Clarinda A's Baseball

On Friday, June 13th, a grandstand dedication ceremony was held to honor the Buch Family.  Below is the dedication speech written by Cindy Kail:

Don Buch came by his love of baseball from his father, Henry H. Buch. Even though he never was
able play baseball, as the season conflicted with his love of farming, Don extended his passion for the
game with his wife, Donna Lee. They were enthusiastic supporters of the Clarinda A’s through
attendance at home and away games. They were also house parents for A’s players for many years,
with Don mentoring the guys in the values needed for a strong family life and teaching them shooting
skills at his basement pool table. Donna Lee doted on those boys, dutifully laundering their uniforms
daily and cooking full meals after every game. As a result, Don and Donna Lee were inducted into the
A’s Hall of Fame in 1995.
Their children, Tom, Cindy, and Judi, heard the call for donations for the grandstand renovations and
completed plans to be major contributors to the project and the naming of the grandstand just days
before Tom passed away last fall. The naming of the “Don and Donna Lee Buch Grandstand,” at
Clarinda Municipal Park with the Merle Eberly Field, ties the Buchs back to their high school friendship
with Merle and Pat, Don’s tenure as a former Clarinda City Council member, as well as the Buch’s
small businesses, Don Buch Insurance and Don and Donna Lee’s Card Shop.
Celebrating this dedication tonight are Don and Donna Lee’s two daughters, Cindy Kail and Judi
Coppock, and their son, Tom Buch, in memory. Joining them are Cindy’s husband, Andy; and Judi’s
husband, Jim, and their family, Melissa Etten, Sara Homrig, and Joe Baynes. It is their privilege to
preserve the rich tradition of baseball in Clarinda and support the Clarinda A’s Organization. They
hope that you will enjoy watching the A’s for years into the future from your seats in this beautifully
renovated grandstand.