TERRE HAUTE —
Terre Haute gets the chance to witness and appreciate the extent of its rich baseball legacy this Saturday. Its past and present will merge at Bob Warn Field.
Indiana State University completely renovated that stadium in 2009, giving the city a professional-caliber facility more than a half-century after its last minor-league franchise folded in 1956. The year before the Terre Haute Huts left town, a team of 15 teenage boys gave the city a national championship. In 1955, an all-star squad from Terre Haute won the 1955 Babe Ruth League World Series in Austin, Texas. Several members of that team went on to athletic greatness at the college and pro levels.
At 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the ’55 Babe Ruth champs will reunite at Terre Haute’s newest sports venue, Bob Warn Field, prior to a college game between the host ISU Sycamores and visiting Dallas Baptist. The stadium on North First Street, which today serves as home for both the Sycamores and the summer college-league club the Terre Haute Rex, will entertain surviving participants from one of the community’s greatest athletic moments.
These 71- and 72-year-old men deserve a hearty round of applause.
More than 56 years ago, they teamed up under the guidance of Coach Glenn Staggs to beat opponents from Stamford, Conn., Clarksburg, W. Va., and finally Birmingham, Ala., to claim the World Series crown. The eight-team field of the Babe Ruth World Series included future major-leaguers such as Mickey Lolich, Tommy Harper and Cookie Rojas.
None of the Terre Haute players reached the major leagues, but each found success in other pursuits. Terry Dischinger played on the U.S. Olympic gold medalist basketball squad in 1960, and then starred in the NBA, winning the 1963 Rookie of the Year Award. Jim Calvin coached basketball at the high school, college, pro and international levels, and earned fame by guiding the Kuwait national team to a victory over Iraq at the brink of war between those two countries, much to the displeasure of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Charlie Hall played basketball at Indiana University, and is enshrined in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Bobby Clements compiled an Indiana Football Hall of Fame high school coaching career. Gary Auten became a Little All-American in basketball at Kentucky Wesleyan. Gary Cunning and Willie Cheesman played minor-league pro baseball. Don Lanning was a three-year baseball standout at Rose-Hulman. Bob Kehrt played baseball and basketball at Purdue. Gene Jeffers became a pastor; John Roshel, an orthodontist; Larry Rush, a transportation director for a school corporation; Luke Montgomery, an administrative banker; and Marvin Haney, the founder of Legacy Homes in Colorado. Larry Lucas retired after 29 years with Cummins in Columbus. Jerry Porter now resides in Florida.
Back in 1955, they were the best team of Babe Ruthers on the planet. Fire trucks and a crowd of 2,000 locals welcomed them back home on Aug. 22, 1955.
Ten of the living members of the team will make another homecoming for Saturday’s reunion, said Terre Haute historian and attorney Mike McCormick. We tip our hat, once again, to those gentlemen who gave their hometown something to be proud of.
An honor for Valley women
The Wabash Valley took time to honor eight “Women of Influence” on Thursday morning and celebrate the many and varied contributions each has made to their communities. As the awards were handed out during a program on the campus of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, it was clear that these women have made the Valley a better place.
The honorees were Karen Goeller, deputy superintendent of the Vigo County School Corp.; Susan Guinnip, retired Purdue Extension agent in Indiana and Illinois; Erika True, women’s soccer coach at Indiana State University; Nancy Hunt, retired educator and technology coordinator for the Southwest School Corp. in Sullivan; Boo Lloyd, owner and operator of Crossroads Cafe and Corner Grind in downtown Terre Haute; Sister Jeanne Knoerle, retired president of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College; Sally Zuel, director of human resources, Union Hospital; and Joy Sacopulos, community volunteer and founder of Trees Inc.
You can read more about these women in a special inserted section of today’s Tribune-Star.
The United Way of the Wabash Valley program shined a bright light where it needed to be shined. We congratulate these women for this well-deserved honor. Your communities appreciate you.
Opinion
TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: A salute to pride of ’55
Babe Ruthers take another bow
- Opinion
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MAX JONES: For loyal readers, a bit of news from the T-S newsroom
As journalists toiling to create a content-rich, relevant and compelling community newspaper each day, we feel a special bond with our legions of readers across the Wabash Valley and beyond.
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GUEST COLUMN: One Million Bones exhibit meant to raise awareness, inspire action to end genocide
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The Obama Debate: President has served us well
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RONN MOTT: Not hurried a bit by 21st century tech
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READERS' FORUM: June 15, 2013
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READERS' FORUM: June 14, 2013
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RONN MOTT: Kill the Umpire!
I don’t know who appointed Major League Baseball’s umpires “Gods,” but if they have been appointed “Gods,” they have appointed people who cannot see or think very well.
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READERS' FORUM: June 13, 2013
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Build personal library
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EDITORIAL: Remembering Sister Jeanne
Terre Haute is mourning the loss this week of an accomplished and beloved community activist and leader whose life’s work is an inspiration to all who strive to serve.
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READERS' FORUM: June 12, 2013
Like it or not, change coming
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I know I may have looked at these situations differently when I was in my twenties. The world, my life, my career, and the growth of my family all lay ahead of me. So perhaps now, many years later, I see it differently.
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READERS’ FORUM: June 11, 2013
• Great support for local cause
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LIZ CIANCONE: Withdrawn society not very social any more
My Best Friend and I went out for lunch the other day. It was a sit-down place with our own “server” (in my day I was called “a waitress”) and everything offering personal attention. The manager even came over to ask if everything was all right.
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READERS’ FORUM: June 10, 2013
• What is the cost of our austerity?
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• Seek a healthy food alternative
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EDITORIAL: It’s time to assess ISTEP
Later this month, the company behind this spring’s abysmal online administration of ISTEP testing for 27,000 Hoosier schoolchildren is being called to the principal’s office.
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Readers’ Forum: June 9, 2013
• Taking time to help the world
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FLASHPOINT: Storm chasers must heed warnings, remember why we chase storms
The tragic death of noted weather researcher and former Discovery Channel storm chaser Tim Samaras has shaken all of us in the meteorological community.
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Will you be happy if you win the lottery?
A Psychology Today article titled “What Will You Do if You Win the $550 Million Powerball Lottery?” caught my attention. Helping lottery winners with their money is my long-time gig.
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RONN MOTT: The ‘wilds’ of Collett Park
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EDITORIAL: Fix fraud, don’t punish needy
Waste and fraud in government programs should be rooted out vigilantly. Legislation should fix a problem with a fitting solution, not punish the needy.
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READERS' FORUM: June 7, 2013
Thanks to those who helped VYFL
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RONN MOTT: Continuous War
The President spoke to the nation the other day about being at a continuous war, and he didn’t feel it is a good thing for the country. He is absolutely correct. So what do we do with the Muslim terrorists?
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: An anniversary to honor
The anniversary we observe today is one that will forever live in the soul of America.
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READERS' FORUM: June 6, 2013
Unions need to educate public
Can it really happen here?
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MAX JONES: For loyal readers, a bit of news from the T-S newsroom
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