ANNOUNCING THE 2018 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
(SAINT LOUIS – NOVEMBER 24, 2017) – The Board of Directors of the Greater St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame announced its induction Class of 2018 on Friday. Nineteen new members will be inducted on April 12, 2018 at the Sheraton Chalet Hotel at Westport. Fourteen players, two coaches, one umpire and two contributors are among the 2018 class of inductees. The Class of 2018 includes the following:
PLAYERS
DOUGLAS DIETZ (58) – Standout right-handed pitcher at East Central College and Lindenwood College. Outstanding career with the C&H Travelers in the EMBA and Metro Collegiate leagues in the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s.
JOSEPH GEGG (74) – Former St. Louis Cardinal farmhand and outstanding catcher at Saint Louis University. Gegg played in the late ‘60’s and ‘70’s in the St. Louis Semipro league for Kimacks and Red Villa’s championship team in 1965 as well as Springfield Capitals in the Central Illinois Collegiate League.
GARY GLASSCOCK (63) – Sure-handed Shortstop was an NAIA All-American at Harris-Stowe College in 1974 and outstanding middle infielder for Matthews-Dickey Knights for more than 10 years playing in various summer leagues including the Tandy League and CYC Major Division.
HAROLD GRICE (67) – Accomplished four-year player at Culver-Stockton College (1968-72) and standout second baseman for the Mathews-Dickey Knights and St. Louis Dodgers of the Cool Papa Bell and Tandy Leagues (1973-82).
MIKE KRAFT (51) – Strong armed outfielder who hit for power with Delta State University from 1985-88. Former St. Louis Cardinal farmhand who excelled in the Metro Collegiate League (Schnucks), Jayhawk League (Red Oak) and CYC Major Division (Sotolar Pointers)
DON MANA (69) – Outstanding Catcher/3B at Washington University in St. Louis from 1967-69 and former Minnesota Twins farmhand. Standout player for LP Sales and Kutis Funeral Home in the Heine Meine League from 1968-76.
JOHN McDERMOTT (66) – Four year starting 2B at Saint Louis University from 1971-74. Outstanding defensive middle infielder with great speed played from 1971-76 in the St. Louis County League for the SLU Club team and the 1975 league champion American Nationals. Will be inducted with his brother Tom.
TOM McDERMOTT (67) – Former shortstop at University of MO – Columbia from 1970-72. Drafted out of high school by Chicago Cubs in the 7th round. Standout player in the St. Louis County League from 1969-75 with Northside Buds and American Nationals. Will be inducted with his brother John.
ANDREW RUNZI (46) – An accomplished right-handed pitcher at Mineral Area JC and University of MO – St. Louis. Runzi is the career ERA leader at UMSL and a D-II All-American in 1992-93. Runzi was a California Angels farmhand. He played two seasons in the CYC Major Division and two seasons with the St. Louis Union Printers.
DENNIS SPITZER (66) – Hard throwing right-handed pitcher at University of MO – St. Louis from 1970-73. Ranks in top ten in wins, strikeouts and ERA at UMSL. Spitzer was a D-II All-Region selection in 1972-73. Played for four seasons with the CHASA Jets and three seasons for the Geiger Collegians in the St. Louis County League in the mid 70’s.
RON SNIDER (61) – Standout Pitcher/1B at Southwest MO State University from 1976-79. Snider was voted SMS MVP and MIAA Player of the Year in 1979 and was named a D-II All-American in 1978. A former Kansas City Royals farmhand, he played two years for the St. Charles Caps in the STL Amateur Collegiate League and five years for C&H in the EMBA from 1980-84.
TYLER STEINBACH (60) – Hard throwing left-handed pitcher and four-year starter at Brigham Young University from 1976-79 including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1979. Steinbach was a standout pitcher for the Sotolar Pointers from 1984-92. He was a four-time CYC Senior Major All-Star and won the Pointers first NBC State Championship Game in 1984. Steinbach also pitched for Waterloo in the Mon-Clair League in 1986.
TOM TWELLMAN (65) – Twice named the Most Outstanding Athlete at SIU-Edwardsville, Twellman was a four-year starter at 2B for the Cougars. He was the ninth-round selection of the Houston Astros in 1974. He won the SIUE batting title twice and was a two-sport D-II All-American (baseball and soccer). Twellman played for the Geiger Collegians and Kutis Funeral Home in the St. Louis County League.
DALE WESTERHOLT (66) – Standout right-handed pitcher for the University of MO – St. Louis from 1970-73. Tossed a complete game victory in the D-II College World Series in 1973. Ranks in the top ten at UMSL in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He anchored the pitching staff for the ALCO Tigers of the St. Louis County League from 1970-74.
MANAGER/COACHES
BOB BUNTON (58) – Outstanding player and coach, Bunton was head coach at Parkway North HS from 2002-07 and was named Suburban South Coach of the Year three times (2002, 2003, 2007) and reached the MO state final four in 2003. He managed the Creve Coeur Post 397 team from 1982-87 and was Coach of the Year in 1987. He amassed three division championships, and a district title. He was an assistant coach at Southeast MO State after playing there from 1979-82.
ARNOLD COPELAND (84) – Veteran manager/coach for 26 years at the high school and college level, led the Willow Springs HS team to the state final four in 1958. Copeland was head coach at University of MO – St. Louis from 1968 – 72. He was District and Regional Coach of the Year in 1972 and led UMSL to their first ever College World Series in 1972. He managed Lewis & Clark College from 1973-83.
UMPIRE
WILLIAM A. RADERMACHER III (60) – Veteran Umpire in the Greater St. Louis Umpires Association and Midwest Umpires Association for 35 years. He has umpired Metro Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Conference USA and Big 8 Division I baseball games including several post-season assignments. He has worked the MSHSAA State Championships and various Division II, III and NJCAA contests. He’s also a fixture in many high school, American Legion and Metro Collegiate games in the St. Louis Area.
CONTRIBUTORS
FRED WILKE (69) – A veteran baseball administrator, Wilke has been a board member and President of the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Association since 1992. He was the baseball commissioner for the Bridgeton Athletic Association from 1979-1986. Wilke also founded SPORTS STATS in 1978, the first computer based baseball statistics company serving over 200 high schools in the St. Louis area.
BUCK SMITH (57) – Founder of the St. Louis Challenger Baseball program. Founded in 1994, Challenger baseball has grown from one field and one team in 1994 to 66 teams and over 800 players in the bi-state area thanks to Buck Smith’. Smith received the Musial Award in 2016 for his work in providing physically and mentally challenged youth the opportunity to play baseball.
PLAYERS
DOUGLAS DIETZ (58) – Standout right-handed pitcher at East Central College and Lindenwood College. Outstanding career with the C&H Travelers in the EMBA and Metro Collegiate leagues in the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s.
JOSEPH GEGG (74) – Former St. Louis Cardinal farmhand and outstanding catcher at Saint Louis University. Gegg played in the late ‘60’s and ‘70’s in the St. Louis Semipro league for Kimacks and Red Villa’s championship team in 1965 as well as Springfield Capitals in the Central Illinois Collegiate League.
GARY GLASSCOCK (63) – Sure-handed Shortstop was an NAIA All-American at Harris-Stowe College in 1974 and outstanding middle infielder for Matthews-Dickey Knights for more than 10 years playing in various summer leagues including the Tandy League and CYC Major Division.
HAROLD GRICE (67) – Accomplished four-year player at Culver-Stockton College (1968-72) and standout second baseman for the Mathews-Dickey Knights and St. Louis Dodgers of the Cool Papa Bell and Tandy Leagues (1973-82).
MIKE KRAFT (51) – Strong armed outfielder who hit for power with Delta State University from 1985-88. Former St. Louis Cardinal farmhand who excelled in the Metro Collegiate League (Schnucks), Jayhawk League (Red Oak) and CYC Major Division (Sotolar Pointers)
DON MANA (69) – Outstanding Catcher/3B at Washington University in St. Louis from 1967-69 and former Minnesota Twins farmhand. Standout player for LP Sales and Kutis Funeral Home in the Heine Meine League from 1968-76.
JOHN McDERMOTT (66) – Four year starting 2B at Saint Louis University from 1971-74. Outstanding defensive middle infielder with great speed played from 1971-76 in the St. Louis County League for the SLU Club team and the 1975 league champion American Nationals. Will be inducted with his brother Tom.
TOM McDERMOTT (67) – Former shortstop at University of MO – Columbia from 1970-72. Drafted out of high school by Chicago Cubs in the 7th round. Standout player in the St. Louis County League from 1969-75 with Northside Buds and American Nationals. Will be inducted with his brother John.
ANDREW RUNZI (46) – An accomplished right-handed pitcher at Mineral Area JC and University of MO – St. Louis. Runzi is the career ERA leader at UMSL and a D-II All-American in 1992-93. Runzi was a California Angels farmhand. He played two seasons in the CYC Major Division and two seasons with the St. Louis Union Printers.
DENNIS SPITZER (66) – Hard throwing right-handed pitcher at University of MO – St. Louis from 1970-73. Ranks in top ten in wins, strikeouts and ERA at UMSL. Spitzer was a D-II All-Region selection in 1972-73. Played for four seasons with the CHASA Jets and three seasons for the Geiger Collegians in the St. Louis County League in the mid 70’s.
RON SNIDER (61) – Standout Pitcher/1B at Southwest MO State University from 1976-79. Snider was voted SMS MVP and MIAA Player of the Year in 1979 and was named a D-II All-American in 1978. A former Kansas City Royals farmhand, he played two years for the St. Charles Caps in the STL Amateur Collegiate League and five years for C&H in the EMBA from 1980-84.
TYLER STEINBACH (60) – Hard throwing left-handed pitcher and four-year starter at Brigham Young University from 1976-79 including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1979. Steinbach was a standout pitcher for the Sotolar Pointers from 1984-92. He was a four-time CYC Senior Major All-Star and won the Pointers first NBC State Championship Game in 1984. Steinbach also pitched for Waterloo in the Mon-Clair League in 1986.
TOM TWELLMAN (65) – Twice named the Most Outstanding Athlete at SIU-Edwardsville, Twellman was a four-year starter at 2B for the Cougars. He was the ninth-round selection of the Houston Astros in 1974. He won the SIUE batting title twice and was a two-sport D-II All-American (baseball and soccer). Twellman played for the Geiger Collegians and Kutis Funeral Home in the St. Louis County League.
DALE WESTERHOLT (66) – Standout right-handed pitcher for the University of MO – St. Louis from 1970-73. Tossed a complete game victory in the D-II College World Series in 1973. Ranks in the top ten at UMSL in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He anchored the pitching staff for the ALCO Tigers of the St. Louis County League from 1970-74.
MANAGER/COACHES
BOB BUNTON (58) – Outstanding player and coach, Bunton was head coach at Parkway North HS from 2002-07 and was named Suburban South Coach of the Year three times (2002, 2003, 2007) and reached the MO state final four in 2003. He managed the Creve Coeur Post 397 team from 1982-87 and was Coach of the Year in 1987. He amassed three division championships, and a district title. He was an assistant coach at Southeast MO State after playing there from 1979-82.
ARNOLD COPELAND (84) – Veteran manager/coach for 26 years at the high school and college level, led the Willow Springs HS team to the state final four in 1958. Copeland was head coach at University of MO – St. Louis from 1968 – 72. He was District and Regional Coach of the Year in 1972 and led UMSL to their first ever College World Series in 1972. He managed Lewis & Clark College from 1973-83.
UMPIRE
WILLIAM A. RADERMACHER III (60) – Veteran Umpire in the Greater St. Louis Umpires Association and Midwest Umpires Association for 35 years. He has umpired Metro Conference, Missouri Valley Conference, Conference USA and Big 8 Division I baseball games including several post-season assignments. He has worked the MSHSAA State Championships and various Division II, III and NJCAA contests. He’s also a fixture in many high school, American Legion and Metro Collegiate games in the St. Louis Area.
CONTRIBUTORS
FRED WILKE (69) – A veteran baseball administrator, Wilke has been a board member and President of the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Association since 1992. He was the baseball commissioner for the Bridgeton Athletic Association from 1979-1986. Wilke also founded SPORTS STATS in 1978, the first computer based baseball statistics company serving over 200 high schools in the St. Louis area.
BUCK SMITH (57) – Founder of the St. Louis Challenger Baseball program. Founded in 1994, Challenger baseball has grown from one field and one team in 1994 to 66 teams and over 800 players in the bi-state area thanks to Buck Smith’. Smith received the Musial Award in 2016 for his work in providing physically and mentally challenged youth the opportunity to play baseball.
