Position: Pitcher

Ron Cronin

Pitcher, 1st Basemen

Bloomer Pines 1954-55,58-59,61-64,66; Tilden Tigers 1960; Lafayette Indians 1965


Frequently described as “The Big Right-Hander”, Cronin used an unusual side-arm delivery to magnify a blazing fastball in forever making his mark as one of the premier strikeout pitchers in league history.

Racking up a remarkable 1,042 strikeouts in 764.1 innings, he was the “K King” when he retired, and his total still ranks 2nd all-time some 45 years after his last game.  Averaged over 12 strikeouts (12.27) per nine innings, the 3rd all-time highest mark.

Topped the 100 strikeout barrier in a season a league record six times, doing so in 1958 (144 K in 97.1 IP), 1960 (102 K in 96.1 IP), 1961 (143 K in 89.1 IP), 1962 (116 K in 85 IP), 1963 (153 K in 115.1 IP), and 1964 (108 K in 77.1 IP).  Led the Chippewa Valley League in punch-outs four of those years (1958, 1961-1963).  His streak of 5 seasons in a row (1960-1964) with over 100 strikeouts has never and may never matched.   Won 7 or more games six times, leading the league in that category three times (1960, 1962, 1963), with a high of 11 wins in 1963.  His career total of 59 wins still ranks 8th all-time.  Led the then Chippewa Valley League in innings pitched in 1960 and 1963.  Tied for the league lead in shutouts with 1 in 1955 and led the league with 2 in 1962.

Always a long-ball threat during his era, Cronin hit 2 homeruns in a season twice, leading the league with that total in 1963.  That same year, he also led the league with 13 RBI’s.

Played a major role on 4 division winners, helping to turn the tide for Bloomer (1958, 1961, 1963) and Tilden (1960).

Played in eight All-Star games (1955, 1958-1964).  Co-shares the single game league record for innings pitched with 16, doing so in a complete game, 4-1 loss to the Chippewa Falls Triangle Sports in 1958 during which he K’d 22 batters.

Larry Bowe

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.

Frank Atkinson

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.