Clarinda A's Baseball

New Hall of Fame inductees announced

Each year  as we get ready to make the Hall of Fame presentations we point out to those new to the banquet that the Clarinda Hall of Fame is a bit unique in that it recognizes not only the ball players, but also those who have been instrumental in supporting the program in other ways as well.

That was true of our first inductees – a little over 10 years ago a young man joined the A’s board of directors and since that time has served in many capacities on that board and spent many hours on projects at the field & in the club house.  After just a couple years on the board his family became houseparents  & his wife, a member of the A’s Auxiliary, their son a bat boy & their daughter a helper in the concession stand with her mom – it’s been rumored that Mom is one of the best cooks in town & tends to spoil their “summer sons”. As a family they are active in school activities, with their church and in other community events – it was a pleasure to induct our new board president  Jeff Clark & his wife Kristi this year for their past and continuing support of the A’s program.

In 1995 an outfielder from the University of Missouri joined the A’s and would return again in 1996. He was a four year letterman at MU, a two time All-American & in 1998 was named the Big XII player of the year by the Dallas Morning News. During his two seasons in Clarinda his batting average in 95 was .333 & in 96 was .350. That placed him in the to three on the team that year, he tied for the lead in doubles at 14, led in home runs with 8 and was second in total bases with 99. The teams record during the two years he spent here were 52-12 and 47- 12. In 97 he played in the Cape Cod League & was later drafted by the Kansas City Royals and played a season with their minor league team in Spokane, WA. A 1998 graduate of MU with a BA in History and a minor in political science, as well as a graduate of MU Law School in 2002, he has been a member of the law firm of Oswald Roam Rew & Fry since 2002, being named managing partner in 2011. He, his wife Lisa and son Garrett make their home in Lee’s Summit, MO. He was inducted into the MU Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009 and we were pleased to welcome Ryan Fry as a new member of the Clarinda Baseball Hall of Fame.

Over the years we have had players from the University of Iowa and in 1987 this gentleman was one of two pitchers to come to the A’s from Iowa City. He was a four year starter for the Hawkeyes, was freshman All-Big 10, as well as freshman All American & still holds Iowa career strikeout record. He was drafted by the Cinncinnati Reds in 1986 and the California Angels in 1989. On an A’s pitching staff that had a combined ERA of 4.03, he led the way at 2.70 in the 86 2/3 innings he pitched. He compiled an 8-3 record, walking only 33 & having 83 strike outs. From 1991-92 he coached baseball at Iowa City West; 1995-2009 organized and directed a travel softball team and organized USSSA baseball team in 2009, which he is still doing. He has three children who are with him tonight and lives in Kalona, IA. The last inductee for 2013, Allen Rath has been in Medical Devise Sales for over 15 years and is the current baseball coach at Mid Prairie High School.