The Augusta Athletics, Powered by Stensen Excavating and Transport, are back in the CRBL and the Athletics are excited to bring baseball back to the newly renovated Jan Krueger Diamond at Memorial Field.
The A’s lineup will be filled with some familiar faces and a few ones. The lineup will include members of the former A’s, JJ and Cody Breaker; along with Brice Shimon and Parker Gehrmann who previously suited up for the Merchants. In addition, some recent graduates from Augusta, Fall Creek, Eau Claire and Thorp will fill out the roster. The A’s have also identified some hidden talent that will be joining the team after their high school season concludes.
The Athletics will be managed by Duane Ives and Byron King. Duane was a long-time player for the Athletics during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Bryon has served as the assistant baseball coach for the Augusta High School team for past few years.
The Athletics enter the season with a lot of questions about their pitching staff, position players and hitting…but are excited to work through all those challenges and put a competitive team on the field!
Fans of the Athletics should be excited about the upcoming season and the potential of the new team! The team would like to thank all their sponsors for helping get the team off the ground this season. (Take a second and scroll through our sponsors below). Hope to see you all out at the field this season!
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ROSTER: Chase Stensen-Veenendahl, Brennan Stensen-Veenendahl, JJ Breaker, Cody Breaker, Cole Stensen, Brice Shimon, Parker Gehrmann, Cameron Martzke, Logan Brown, Ryan Grunewald, Matt Vesperman, Jakob Rosemeyer, Ryan Stunkel
Managers: Duane Ives & Byron King
While the Bullfrogs showed an improvement on the field last year, the 2023 Frogs will look to be the surprise of the CRBL.
Beef River returns most of their team from last year, including the team leader in hits Ryan Gray (14). Taylor Rathke/Tim Prince (12), Kyle Maug (11), Ethan Bartels (10) and Wes Boyarski (1 HR) also are returning as leading hitters from last year’s squad. Returning arms include Bartels (49.2 IP), Boyarski (34) and Prince (24.1). The Frogs will be looking to some of the fresh faces to help them get through the season on the mound.
Preston Benedict is one name to watch on the mound as a newcomer for the Frogs and to the CRBL. Derek Bills brings some late game heat, while Dylan Fox will also look to take on some innings as a fresh face.
Will Thibideau will make his full CRBL season debut with the Frogs. Thibideau went 5-13 in 3 games for the Frogs last season, including a double. Carter Johnson will also make his return to the Outfield after playing in just 5 games for the Frogs last season. Storm Standiford comes over to the Frogs after having spent time with the Eau Claire Cavaliers and most recently the Osseo Merchants. The lefty will look to help anchor the lineup at 1B and the DH position. Jackson Faulkner will join the Frogs after spending last season with the Cavaliers. Colin Boyarski will join the squad after his senior season with Altoona. Colin is the younger brother of Wes Boyarski and will look to provide a boost at the plate while manning the hot corner and some games behind the dish.
Hanging up the cleats to be a full-time dad is Brendan McCabe. McCabe brought an electric energy to the squad as a Veteran and went out with a bang, hitting .333 with 4 doubles, while also earning his first All-Star game selection, and Gold Glove award behind the dish. McCabe’s energy and love for the game will be missed this season.
The Bullfrogs are excited to have fans back out to the Ballpark this summer and can’t wait to see what the season holds.
Go Frogs!
ROSTER: Dyllan Bauer, Austin Baker, Ethan Bartels, Preston Benedict, Derek Bills, Colin Boyarski, Wesley Boyarski, Jackson Faulkner, Parker Fischer, Dylan Fox, Ryan Gray, Brandon Jaenke, Carter Johnson, Justin Julson, Reece Lucas, Ethan Maug, Kyle Maug, Daniel Palubicki, Tim Prince, Taylor Rathke, Cody Skabroud, Storm Standiford, Will Thibideau, Brett VanVlack, Austin Zimmerman
MANAGER: Taylor Rathke, Ethan Bartels
The 2022 Woodticks were something. We aren’t sure what, but they were something. An uncharacteristic one win season is something that the 2023 version of the Woodticks will work to turn into what feels like ancient history.
The roster is built like a bread forward sandwich. The top piece of bread is those same faces that have suited up for several seasons. The team will hope the veterans can provide steadiness. The middle of the sandwich includes a couple players that are really coming into their own as they continue to play in the battle tested CRBL. The final part of the roster that makes up the the bottom piece of bread is full of players who are young and ready to show their talents. This group of Ticks have either just joined the team or have played in parts of only a couple seasons. We are excited to see how the season plays on for this group!
We would like to thank all of our local sponsors as well as the players’ families for the time and effort they give to help our season run. We hope to see you head up north to Bloomer for some Woodtick action this season!
The Red Sox are excited to be back for another year of CRBL baseball in 2023! Going into last season the team had a lot of unknowns with several key veterans retiring and many new faces joining the team. The club didn’t know what to expect with these new players but they exceeded expectations and laid a promising foundation for the upcoming 2023 season.
Returning to the lineup this season on the infield are all star and rookie of the year runner up Chad Kron. Kron took control of the leadoff spot last year with a 340 batting average and played a great shortstop. Fresh off his first career All CRBL Award veteran Zac Merritt (362 BA) looks to be an anchor in the middle of the lineup. Filling out the infield will be Austin Goettl, Parker Lemanski, Jonah Hanson, Sam Feck, Cole Bakkum, and Conner Roth. Second year player Ryan Smith figures to be the primary catcher.
In years past the Sox have been thin in the outfield. This is not the case anymore. Ely Johnson will return to centerfield where he batted 467(14 for 30) last season. Two time gold glove winner and 2022 all star Shawn Sedlacek is slotted to man left field. Logan Burzynski who made the all star team as a rookie last year, Tony Riley and Bennett Bowe will all be big contributors as well.
Something Cadott has struggled with for years has been pitching depth. In one years time Cadott has completely revamped their starting rotation. Second year player Alex Schmidt joined the team in April last year and finished third in the league in innings pitched with 56. After months of negotiations the Red Sox were able to add two time all star Zack Thiesse. His veteran leadership, playoff experience, and durability will be a major plus for the team. Eau Claire North graduate and current University of Minnesota Duluth pitcher Henry Wilkinson will join the team in June as will Cadott high school standout and southpaw Warren Bowe. On paper this rotation is the strongest Cadott has had in over a decade.
Red Sox fans should be excited about the potential of their team for the upcoming season! The team would like to thank all of their fans and their outstanding sponsors. (Take a second and scroll through our sponsors below). Hope to see you all out at the field this season! Let’s play ball!
ROSTER: Cole Bakkum, Bennett Bowe, Warren Bowe, Logan Burzynski, Henry Danielson, Rick Danielson, Sam Feck, Austin Goettl, Jonah Hanson, Ely Johnson, Chad Kron, Parker Lemanski , Zac Merritt, Ben Poppe, Tony Riley, Conner Roth, Alex Schmidt, Shawn Sedlacek, Ryan Smith, Zack Thiesse, Henry Wilkinson
MANAGER: Rick Danielson
The Chippewa Falls LumberJacks continue to make their mark as a highly competitive and successful team in the CRBL and Amatuer Baseball in this part of the state. In 2022 we were one of four teams to make the CRBL Playoffs which marked the second year in row we have done so. Our 21-10 overall season record put us over 20 wins for the second consecutive year as well.
The Jacks participated in the WBA (Wisconsin Baseball Association) Tournament for the 3rd straight year going 1-1 in Regional play. Getting back to the WBA Tournament and competing for the championship will be one of our top goals for 2023.
Individually Matt Martineau gathered unanimous All-CRBL honors at 2nd Base. Nolan Hutler received Honorable Mention All-CRBL and Caleb Gardow won a CRBL Gold Glove.
Of note the Chippewa Falls LumberJacks will be the host for the 2023 CRBL All-Star Game on June 30th at 7:00 pm and among the events will be the induction of the CRBL HOF Class for 2023. Former Lumberjacks Chuck Hall and Jim Spaeth will be inducted into the HOF along with some other CRBL legends so please mark your calendars for this special event.
Finally, the Chippewa Falls LumberJacks would like to thank all of our sponsors, fans, media, and support staff for all of their efforts in helping us achieve the success we have enjoyed our first three seasons. The 2023 home schedule is loaded with fun and entertaining Game Day Events and those wearing the LumberJack uniform wiil be ready to “Play Ball” as they say so come on out and support the Jacks!
The Eau Claire Bears look to continue their run of success in 2023. The 2023 Bears will be lead by All League Pitcher Joel Zachow and Outfielder Todd Lasher. The Bears will also be returning a long list of veterans including 2023 All Stars Chevy Tollefson, Blake Johnson, Matt Miller, and Jimmy Thill. The Bears are also bringing in some new blood this season to help the team out as well as bringing back a few veterans that will make some appearances throughout the season. 2022 marked the first year in Tollefson managerial career the bears did not reach the state tournament losing in an extra inning Heartbreaker in the regional final. The Bears plan to be back with a vengeance in 2023 and hope to claim that state title.
ROSTER: Chevy Tollefson, Todd Lasher, Jim Thill, Blake Johnson, Sam Janni, Ty Fadness, Matt Miller, Alex Jinkins, J.R. Lukes, Nathan Kent, Logan Berg, Mitch Bendickson, J.D. Prescher, Nate Larson, Quentin Gonzalez, Grant Preston, Tyler Oestrich, Joel Zachow, Will Mallett-Brown, Jack Shirpke, Joe Halling, Josh Halling, Wes Fleischer, Chris Budd, Hunter Guenther
The Eau Claire Cavaliers is an amateur baseball organization that started in in 1971. The 2023 baseball season will see the Eau Claire Cavaliers starting their 6th season as members of the Chippewa River Baseball League.
The 2022 baseball season saw the Cavaliers qualify for the WBA playoffs at the Merrill regionals. We started the playoffs by playing the Spring Valley Hawks and lost 4-5. The next day we played the Everest Merchants and won 4-3. We qualified for the WBA State Tournament held in Viroqua, WI. We played the Brill Millers and won 11-2 and lost to the River Falls Fighting Fish 0-10.
CRBL award winners were Cooper Kapanke CRBL 1st basemen, Caden Erickson CRBL golden glove and Ben Boda honorable mention.
The Eau Claire Cavaliers would like to welcome Ryan Bembnister as our new field manager for the 2023 baseball season. He becomes the 11th field manager in the history of our organization.
The Cavaliers would like to wish all of the teams of the Chippewa River Baseball League the best of luck in the league in 2023. We invite all baseball fans to come to Carson Park for baseball action at its best this summer.
ROSTER: Andrew Milner, Tyson Allen-Woodcock, David Jannsen, Cade Mueller, Luke Erickson, Xavier Bembnister, Gabe O’Brien, Jaxon Vance, Austin Goetsch, Josh Garcia, Jack Redwine,Chase Yaeger, Ben Boda, Lucas Costley, Caden Erickson, Cole Tyman, Conor O’Reilly Cooper Kapanke, Mitch Voller, Campbell Kapanke and Sam Harris
2023 will stand as the 7th season of play for the Eau Claire Rivermen in the historical Chippewa River Baseball League.
The season of 2022 saw the Rivermen battle to an 8 and 10 CRBL record and a 7th place finish in the 10-team standings. Overall, the ‘Men finished at 17 and 19. Fair to say the highlight of the year was qualifying for the WBA and playing in the Ellsworth Regional. After losing a tight, 3-0 contest to a tough Hudson River Rats team, the Rivermen captured their first WBA victory in franchise history with a 9-6, 10-inning win vs. the Whittlesey Reds. In the seesaw 10-inning contest, the ‘Men were up 4-2, only to fall behind 9-6 before tying the game 9-all with 3 runs in the top of the 9th. In the deciding 10th frame, EC put up a 3-spot for the final margin of victory. Nonetheless, Hudson emerged from the 3-team pool to make it the WBA finals in Onalaska and Sparta.
2022 CRBL award winners for the Crew in Navy Blue and Grey included Lance Lettner in the outfield (1st All-CRBL award), Andy Niese at designated hitter (13th All-CRBL award), and Tyler Gray as honorable mention pitcher (7th HOM award). The fleet-footed Lettner also garnered his first gold glove recognition for his dynamic play in centerfield.
Alas, with a new season comes renewed hope, and the process of building a competitive roster never stops. With the return of 6 to 7 starters and the addition of several talented high school players from Eau Claire, the Men of the River are excited to take the diamond in 2023.
Regardless of wins and losses, the Eau Claire Rivermen are proud to be part of the storied Chippewa River Baseball League. We look forward to seeing you at Fairfax Field, our plush home park with ample seating and convenient parking.
ROSTER: Jake Becker, Patrick Callaghan, James Davis, Cooper Dykes, Joe Davis, Joel Effertz, Drew Gibson, Tyler Gray, Brett Jensen, Brett Johnson, Sam Knickerbocker, Jacob Lacy, Lance Lettner, Payton Loomis, Truman Lokken, Jonah Mueller, Andy Niese, Dave Roubal, Alex St. John, Hans Soukup, Sawyer Sturz, Jesse Urbanek, Tim Wilson, Carson Windeshausen
MANAGER: Andy Niese
After years of hoping to see change, the Sturgeons realized a sea change in 2022. Thanks to a stable core bolstered by some key additions, the team followed a 5-15 record in 2021 with a 9-9 finish last year. As a result, they made the WBA tournament for the first time since 2-13 and won a game in it for the first time since 1991. (As a testament to the strength of the CRBL, each of the six teams in the tournament won at least once.)
The Sturgeons enter 2023 with almost everyone back. One key loss will be catcher Kole Smith who, instead of defending the plate for Jim Falls, will be defending the country with the army. Meanwhile, look for new names to pop up in the box scores as the team has brought up some exciting hopefuls from the farm team in Cobban.
Looking at some of the offensive numbers turned in last year, we find rookie Bobby Soran hitting .524 with 11-21, Mitch Howard (.400, 4-10), CRBL Honorable Mention All-League Tristin Hable (.362, 17-47, with 11 R and 7 RBI), Bob Maurer (.292, 7-24), and Justin Toman (.279, 12-43). Throw in dependable CRBL Gold Glove winner and team grand slam specialist Ryan Krumenauer (15-58, .259) who led the team in taters while finishing second in hits and RBI, Evan Dennis (11-42, .262, with 11 BBs), Austin Sykora (10-43), and A. J. Schemenauer the team RBI leader (9), and the Sturgeons have the basis of a strong lineup.
CRBL Rookie-of-the-Year Will Jacobson leads the mound corps, having posted a 4-3 record with a 2.92 ERA and 42 Ks in 52.1 innings. His brilliant 12-inning complete game 5-2 win in the WBAs capped a stellar season. He was backed by Mike Maurer (3-3), Isaac Lindstrom (0.00 ERA in 10.1 IP), and manager Peter Thaler (3.45 ERA in 15.2 IP) among others. Jacobson and Lindstrom also picked up saves.
Jim Falls was well represented at the All-Star game as well, sending Toman, Jacobson, both Maurers, and Hable.
Welcome back to Sturgeon Stadium at Grudem Field for the 59th season of Sturgeon baseball. We’ll have a hot dog and a cold one waiting for you.
ROSTER: Trevor Bowe, Nelson Crumbaker, Evan Dennis, Jake Eslinger, Tristin Hable, Mitch Howard, Will Jacobson, Raven Keyeski, Wyatt Keyeski, Ryan Krumenauer, Isaac Lindstrom, Hunter Martell, Bob Maurer, Mike Maurer, A. J. Schemenauer, Beau Snyder, Bobby Soran, Austin Skorra, Peter Thaler, Justin Toman, Nick Pitsch, Kole Smith
MANAGER: Pete Thaler
The Merchants turned in another great season in 2022 finishing 15-3 in CRBL play. However the season was cut short in the second game of the WBA playoffs. Aaron Hagberg will take over the managerial duties this season as the Merchants try to extend one of the best runs in CRBL history. He will inherit a lineup filled with veteran studs. We would like to extend our thanks to all the great local sponsors. Having a top-notch organization would be difficult to run without your support. Hope to see you at the ballpark. WWMD!
ROSTER: Mason Kostka, Ryan Freitag, Tanner Marsh, Jaxon Kostka, Todd Wienkes, Jackson Johnson, Jimi Zawacki, Joe Zawacki, Logan Boettcher, Jesse Brockman, Alex Byom, Zak Iverson, Luke Eide, Brandt Freitag, Preston Gamroth, Nolan Matson, Scott Hovell, Garrett Koxlien, Gabe Richardson
MANAGER: Aaron Hagberg
The 2022 season came and went in the blink of an eye. The Tilden Tigers had a very memorable year full of many accolades. First by winning the CRBL Championship in consecutive seasons. The second being a runner-up finish in the WBA State Championship game, coming up just short of our ultimate goal. It’s always fun when you end your season in the last game possible, but we are still not satisfied. The third being all the participants that represented the North in the All Star Game. The Tilden Tigers cannot wait to turn the page to the 2023 season.
We will be returning our entire core from our team last year. We are very excited with the additions of Jimmy Schemenauer and Adam Larock. PJ Lequia, Carl Krumenauer, Steph Scatassa, Noah Hanson, and Trevor Olson will be the power behind the rotation this season once again. Our core group of veterans mixed with a group of young fellas will bolster our league leading offense. The Steinmetz Family will once against be taking up many spots in our starting lineup. Our MVP, Jordan Steinmetz, is looking to try and repeat this season. Cole Zwiefelhofer, Jon Schoch, and Alex Ruf will coincide as Captains of this roster and we would not want it any other way.
With the addition of Augusta, we are very excited to be back to the North Format and look at defending that title. We cannot wait to get the season started! None of this would be possible without the amazing support of our fans. We always love to give them a HUGE shoutout. Let’s play ball!!! Go Tigers!
Baseball greetings to all our fans, followers, alumni, and friends. It is with great sincerity that we would like to welcome you to another year of competitive amateur baseball within the storied Chippewa River Baseball League. Incredibly, 2023 marks the 95th season of play over 115 years, dating back to the CRBL’s first season of existence in 1908. Very few baseball leagues across the USA – amateur or professional – can substantiate such an existence of length and success. Plainly stated, this is something that anyone associated with the CRBL should take great pride in.
2022 saw the CRBL operate without divisional play for the first time since 1972. From the 10-team arrangement, the Tilden Tigers claimed the best regular season record at 16 and 2, followed by the wildcard teams of Osseo (15-3), the Eau Claire Bears (13-5), and Chippewa Falls (12-6). In the August 6th championship tilt at Casper Park in Chippewa Falls, Tilden beat Osseo 12-5 to capture their league record 39th championship.
The following weekend, seven CRBL teams ventured into the WBA Tournament. From the semi-final fracas of pool play, only Tilden and the Eau Claire Cavaliers survived to the subsequent Finals weekend, with Tilden continuing to roll all the way to the WBA championship game. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost a heart breaker in the title bout to the River Falls Fighting Fish, 3 to 2.
Looking ahead to 2023, the CRBL will welcome back the Augusta Athletics, who played in the league from 1989 to 2019. Also returning will be the tradition of divisional play in the following arrangement:
South Division (6 teams): Augusta Athletics, Beef River Bullfrogs, Eau Claire Bears, Eau Claire Cavaliers, Eau Claire Rivermen, and Osseo Merchants.
North Division (5 teams): Bloomer Fighting Woodticks, Cadott Red Sox, Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks, Jim Falls Sturgeons, and Tilden Tigers.
Old Man Winter put the lumber to us (again) this winter. Yet, like they do every year, the sights and sounds of summer return – whirling baseballs, hot summer nights, freshly cut grass, the crack of the bat………………………..LET’S PLAY BALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Four players have been selected to enter the Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) Hall of Fame from 30 active candidates. As in the past, the formal introduction and ceremony will take place during the CRBL all-star game on July 3rd at Stuckert Field in Bloomer.
After the 2021 induction, the CRBL will have 81 members of their Hall of Fame.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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John Bjork – Outfielder
Augusta Athletics 1989-95
Hank Ash – Pitcher
Cornell Mill Gang 1935-36; Cornell Hawks 1952-53; Lake Hallie Lakers 1954
Eddie Atkinson – Scorekeeper
Jim Falls Sturgeons 1980-2014
Todd Bohl – Pitcher
Bloomer Merchants 1983-88
Tom Drehmel – Outfielder
Fall Creek Mets 1967, 73; Lafayette Lakers 1968-73; Cadott Red Sox 1974-80
Reggie Franz – Pitcher, Utility
Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1981-82; Tilden Tigers 1983-88, 91-93; Hallie Eagles 1989; Beef River Bullfrogs 1996, 1999
Terry Hartman – Shortstop, 3rd Baseman
Jim Falls Sturgeons 1969-77
Jon Huth – Pitcher
Eau Claire Bears 2005-13
Brian Jacobson – Catcher
Lafayette Indians 1987-88; Eau Claire Pioneers 1989; Lafayette Lakers 1990-95
P.J. Johnson – Catcher
Eau Claire Pioneers 1990-91; Augusta Athletics 1992-95; Hallie Eagles 1996-98
Dan Julson – Shortstop
Hallie Eagles 1994-99; Osseo Merchants 2004
George Lee – Pitcher
Northern Colony Colonists 1932-38, 40
Gerald Nelson – Outfielder
Jim Falls Saints 1971-73, 1976-81, 83
Mike Pearson – 3rd Baseman
Eau Claire Pioneers 1986; Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1987-92; Tilden Tigers 1998
Paul Pehler – Outfielder / Manager
Whitehall Wolves 2005-12; Manager 2007-12
Ron Poquette – Pitcher
Eau Claire Yard 4 Comets 1963-65; Eau Claire Twin City Sports 1966-68
Jerry Prince – 3rd Baseman, Shortstop
Tilden Tigers 1948-52, 59, 65: Hamilton Chevrolets 1954-57; Chippewa Falls Triangle Sports 1958-59, 61; Tilden Terrors 1960, 62
Tom Reiter – 1st Baseman
Jim Falls Dairymen 1956, 58-60; Nosal ‘66’ (Jim Falls) 1957; Jim Falls Cadets 1961-64; Jim Falls Sturgeons 1965-69
Rich Rosenow – Pitcher
Lafayette Indians 1971-76
Adam Rothenbuhler – Pitcher, Designated Hitter
Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 2005; Beef River Bullfrogs 2009-11
Gary Rykal – Catcher
Cadott Red Sox 1961, 1965-78
Bernie Seichter – Catcher
Boyd Bees 1953-54; Lake Hallie Lakers 1955-57
Scott Stuckert – Infielder / Player/Manager
Bloomer Merchants 1982-92; Bloomer Fighting Woodticks 1993-2016; Player/Manager – Bloomer Merchants 1990-92; Bloomer Fighting Woodticks 1993-2016
Jim Spaeth – Shortstop
Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1983-94
Gene Vavra – Catcher
Lafayette Braves 1956-70
Marty Webster – Pitcher
Cornell Merchants 1950; Cornell Hawks 1956-57, 60
Bob Wolfe – Outfielder, 3rd Baseman
Lafayette Braves 1953-59
Dennis Zech – Infielder
Lafayette Lakers 1981-93
Jeff Zwiefelhofer – 1st Baseman
Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1977; Tilden Tigers 1979-87
Todd Zwiefelhofer – Pitcher, Infielder
Tilden Tigers 1991-97
30 active candidates
The 2020 Hall of Fame class will be honored alongside of the 2021 class.
As the year turns to 2021, the Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) will turn it’s longtime sponsorship booklet digital. All sponsorship ads will now be digital and sponsors will have three levels of sponsorship – Gold, Silver or Bronze. Sponsor level information can be viewed here.
As with the CRBL ad booklet, each team will sell ads for their team and sponsors will at least be represented on each individual team page.
Visit the history of the CRBL ad booklet here.
The CRBL league officers, managers, players and sponsors would like to thank Art Zwiefelhofer for his many years of assistance in providing this sponsorship ad booklet to the league.
Anyone associated with the Chippewa Rivers Baseball League (CRBL) within the last 25 years has most likely heard the name Andy Niese. Having played for four different teams throughout his 28 playing career (1993 to present) and managing two teams – Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks and Eau Claire Rivermen – he’s no stranger to amatuer baseball in the Chippewa Valley.
His infectious knowledge for baseball within the Eau Claire and Chippewa led to a rather unique project. On a September day in 2003, Niese decided to begin an endeavour that would bring a tremendous amount of historical information together in the form a league history and record book. His first edition was printed in 2009.
QUESTION: What gave you the idea of putting together a history book of the Chippewa Rivers Baseball League?
ANSWER: Going back to my first CRBL season in 1993, I had heard the stories from veterans about the CRBL’s long history, and always wondered “how old” the league really was. I originally began creating a record book for the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks in the fall of 2003. I quickly realized through that research that there was a treasure chest of information on the CRBL and amateur baseball in this area that had been buried by the natural passage of time. I decided I was going to give it a shot, and see exactly what the history of the CRBL involved.
QUESTION: What did you envision this project to become? And did you think it would be done after you completed your first edition?
ANSWER: I envisioned it being a CRBL/amateur baseball version of the Baseball Encyclopedia, an awesome and vast publication of baseball stats that I grew up with. And no, I always foresaw this being a running, continuously updated history of the CRBL’s existence.
QUESTION: What kind of feedback did you receive from other players or coaches?
ANSWER: Early on I don’t think anyone knew how big and comprehensive it was going to become, or that it would be updated annually. Once people started seeing rough drafts and “test runs”, the feedback was all positive and thankful.
QUESTION: You had your book inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. How suprising or rewarding was it when you heard this news?
ANSWER: Truthfully, my wife contacted Cooperstown on my behalf. I didn’t think they would have any interest. Then, I received an email from Cooperstown saying they were interested. Yes, it was extremely surprising when they notified me they wanted a copy. I remember speaking to one of their head librarians on the phone, she was very cordial and nice. I have the certificate of donation framed in my office at home. It is even signed by Jeff Idleson, the Hall of Fame’s president. Frankly, it is still an odd and humbling feeling to look at it.
QUESTION: Who are some of the most memorable people you have met trying to collect this league information?
ANSWER: The people that come to mind right away include Monk Solie from Cornell, Porter Popple from Chippewa Falls, George Gannon from Chippewa Falls, Roger Bergeron from Jim Falls, Ron Buckli from Eau Claire, and George Jackson from Cadott. There have been so many people and faces over the last 17+ years of compiling info, and all of them have been so gracious and thankful for the book.
QUESTION: What were some of the biggest hurdles in gathering all the information?
ANSWER: Time and filling in the sporadic gaps in information. The unavoidable time and focus it takes to comb through microfilm and internet searches to find miniscule box scores and game summaries can get intense. There have been some frustrations in that process as some years and eras were much better than others in recording data and info. In those instances, I’ve had to rely on statistical patterns or self-created, anecdotal algorithms as well a few “guesstimations” to fill in or theorize on that lost information and data. As I’ve said for a long time — are these estimations exact? No. Are they close and better than nothing? Yes and yes.
QUESTION: Currently, you are on version 12 of the CRBL history book. How long do you see yourself updating information?
ANSWER: I’d like to think I have a few decades left to keep it going. That said, the time and effort it takes doesn’t always jive real well with the demands of life — family, work, sleeping, etc.
QUESTION: You were also instrumental in starting the CRBL Hall of Fame which recognizes past time players, managers, umpires and other league figures. What are some of the most memorable moments from meeting these ‘old-timers’ and even some of their family members?
ANSWER: Meeting the guys who played in the 40’s and 50’s has been truly rewarding. Giving those guys who played 50-70 years ago their due as well some enjoyment to their families is a memorably poignant moment to be a part of. Moreover, to see the heartfelt thanks and emotion people have — I think that as much as anything keeps me motivated to keep the book and project going. Anyone who says this is “just a little amateur baseball league” hasn’t spoken to a family member whose deceased dad/brother/uncle is getting honored by the CRBL — there is genuine meaning to all of this that you can’t put a price on.
And now that I’ve been around a while (2020 is my 28th year in the CRBL), I’ve also had the great privilege and honor of inducting many of my former opponents and teammates. To give those guys proper and deserved recognition in the form of becoming a CRBL Hall of Famer is a special thing. It allows us to share more than a few laughs, catch up on life, and recall a lot of great memories from the diamond.
Five players have been selected to enter into the Chippewa River Baseball League (CRBL) Hall of Fame from 25 active canidates. As in the past, the formal introduction and ceremony will take place during the CRBL all-star game on July 5th at Cinder City Park in Altoona, WI.
After the 2020 induction, the CRBL will have 77 members of their Hall of Fame.
During a league career that spanned nearly forty years and touched five different decades, Ray McIlquham carved out his place in CRBL lore, first as a solid catcher for 10 seasons and then during a commendable 23 season run as a league umpire.Breaking in to the Chippewa County League in 1946 with the Lafayette team, Ray played 10 seasons as a backstop for eight different teams, with his last year of competition coming with the Cadott Red Sox in 1961.
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Todd Bresina’s 26 seasons of competition in the CRBL were shaped as a sure-handed 2nd baseman and steady contact hitter, as well as manager of Tilden’s veteran teams of the late 2000s. More than any other attribute, however, “Breeze” will be remembered as one of the elite pitchers of his era, dominating opponents with pinpoint control and his signature, wipe out slider.
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After beginning his CRBL career with the Bloomer Merchants in 1988, the left-handed hitting shortstop became a Tiger in 1989. Combining agile feet with quick, soft hands, Steinmetz was a defensive wizard, lauded for his superior range, arm strength, and sure-handedness. From the middle of the Tilden diamond, Mitch teamed with fellow Tiger and CRBL Hall of Famer Todd Bresina to form the longest tenured and most productive double play combo in CRBL history.
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After playing briefly with the Cadott Red Sox in 1986, Rick became a full-time CRBL player with Tilden in 1988, immediately giving the Tigers a visible stalwart at the pivotal backstop position. Renowned for his defensive skills behind the plate, Rick had a memorably strong arm and quick release. A catcher’s catcher, he was also adept at working with pitchers, calling a game, blocking balls in the dirt, securing twisting pop-ups, and fearlessly protecting home plate.
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A right-handed hitter, the slugging first baseman deployed a powerful swing from an upright, slightly closed stance during his 25-year career to amass an incredible cache of offensive accomplishments. In 21 separate seasons, Baier hit over. 300, exceeding .400 in six of those campaigns. Twice the righty eclipsed the .500 mark, leading the CRBL with a .509 (29 for 57) tally in 1992 and a .527 (29 for 55) ledger in 1997.
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Hank Ash – Pitcher
Cornell Mill Gang 1935-36; Cornell Hawks 1952-53; Lake Hallie Lakers 1954
Randy Baier – 1st Baseman, Pitcher
Cadott Red Sox 1986; Tilden Tigers 1988-2006, 08-12
Rick Baier – Catcher
Cadott Red Sox 1986; Tilden Tigers 1988-2014
Todd Bohl – Pitcher
Bloomer Merchants 1983-88
Todd Bresina – Pitcher, 2nd Baseman – Manager
Player: Tilden Tigers 1989-2014 | Manager: Tilden Tigers 2004-11
Jerry Dachel – Outfielder, Pitcher
Tilden Tigers 1967-78
Tom Drehmel – Outfielder
Fall Creek Mets 1967, 73; Lafayette Lakers 1968-73; Cadott Red Sox 1974-80
Terry Hartman – Shortstop, 3rd Baseman
Jim Falls Sturgeons 1969-77
P.J. Johnson – Catcher
Eau Claire Pioneers 1990-91; Augusta Athletics 1992-95; Hallie Eagles 1996-98
George Lee – Pitcher
Northern Colony Colonists 1932-38, 40
Ray McIlquham – Catcher – Umpire
Player: Lafayette 1946; Lafayette Badgers 1948; Lafayette Giants 1949-50; Hamilton Chevrolets 1955-56; Lake Hallie Lakers 1957; Chippewa Falls Triangle Sports 1958; Seymour 1959; Cadott Red Sox 1961
Umpire: 1962-84
Mike Pearson – 3rd Baseman
Eau Claire Pioneers 1986; Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1987-92; Tilden Tigers 1998
Rich Rosenow – Pitcher
Lafayette Indians 1971-76
Adam Rothenbuhler – Pitcher, Designated Hitter
Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 2005; Beef River Bullfrogs 2009-11
Gary Rykal – Catcher
Cadott Red Sox 1961, 1965-78
Bill Schoch – Pitcher
Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1979-80; Tilden Tigers 1981-88
Bernie Seichter – Catcher
Boyd Bees 1953-54; Lake Hallie Lakers 1955-57
Jim Spaeth – Shortstop
Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1983-94
Mitch Steinmetz – Shortstop
Bloomer Merchants 1988; Tilden Tigers 1989-2012
Gene Vavra – Catcher
Lafayette Braves 1956-70
Marty Webster – Pitcher
Cornell Merchants 1950; Cornell Hawks 1956-57, 60
Bob Wolfe – Outfielder, 3rd Baseman
Lafayette Braves 1953-59
Dennis Zech – Infielder
Lafayette Lakers 1981-93
Jeff Zwiefelhofer – 1st Baseman
Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1977; Tilden Tigers 1979-87
Todd Zwiefelhofer – Pitcher, Infielder
Tilden Tigers 1991-97
25 active candidates
The Stanley Slammers have folded and will not compete in the Chipppewa Rivers Baseball League (CRBL) for the 2020 season. The Slammers entered the CRBL in 2012 season under the direction of manager Brandon Geist. During his tenure the slammers were 59-117 and qualified for the Wisconsin Baseball Association (WBA) tournament three times.
Randy Gustafson was the first person I approached when attempting to bring baseball back to Stanley.
Brandon Geist managed the Stanley Slammers for their entirety
The Slammers most successful season came in 2015 when they finished 11-11 and qualifed for the WBA.
Brian Smasal is the number one guy I want to thank. He did a lot for the team and was essentially Mr. Slammer. We did fundraisers to help operate our team and had a lot of support from sponsors and fans. Hopefully it’s not the end for Stanley.
Brandon Geist managed the Stanley Slammers for their entirety
Slammers existed from 2012-2019
A former Stanley team, the Stanley Loggers, occupied the CRBL standings from 1999-2004.
Keith Smasals two grand slams against Cadott in Stanley on fan appreciation night, Randy Gustafson beating Tilden on a game ending triple play and Jeff Trunkel’s walkoff hit against Jim Falls are some of my most memorable moments as Manager of the Slammers.
Brandy Geist managed the Stanley Slammers for their entirety
Four more Chippewa Rivers Baseball League (CRBL) players have been selected to enter the CRBL hall of fame on July 8th during the CRBL All-Star game at Cadott High School. First pitch is set for 12:30 pm and each recipient (one per inning) will be honored starting in the bottom of the 1st.
After the class of 2019, a total of 72 players hold the honor of being inducted into the CRBL hall of fame.
A right-handed pitcher, Rick Goettl was the ace of the memorable and dominant Cadott Red Sox teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s.After spending his first two CRBL seasons pitching a total of 30.1 innings with the Jim Falls Sturgeons, Goettl went to Cadott in 1977, where he would remain until the conclusion of his career in 1984.
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A baseball lifer and longtime supporter of baseball in the Cadott area, George Jackson’s league career stretched across 33 years, four different teams, and the roles of both player and manager.Getting his start for Rainbow Gardens in 1946, George was the featured thrower for the Gardeners in the first two years of post-World War II baseball in the Chippewa Valley.
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Country strong from both the batter’s box and the pitcher’s mound, Steve Fetterly was a fearless competitor who played baseball with enthusiasm and intensity throughout his 12 seasons in the CRBL. Debuting with the Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks in 1995, “Fetters” hit .318 (7 for 22) and went 2 and 0 in 16 innings within a part-time capacity, gaining Honorable Mention All-CRBL honors at utility for the North Division champions.
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Recalled as an accomplished player and well known as a highly respected umpire, few people have done more for the betterment and stability of the Chippewa River Baseball League than one Art Zwiefelhofer. Breaking in to the Chippewa Valley League in 1961, Art became known as a slick fielding and ultra-competitive shortstop for the Howard Braves.
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Hank Ash – Pitcher
Cornell Mill Gang 1935-36; Cornell Hawks 1952-53; Lake Hallie Lakers 1954
Todd Bohl – Pitcher
Bloomer Merchants 1983-88
Jerry Dachel- Outfielder, Pitcher
Tilden Tigers 1967-78
Tom Drehmel – Outfielder
Fall Creek Mets 1967, 73; Lafayette Lakers 1968-73; Cadott Red Sox 1974-80
Steve Fetterly – Utility
Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1995-2004; Beef River Bullfrogs 2005-06; Augusta Athletics 2006
Rick Goettl – Pitcher
Jim Falls Sturgeons 1975-76; Cadott Red Sox 1977-84
Terry Hartman – Shortstop, 3rd Baseman
Jim Falls Sturgeons 1969-77
George Jackson – Outfielder, Pitcher, Manager
Player: Lafayette 1946; Rainbow Gardens Gardeners 1947, 53-54; Cadott Lions 1950-52, 56; Manager: Cadott Red Sox 1960, 67-68 Cadott Lions 1956; Cadott Red Sox 1957-60, 62-64, 68-70, 79
P.J. Johnson – Catcher
Eau Claire Pioneers 1990-91; Augusta Athletics 1992-95; Hallie Eagles 1996-98
George Lee – Pitcher
Northern Colony Colonists 1932-38, 40
Ray McIlquham – Catcher, Umpire
Player: Lafayette 1946; Lafayette Badgers 1948; Lafayette Giants 1949-50; Hamilton Chevrolets 1955-56; Lake Hallie Lakers 1957; Chippewa Falls Triangle Sports 1958; Seymour 1959; Cadott Red Sox 1961 Umpire: 1962-84
Mike Pearson – 3rd Baseman
Eau Claire Pioneers 1986; Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1987-92; Tilden Tigers 1998
Rich Rosenow – Pitcher
Lafayette Indians 1971-76
Adam Rothenbuhler – Pitcher, Designated Hitter
Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 2005; Beef River Bullfrogs 2009-11
Gary Rykal – Catcher
Cadott Red Sox 1961, 1965-78
Bill Schoch – Pitcher
Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1979-80; Tilden Tigers 1981-88
Bernie Seichter – Catcher
Boyd Bees 1953-54; Lake Hallie Lakers 1955-57
Jim Spaeth – Shortstop
Chippewa Falls Lumberjacks 1983-94
Gene Vavra – Catcher
Lafayette Braves 1956-70
Marty Webster – Pitcher
Cornell Merchants 1950; Cornell Hawks 1956-57, 60
Bob Wolfe – Outfielder, 3rd Baseman
Lafayette Braves 1953-59
Dennis Zech – Infielder
Lafayette Lakers 1981-93
Art Zwiefelhofer – Shortstop, Manager, Umpire
Player: Howard Braves 1961-64; Tilden Tigers 1965-83 Manager: Tilden Tigers 1980, 82-83 Umpire: 1984-2018
Jeff Zwiefelhofer – 1st Baseman
Cooks Valley Hayshakers 1977; Tilden Tigers 1979-87
Todd Zwiefelhofer – Pitcher, Infielder
Tilden Tigers 1991-97
To view the rules and criteria for HOF induction. The HOF began in 2009.
