League: Chippewa Rivers Baseball League

Primary League

Scott Stuckert

Class of 2021

Infielder / Manager

Bloomer Merchants 1982-92; Bloomer Woodticks 1993-2016

Throughout his 35 seasons in the CRBL, Scott Stuckert approached the game of baseball with an observably high level of dedication, respect and enjoyment. His likable and personable nature often overshadowed the fact that “Stuck” was an awesome baseball player, definitively one of the best to ever take the diamond in CRBL history.

An incredibly productive and consistent performer, Stuckert’s career marks were attained through an annually elite level of play that was entirely remarkable. Within 1,534 at-bats over 505 CRBL games, the Bloomer great holds a .359 batting average, a .456 slugging percentage, an on base percentage of .477, and an OPS. of .933.

During 29 seasons (!), Scott hit over .300, eclipsing the .400 mark in nine of those campaigns, with a career best mark of.462 (24 for 52) in 1990. Additionally, Stuck had 20 or more hits in ten seasons (high of 30 in 1986), 10 or more RBI’s in 21 campaigns (high of 27 in 1986), walked 10 or more times in 19 seasons (high of 18 in 2002) and had 16 campaigns of 3 or more doubles (career high of 8 in 1991, leading the CRBL).

Beginning with his stellar 1990 season in which he was named All-CRBL at shortstop, Scott took over managerial duties from his dad and fellow CRBL Hall of Famer, Jim Stuckert. Initially running the Bloomer Merchants from 1990 to 1992, Stuck oversaw the team rebranding itself to the Fighting Woodticks moniker in 1993. Selflessly guiding the Bloomer squad for 27 seasons, Scott and the ‘Ticks qualified for seven WBA tournaments, with six of them occurring consecutively from 2000 to 2005. WBA tournament seven came in 2007, when the Woodticks made it to the Final 8 for only the third time in franchise history, joining the Bloomer Pines of 1958 and the Bloomer Merchants of 1987.

In total, Stuck managed an astounding 486 CRBL games. Historically, Scott’s all-time managerial rankings are found in games managed (1st), wins (3rd) and WBA appearances (tied for 9th).

Stuckert’s individual excellence and dedication is highlighted by his league record 20 appearances in CRBL All-Star games, with (yet another) CRBL record 14 in a row from 1989 to 2002. In the 1993 contest, Stuck was named the All-Star game MVP when he hit a walk-off solo homerun in the bottom of the 10th inning giving the North Division an 8-7 win over the South Division at Augusta.

A tough defender with sure hands and an accurate arm, the utility infielder was named All-CRBL in three seasons (1986-shortstop, 1987-utility, 1991-shortstop). Moreover, Scott was recognized in five seasons as an Honorable Mention choice (1989-shortstop, 1990-shortstop, 1992-shortstop, 1993-shortstop, 2006-2nd base).

As a right-handed hitter, Scott deployed a short, quick and level swing from a compact and slightly crouched stance to amass a treasure trove of all-time rankings. Upon induction, the Woodtick and CRBL legend is ranked 1st in RBI’s, 2nd in hits, 2nd in games played, 2nd in singles, tied for 2nd in seasons played, 3rd in at-bats, 3rd in walks, tied for 4th in doubles, 5th in total bases, 7th in runs scored, 10th in on base percentage, and 20th in batting average.

Eddie Atkinson

Class of 2021

Scorekeeper

Jim Falls Sturgeons
1980-2014

Over a career of service that touched four decades and exceeded 30 years, Eddie Atkinson became an iconic and recognizable figure for the Sturgeons of Jim Falls. Despite never having played one inning for the Big Fish, Eddie rose to CRBL prominence through his dedicated and sincere work as the scorekeeper for the Sturgeons.

Famously possessing a good natured wit and an infectious sense of humor, Atkinson should be held in the same ilk as that of the legendary Sturgeon players that have shaped the franchise’s long and proud history in the river hamlet of Jim Falls, WI.

A notorious jokester, Eddie was renowned for his indiscriminate ability to tease, hassle and poke fun at fellow Sturgeons and opponents alike. To become a target of his cutting barbs was considered by most victims to be an honor, a sign that one was becoming an established CRBL player. To escape a game unscathed by one of Eddie’s quips was – frankly – rather disappointing.

The respect and appreciation Atkinson had earned among his Sturgeon brethren was evident in 2009 when he was bestowed an Honorable Mention All-CRBL award as a scorekeeper, becoming one of the first non-players to be recognized for such a distinction.

Incredibly, Eddie “kept book” during nearly 600 CRBL games for the Jim Falls Sturgeons, right through his last season of 2014. Undoubtedly, Atkinson would have surpassed the 600 game mark if not for his unexpected passing in December of 2014 at the age of 69.

Because of people – and characters – like Eddie, amateur baseball continues to exist and thrive in small town Wisconsin. Rest easy Eddie!!! You are forever a CRBL Hall of Famer.

Paul Pehler

Class of 2021

Outfielder / Player Manager
Whitehall Wolves 2005-13

A hustling, high energy ball player during his nine seasons in the CBRL, Paul Pehler was also a dedicated manager and relentless advocate for the Wolves of Whitehall. Under his guidance, Whitehall was transformed from an organization struggling to survive into one of the most vaunted and highly successful amateur teams in the CRBL and across northwest Wisconsin.

Pehler’s rookie year also coincided with Whitehall’s first year of play in the storied Chippewa River Baseball League. After two seasons as a part-time player, Paul took over as player/manager in 2007. That season also marked his first full-time ledger, as Pehler played in all 18 league games, hitting .362 (21 for 58) with a homerun, 13 RBI’s and a league leading 13 stolen bases.

2008 was the Wolf Pack leader’s best season. The right-handed batter hit a career high .379 (25 for 66), tying for the CRBL lead in doubles with 7 and leading the circuit again in steals with 10 while hitting 1 homerun and knocking in a career high 18 RBI’s.

It was in 2010 that the Wolves evolved, becoming a team to be reckoned with under Pehler’s leadership. Deploying a fearlessly aggressive offensive approach, accentuated by a team philosophy of stealing bases at any time in any count against any opponent, Whitehall howled their way to a 12 and 6 finish. In enjoying their first winning season, the Wolves narrowly missed a South Division title while qualifying for their first WBA tournament.

The Pehler-led Wolves continued their ascension in 2011, hunting down and finally winning the South Division with a 14 and 6 mark. While directing the Wolfpack that season, Pehler hit .300 (18 for 60) with 6 doubles and 12 RBI’s. In the 2011 CRBL championship game at Tilden, Whitehall dropped a tough, 4-3 game to the Tigers in 10 innings.

2012 saw Pehler and the Wolves permanently brand their place in CRBL history and legitimately establish themselves as an amateur baseball power. In his last year as player/manager, Pehler hit a healthy .350 (21 for 60) with 5 doubles, 2 home runs (a career high), 14 RBI’s and 12 runs (also a career high). His production contributed mightily to the Wolves’ incredible season, one in which they set a then CRBL record for regular season wins by going 19 and 3 and winning a second consecutive South Division title. In the 2012 CRBL title bout, Whitehall blanked the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 6-0, becoming CRBL champs for the first time in franchise history.

Pehler stepped away from his managerial duties in 2013 but played that year – his last – for the Wolves. In his final season, Paul drove in 12 runs in 17 games, enjoying the Whitehall Pack’s dominant 19 and 3 season, one in which they won their third consecutive South Division title, beat the Lumberjacks again in the CRBL title bout (this time 1-0) and were victorious in their first round WBA game.

A .317 hitter in 144 CRBL games, Paul staked a .535 winning percentage in 114 contests as a manager, including 45 and 15 (.750 win pct.) over his last three seasons. In addition to an All-CRBL award in 2008 and Honorable Mention All-CRBL nod in 2007, Pehler participated in four All-Star games (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011). As a manager, he became the second skipper to win back-to-back CRBL Manager of the Year awards, doing so in 2010 and 2011.

Through his productive contributions as a player and winning guidance as a manager, Pehler made a lasting, competitive impact on the Whitehall Wolves franchise. With his induction, Paul Pehler takes his place as one of the legends in Chippewa River Baseball League history.

Jon Huth

Class of 2021

Pitcher
Eau Claire Bears 2005-13

During a highly accomplished amateur baseball career that encompassed over 30 seasons across five decades, Jon Huth spent nine of those seasons with the Eau Claire Bears, securing his place as one of the truly elite power pitchers in CRBL history.

A former professional pitcher, Huth was a 31st round draft pick of the Texas Rangers, spending a season in rookie ball with the Rangers in his draft year of 1988 and then a season at the mid-A level with the Kansas City Royals in 1989.

The flame throwing righty’s professional experience was bookended by an 11-season career (1987-1997) for the Eau Claire Cavaliers within an era of national prominence for that respected organization. While toeing the slab for the Cavaliers, Jon notched a won-loss record of 44 and 13 (.772 win pct.) while also securing 13 saves.

After pitching for several amateur teams around the upper Midwest in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Huth debuted with the Eau Claire Bears in 2005 at the age of 37. With the addition of the Big Righty, Eau Claire quickly rose to an unmatched levels of competiveness and success. Over the duration of Jon’s nine CRBL seasons, the Bears won six consecutive South Divisions (2005 to 2010), four CRBL crowns (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009), and two WBA titles (2005 and 2009).

In Eau Claire’s 17 to 2 dispatching of Tilden in the 2005 CRBL championship, Huth was named game MVP. In his 7 innings as the starting and winning pitcher, Jon allowed just one unearned run while striking out 8, scattering 8 hits, and walking not one batter.

As of 2021, Jon is one of only eight pitchers to twirl multiple no-hitters, with his “no-no’s” occurring in back-to-back seasons: 2007 vs. the Whitehall Wolves in an 11-0, 6-inning Bear’s victory and then again in 2008 during a 10-0, 5-inning win vs. the Jim Falls Sturgeons.

The dominant stuff possessed by the Bears’ righty is further exhibited in his CRBL season leading totals. In three campaigns, Jon was the league’s ERA leader, pacing the circuit in 2005 (2.20 ERA, 11 ER/45 IP), 2009 (0.45 ERA, 1 ER/20 IP), and 2012 (0.73 ERA, 2 ER/24.2 IP). He also had two seasons with the highest winning percentage of 1.000 (5 and 0 in both 2006 and 2008), as well as two years with the most shutouts – 2006 (tied for the league lead with 2) and 2007 (alone in the top spot with 2).

A participant in two All-Star games (2007 and 2009), Huth was named All-CRBL pitcher in four consecutive campaigns: 2005 (unanimously), 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Upon induction, The Great Bear reigns as the CRBL’s all-time ERA king. Huth is also ranked highly in shutouts (tied for 9th), winning percentage (10th), K/9 IP (19th), and wins (45th).

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