Position: First base

John Harings

Class of 2010

Pitcher, 1st Baseman

Tilden Tigers 1946-54, 56, 58-59; Tilden Terrors 1960-61

As part of a seemingly continuous line of memorable hurlers to take the field for Tilden, John Harings can be viewed as the first long-term standout from both the pitcher’s mound and the batter’s box in CRBL history.

Establishing himself as a consummate innings eater, the right-handed Harings led the league with a career high 131.1 innings pitched in 1948.  In that same season, the righty also led the league with 11 wins and 155 strikeouts while posting a 3.29 ERA and earning a decision in each of Tilden’s 15 league games.

For the 13 and 1 North Division winning Tigers in 1950, Harings was the difference.  Striking out 124 batters in 112 innings, he led the league with 2 shutouts and 12 wins against just 1 defeat.  In 1951, he captured his lone ERA crown with a 2.63 mark, going 8 and 2 in 92.1 innings with 99 strikeouts for the 16 and 3 league runner-up Tigers.  This capped an iron man start to his career in which he averaged 8 wins, 102 innings pitched, and 107 strikeouts with an ERA of 3.41 ERA during his first six league seasons.  John’s other league leading totals came in saves three times (1946,1956,1958) and shutouts two more times (1947 and 1950).

With the bat, Harings hit over .300 in four of his fourteen seasons (1948,1949,1953,1961), with his career high of .391 (18 for 46) occurring in 1961.  In the process of logging 199 career hits, John led the league with 19 knocks in 1949, 3 homeruns in 1953, and tied for the league lead in doubles with 5 and triples with 2 in 1948.

Participated in two All-Star games (1950 and 1951).  One of the main cogs in Tilden‘s ascension to league dominance, Harings played on two division winners (1950 and 1960), one league champion (1949), and one WBA qualifier (1960).

Upon induction, John’s highest all-time rankings are that of 7th in innings pitched, 9th in wins, and 9th in strikeouts.  Offensively, Harings has the most 5-hit games in league history with 3.

Jeff Couey

Inaugural Class of 2009

1st Basemen, Pitcher

Cadott Red Sox 1972-73, 78-83

Often recalled as the “Babe Ruth” of CRBL play, Jeff Couey was an imposing left-handed masher and a shut-down right-handed closer during his eight seasons for the Cadott Red Sox.

His first two years in the league were of modest beginnings, as he hit a combined .287 (25 for 87) with 1 homerun and 18 RBI’s.  As a pitcher in 1972 he threw only 6 innings, but in 1973 he emerged as a #1, going 4 and 0 with a 2.80 ERA in 35.1 innings and striking out 52 of the opposition.

In Cadott‘s 5-4 championship game win vs. the Jim Falls Sturgeons in 1973, Couey hit a key two-run double and struck out 15 in a complete game effort that should have served as a warning shot for what was to come.

After spending several seasons with the Eau Claire Cavaliers, Couey returned in 1978 to wreak havoc on league competition.  At the plate, he won the triple crown (.483 AVG, 6 HR, 26 RBI) and from the hill he was the ERA champ with a mark of 1.43 (5 ER/31.2 IP) while winning 4 games and losing 1.  In 1979, Couey became the first person in league history to win two triple crowns — and still is the only batter to claim them back to back — leading hitters with a .420 AVG, 8 HR, and 31 RBI.  He went on to lead the league in homeruns and RBI’s the next three years — 8 HR’s and a since broken league record of 38 RBI’s in 1980, 5 HR’s and 26 RBI’s in 1981, and 6 HR’s (tied) and 37 RBI’s in 1982.  Out of this five season rampage, Couey set league marks for most seasons as a home run leader (5), RBI leader (5), and most consecutive seasons leading in each category (5).

Also led the league in hits with 29 in 1979, and runs scored twice with 24 in 1978 and 25 in 1979.  The respect he was shown as a hitter was evident in that he led the league in walks four times — 18 in 1978, 20 in 1979, 18 (tied) in 1981, and 16 in 1982.  Received over one walk per game in his career.  Reportedly, he was once intentionally walked with the bases loaded.

From the bullpen, Couey acted as the late-inning hammer for the championship Cadott Red Sox teams.  In addition to winning the ERA title in 1978, Couey did the same in 1982 at 1.02 (9 ER/26.2 IP).  From his closing role, Jeff tied for the league lead in saves with 2 in 1979 and 1 in 1980, before setting a yet to be broken league record of 7 lockdowns in 1981.

During that 1978 to 1982 run, the Couey fueled Cadott Red Sox went an accumulative 81 and 9 in CRBL play, won four South Division crowns, three league championships, qualified for the WBA each year, and made the Final 8 in 1981.  His legend began to grow when he clubbed 3 homers and knocked in 5 runs during Cadott’s 8-2 South Division playoff win against the Lafayette Lakers in 1979 .  In Cadott’s 8-5 title loss vs. Tilden that year, he was walked 4 times, twice intentionally.  He hit 2 bombs against the Lafayette Lakers in Cadott’s 5-3 Southern Divison playoff victory in 1980, propelling the Sox to their first of three consecutive championships.  In five total championship games, he went 6 for 12 with a double, 2 homeruns, 10 base on balls, and 5 RBI’s while earning a save, a win, and whiffing 31 men in 18 innings of work with an ERA of 1.16.

Elected All-CRBL from 1978 to 1982.  Participated in three All-Star games (1973, 1980, 1981).  A full-time player in six of his eight league seasons, a longer stay would have enabled Couey to make even more immovable marks on the record books.  As it stands, his 37 homeruns rank him tied for 10th all-time while his save total of 12 puts him alone in 5th place.  Whatever his numbers may be, Jeff Couey indisputably etched his name as one of the more memorable players to ever don a uniform in the CRBL.

Ron Cronin

Inaugural Class of 2009

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

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.