osseo Merchants baseball organization.  In honor of his tireless efforts and incredible work, the Chippewa River Baseball League Hall of Fame proudly recognizes Mr. Soiney as a worthy member of its exclusive Hall of Fame.

An accomplished athlete in his formative years, Jon played high school and amateur baseball in Lanesboro, MN.  After garnering attention from professional Independent League teams out of the St. Paul, MN area, Soiney moved to Eau Claire in 1967 to pursue a job at Presto Industries.  Still the competitor, Jon began a fastpitch softball career that would last over 20 years.  In progressing to Masters Division softball, Mr. Soiney played 10 years at that level, enjoying an immense amount of success as his teams won 9 state titles and one national championship.

Never far away from baseball, Jon was instrumental in the formation of the Osseo Merchants amateur team.  When the Merchants made their CRBL debut in 1999, it ended almost a 40-year absence of men’s amateur baseball teams from the town of Osseo.

Serving as an assistant manager for six years (1999-2005), Jon stepped forward to be part of a small group of individuals who purchased the land where beautiful Merchant Park would eventually be built.

In a historically significant date for both Osseo and the CRBL, the first game at the newly built field was played on April 21st, 2001.  That summer, Jon took over as head groundskeeper and became the backbone for developing and maintaining a playing surface that is considered to be second to none.

To say the least, Mr. Soiney has taken the craft of field care to a level of expertise rarely – if ever – seen in the world of amateur baseball.  Attending numerous seminars and conferring with professional baseball groundskeepers to hone his skills, Jon has traveled with the Milwaukee Brewers head groundskeeper Michael Boettcher, putting on seminars for area groups interested in improving their fields and playing surfaces.

Each season, from April through September, Mr. Soiney uses his knowledge and energy at Merchant Park, working more than 40 hours a week entirely on a volunteer basis.  In a lasting testament of respect and appreciation for his contributions, the Merchants renamed their playing field “Jon Soiney Field” in 2015.

While players and managers receive many of the accolades and attention from their on the field accomplishments, it is the selfless efforts of people such as Jon Soiney that enable amateur baseball to flourish in small communities.  Thank you Mr. Soiney for everything you have contributed, and enjoy your deserved place as a Chippewa River Baseball League Hall of Famer.

Jay Skalecki

Outfielder

Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1989-92; Tilden Tigers 1993-99

An athletic, powerful, and explosive baseball player, Jay Skalecki was truly a game changer both at the plate and in the outfield during his 11 seasons of supremely productive play in the CRBL.

Beginning as a part-time player with the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks in 1989, Skalecki was a welcome addition to the successful and veteran filled team.  In his first year as a full-timer in 1990, Jay began a streak of 10 consecutive seasons of hitting .300 or better (1990 to 1999) by posting a .306 average for the ‘Jacks.  During this prolific stretch, the hustling and hard-hitting outfielder had three .400+ seasons (1992, 1996, 1998) as well as setting his career high of .540 (34 hits in 63 at-bats) in 1993.

In Skalecki’s third season as a ‘Jack in 1991, he established himself as one of the CRBL’s most dangerous and formidable offensive threats.  During 16 league games in 1991, the right-handed hitter roped 5 doubles, bombed 6 home runs, knocked in 21 RBI’s, and scored 20 times, all while hitting .397 (25 for 63).  For his efforts, he was bestowed with his first All-CRBL award as an outfielder.  Jay concluded his four seasons in Chippewa Falls by hitting .413 (19 for 46) in 1992 with 3 home runs, 17 RBI’s, and 17 runs scored.

Skalecki went to the North Division rival Tilden Tigers in 1993 during which he hit the aforementioned .540.  In blistering 34 hits in 63 at-bats, Jay led the CRBL in batting average and hits.  He also rapped 8 doubles, 4 home runs, 23 RBI’s, and scored 15 runs in deservedly being recognized with his second All-CRBL award as an outfielder.

Jay’s third and final All-CRBL nod came in 1996 when he hit .408 (20 for 49) with 5 home runs, 18 RBI’s, and 13 runs scored for the perennial North Division champion Big Cats from Tilden.

Clearly a major element in maintaining the winning traditions of both the Tigers and the Lumberjacks, Skalecki’s 11 CRBL seasons glowed with the success of those franchises.  Remarkably, he was a part of eight North Division winners (1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999), three CRBL championships (1990, 1994, 1997), 10 WBA qualifiers (1989 to 1991, 1993 to 1999), three Final 8’s (1989, 1994, 1995), and one WBA champion with the Tilden Tigers in 1995.

A big game performer, Jay contributed mightily in seven CRBL championship contests, hitting .433 (13 for 30) with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 9 RBI’s, and 9 runs scored.

In addition to his three All-CRBL awards, the Tiger and Lumberjack participated in six All-Star games (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997).  The tenacious bat that Skalecki wielded throughout his CRBL career is on display in his all-time rankings.  Upon induction, the right-handed slugger ranks 6th in batting average, 7th in slugging percentage, and (tied for) 18th in home runs.

Denny O’Melia

Pitcher

CRBL:  Leif’s Conoco Oilers 1952-53

ECCBL:  Eau Claire Tommy Millers 1960-62

With his induction in to the CRBL Hall of Fame, lefty Denny O’Melia should be remembered as one of the most overwhelmingly dominant and superbly talented amateur pitchers to ever toe the rubber in Northwest Wisconsin.

Denny’s rookie year of amateur baseball came in 1952 when he logged a modest 3.1 innings in Chippewa Valley League play for the Leif’s Conoco Oilers of Eau Claire.  Denny’s incredible talent began to shine in 1953 when he led the CVL with 100 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched while tying for the circuit lead in the categories of wins (7), winning percentage (1.000), and shutouts (1).  In compiling a 2.04 ERA that season, O’Melia was also part of the league’s 10th no-hitter as he and teammate Jim Rogneby combined to no-hit Fall Creek 11-2.  The slender lefty’s sizzling fastball and big breaking curve quickly caught the attention of professional scouts.  Before the summer of 1953 was over, Denny had signed and debuted with the hometown Eau Claire Bears, who at the time were affiliated with Milwaukee Braves.

After serving in the military from 1954 to 1956, Denny was signed by the Kansas City Athletics. Rising quickly through the A’s ranks, O’Melia received an invite to the Athletics major league spring camp in 1957.  In playing for three organizations (Milwaukee Braves, Kansas City Athletics, Cincinnati Reds) across three levels (Single A, Double A, Triple A) within six seasons as a professional (1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960), O’Melia’s pro numbers include 114 appearances, 35 wins, 31 losses, a .530 winning percentage, 512 innings pitched, 506 strikeouts, and a 4.82 ERA.  Denny is also on record as having multiple 20 strikeout games as a pro and also throwing a no-hitter for the Missoula Timberjacks (Double A, Cincinnati Reds) in 1960.

After throwing 3.1 innings for the Eau Claire Tommy Millers of the Eau Claire Classic League in 1960, Denny returned full-time to the amateur ranks in 1961 with terrific dominance.  As player/pitcher/manager for the Millers, the smooth lefty posted a 1.96 ERA and led the ECCBL in innings pitched with 119.1, strikeouts with 186, wins with 12, a winning percentage of .800, and shutouts with 4.  O’Melia’s overall totals from 1961 – ECCBL games and non-league games combined – were astounding.  In 152.1 innings, he struck out 231 batters while posting a 16 and 3 record with 5 shutouts, a 1-hitter, and a no-hitter all while walking just 47 batters.  Unofficially, the 231 K’s are an Eau Claire baseball record for a single-season of pitching.

Fueled by O’Melia’s dynamic left arm, the 1961 Tommy Millers went a ECCBL best 13 and 5 and swept the Eau Claire Twin City Sports 2 games to 0 in the ECCBL championship series.  In the game one 6-0 victory, O’Melia threw a 5-inning, 1-hit shutout with 12 K’s.  In the game two clincher, O’Melia mowed down 20 Sports in the nine-inning, 5-2 victory.  The Millers would go on to win the 1961 WBA championship with a 5 and 1 tournament record, beating Pepin at New Richmond to clinch the title.  True to form, O’Melia went 2 and 0 with two complete game WBA victories, striking out 24 in 18 innings while giving up 3 earned runs (1.50 ERA) and allowing 8 hits.

1962 was O’Melia’s last year playing baseball full-time in the Chippewa Valley, and he did nothing but fortify his place as one of the largest baseball giants to ever come out of this area.  Again acting as player/pitcher/manager for the Tommy Millers, Denny continued to own the ECCBL.  In 58.1 league innings, the standout southpaw had an ERA of 1.08, struck out 87, led the ECCBL with 7 wins and a .875 winning percentage (7 wind and 1 loss) while also tying for the lead in saves and shutouts with 1 apiece.  In staking the outright ECCBL championship with a 9 and 2 record, O’Melia and the Millers rolled in to the WBA only to lose in the title game 6-5 to Pepin at Cushing.  Despite being the losing pitcher in the championship, O’Melia was named to the 1962 All-WBA team after earlier hurling a 2-0 shutout, logging 18 tournament innings, striking out 31, and giving up 4 earned runs (2.00 ERA) while allowing 12 hits.

Denny would go on to pursue teaching and baseball coaching jobs at Winter (1962-65) and Chetek (1966-68) high schools before taking a position in Inver Heights, MN at Inver Hills Community College where he started the baseball program in 1970 and remained the head coach for the next nine seasons.

O’Melia’s playing days were far from over, however.  Pitching for the Barron town team out of the Barron County League, Lefty propelled the Barron team to their lone WBA championship in 1965 when they captured the Class B crown.  Denny was named the outstanding pitcher for Class B as he threw a no-hitter, had 2 complete game wins, made 3 appearances, pitched 21 innings, and gave up only 3 knocks.

The connection O’Melia made in the minors brought him back to the pro ranks in 1975 when Minnesota Twins manager Gene Mauch called upon him to act as a batting practice pitcher, specifically when the Twins were to face a left-handed hurler.  For the next five years, Denny toed the rubber at old Met Stadium to fill the role of “Scout Team Lefty” for Minnesota.

In a strong testament to the type of enduring skill and devotion O’Melia possessed, the great lefty pitched in to his mid-60’s for the highly competitive Exeland Braves semi-pro squad, thus crafting a pitching career that qualitatively stretched across five decades, beginning in the 1950’s and finishing in the 1990’s.

In just two full-time seasons of play in the ECCBL, Denny stands as the league’s all-time leader in shutouts (5), winning percentage (.826, 19 wins vs. 4 losses), and K/9 IP (13.82).

Although his stop in CRBL history amounted to only five seasons, the brevity of his existence should not minimize the certainty that O’Melia was a super nova pitching talent rarely seen at any amateur baseball level.  Upon induction, the Chippewa River Baseball League Hall of Fame officially acknowledges Denny O’Melia as one of the greatest baseball individuals the league will ever know.

Mike “Scoop” Lucas

Media

Chippewa Herald-Telegram 1967-77; Cadott Sentinel 1978

A sports writer and sports editor for the Chippewa Herald-Telegram from 1967 to 1977 as well as the Cadott Sentinel in 1978, Mike Lucas is the first member of the Chippewa River Baseball League Hall of Fame to be elected solely for contributions as a member of the media.

During his first year at the Chippewa-Herald Telegram in 1967, Mike unveiled what would become a frequently running feature known as the “A.M. Report”.  Within the lines of that column, readers of the Chippewa Herald-Telegram were given their first behind the scenes look in to the teams of the Chippewa Valley League, the forerunner to the CRBL.  The dugout vantage point offered by Lucas supplied insightful details on team happenings, opinions of players and managers, as well as league organizational decisions and rules.

“Scoop” also should be credited with being the first sports reporter in the area to consistently provide readers with illustrated photos of team rosters, game action, and individual players. Moreover, Lucas had a knack for capturing poignant post-game shots of the elated and celebratory winners side by side with the vanquished and emotionally crushed losing squad.

Through his “A.M. Report”, Lucas also compiled and presented league statistics for both team and individual accomplishments.  Hitting, pitching, and even defensive stats were offered in a professional and engaging manner.  In doing so, Mike unknowingly laid the foundation for the statistical records, structure, and accountability that have become synonymous with the historically rich existence of the CRBL.

Decades after his last newspaper story was printed, Mike’s ideas and professional approach to reporting on amateur baseball can still vividly be seen and felt in how the CRBL operates today.

Also known as “A.M. Lucas”, Mike’s induction in to the CRBL Hall of Fame rightfully honors the pioneering coverage of one of the most influential figures in league history.  Thank you Scoop!!!

Scott Biederman

Player/Manager

Eau Claire Bears 1998-2007

Player

Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1993

From 1998 to 2007, Scott Biederman’s dedicated and stand-up brand of leadership was a visible part of the Eau Claire Bears’ immense success.  On and off the field, his strong managerial presence undoubtedly helped transform the Bears from a beginning CRBL organization in to a resounding amateur baseball dynasty.

Biederman’s time in the CRBL began as a part-time player for the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks in 1993.  Then, after fulfilling a similar playing role for the unaffiliated Eau Claire Bears over the next several seasons, Scott claimed their managerial spot in 1998.  That year coincided with the Bears’ first season in the CRBL, one in which they admirably finished 9 and 7 and qualified for the WBA before losing their first round game to the eventual 1998 WBA champions, the Sparta Millers.

After failing to play .500 baseball over the next two years within the unforgiving competition and structure of the CRBL, Biederman’s 2001 Eau Claire squad began turning the corner with a 9 and 9 league mark while narrowly missing a WBA berth.  With a growing core of excellent young players, Scott’s 2002 team went 13 and 6 in winning the franchise’s first South Division title by beating the established Augusta Athletics 11-0 at Augusta in a divisional tiebreaker game.  After losing 4-2 to Tilden in the 2002 CRBL championship bout, Biederman led the black and white clad crew to their first Final 8 appearance where they lost the opening quarterfinal game 2-1 to the Spring Valley Hawks in Augusta.

With another strong showing in 2003, one that saw Eau Claire go 12 and 6 and qualify again for the WBA, Biederman and the Bears were on the verge of embarking on one of the greatest runs of success the CRBL will ever see.

From 2004 to 2007, the Bears used the baseball pillars of dominant pitching, good defense, and clutch hitting to win four consecutive South Division titles, three CRBL crowns (2004, 2005, 2006), as well as clawing their way to the WBA’s Final 8 each year.  When including the 2002 and 2003 seasons, the Bears went a CRBL best 86 and 22 (.796 winning percentage) during Scott’s last seven seasons as the skipper, including a sterling 17-1 record in 2006.  The pinnacle of this remarkable run came in 2005 when the Biederman guided Eau Claire nine beat the Everest Merchants 10-7 at Chaseburg-Coon Valley to win the coveted WBA championship.  At that time, it was only the fifth WBA title ever captured by a CRBL team.

The CRBL co-manager of the year in 2006, Biederman’s accumulative managerial totals during his 10 seasons at the helm of the Bears are historically significant.  Upon induction, Scott ranks (tied for) 2nd in WBA titles, 3rd in WBA wins, 3rd in WBA Final 8’s, (tied for) 3rd in divisional crowns, (tied for) 5th in CRBL titles, (tied for) 9th in WBA appearances, 10th in CRBL wins, 10th in CRBL winning percentage, and 11th in CRBL games managed.