After nearly a three decade tenure, and one of the largest league contributors to the history of the CRBL, Andy Niese has stepped down as secretary and treasurer of the Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL). Niese, who began as the Vice President in 1997, has been the league secretary and treasurer since 1998. Additionally, Niese began the CRBL Hall of Fame in 2009 recognizing baseball players throughout the league history and completed a CRBL record book the same year. His record book was accepted into National Baseball Hall of Fame library at Cooperstown.
Niese commented, “It is hard to believe that nearly 30 years have gone by, but the never ending obligations of life and work have necessitated that I reprioritize how and where I am giving my time. In some manner I will always stay involved with the CRBL, just not quite to the extent I have been since becoming a league officer in 1997.”
Luke Anderson will step in as the secretary and Pete Thaler will accept the role of treasurer. Anderson, who has been a part of the Osseo Merchants for more then a decade, brings a lot of experience to the officer position. Thaler, the current manager of the Jim Falls, has managed the Sturgeons squad since 2020.
League president Rick Danielson said about Niese, “Andy has been a tremendous asset for the CRBL for close to three decades. His fingerprints are all over the league. Without him, we would not have a CRBL Hall of Fame or a CRBL record book. The league would like to thank him for all the hard work he has put in over the years.”
Niese, who is the all-time CRBL hits leader at 660 season, also managed the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks from 2007 to 2016 before transferring the team to Eau Claire and franchising the Eau Claire Rivermen in 2017. Niese is statistically scattered throughout the CRBL record books as a player and manager. He is the all-time leader in hits, singles, doubles, at-bats and games played as a player. He also holds the record for the most wins as a manager with 209 victories. Only one other manager has coached more CRBL games, Scott Stuckert managed 486 games, while Niese finished his managing career writing out the lineup 370 times.
Longtime Jim Falls Sturgeon and league Vice President Keith Pitsch added, “Since its inception, and even since its roots in the old Chippewa Valley League in the early 20th Century, there have been many people who have given greatly of their time and talents to make this an institution in West-Central Wisconsin, but I don’t think there is anyone who has done more for it than Andy. As I recall, the multitude of leagues that once spotted Wisconsin and are now only memories, the continued existence and flourishing of the CRBL is a testament to dedicated people, and none have been more dedicated than him. It has been an honor and a pleasure to have played against him, played with him, and worked with him over the years. His departure leaves a gaping hole which we will patch but never fill. I know many baseball lovers, like me, send our utmost gratitude to this man, one of a kind.”