 | JANE JACOBS BADINI
In 1943 Phil Wrigley of the Chicago Cubs and Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers founded the "All-American Girls Baseball League," playing under the baseball rules and style. The League and Jane's teams have been recognized and honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The League played 120 games a year from 1943 until 1954. Jane pitched for the Racine Wisconsin Belles and the Peoria Illinois Redwings. Her pitching ability ranked her among the League leaders. Later she became a relief pitcher and was the League's best, being nick-named "The Fireman" after the Yankees famous reliever, Johnny Murphey. In 1992 a movie, "A League of Their Own" was released relating to their place in baseball history. Jane was a special guest at the premiere showing. In 1993 a television series was made using women's baseball as the theme. The League started with 4 teams, having players from all over the United States, Canada and Cuba competing for jobs. The 18 year old Jane won a roster spot at the Wrigley Field Try-Outs with the Racine Wisconsin Belles. She pitched a 1 hit game (an 8th inning scratch single) and had a 2.82 earned run average during the 1944 season. Jane learned the game playing at Harrington Field in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
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 | HENRY "HANK" BURMEISTER
A hard throwing, right-handed pitcher, Hank made an indelible mark on Akron area baseball. He pitched for Stow High School winning All-Metro honors before entering Kent State University. With the Flashes he lettered as a freshman and a sophomore. At Kent State he was undefeated during the two seasons, before transferring to the University of Michigan, where he continued his winning ways. He played in the AA League with the Civitan Club and finally with the Borden Auto Teams of 1948 and 1949. His pitching helped the autos to State championships in 1948 and 1949. He pitched the championship game in Battle Creek, Michigan in 1948. Hank opted for college in 1946 in lieu of offers from the New York Giants and the St. Louis Cardinal organizations.
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 | DAN COSTILL
Dan began his catching career as a little leaguer and after 40 years he is still at it. At Buchtel High School he won 3 letters and was MVP in 1966. At The University of Akron he won 4 letters and was MVP in 1970. While still at Akron U. he began playing in the AA League with such teams as Azar Denholms, Kent (Portage Co. League), Wadsworth A.C., Red Peppers, Pfeifle Undertakers, Ellet Graphic Arts, Custom Trophies, Forest City, Crocker's Restaurant, Genessee Beer, Warren (AA League), C&P Sales, Akron Omnicor, and finally to round out 4 decades he is still catching in the Senior League with the Akron Blues. Dan was elected to 13 All-Star teams. He was instrumental in helping his teams to win 9 league championships along with 2 district championships. He was a consistant .350 and above hitter and was AA League RBI leader in 1983.
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 | SAM FILER
Sam was a powerful hitting first baseman-outfielder, whose determination to win was legendary among his teammates and friends. He played on the West Side Sandlots before winning 3 letters at Buchtel High School. He then began playing at The University of Akron where he won 3 letters and was All-Ohio Conference and MVP in 1950. Also at Akron U he led the team in homeruns and hitting, serving as captain during one season. He was a .350 hitter and more than adequate as a defensive player. In the AA League Sam helped the Smith Sheriffs, Scott Paige, Sohio A.C. and Canton Road Furniture. All in all he was a member of 3 championship teams.
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 | JIM FLOTO
East High School has produced many excellent players for our Hall of Fame and joining that group is another, Jim Floto. Jim served as captain for 2 years and led the team to 3 district championships and a regional trophy. Before that he learned the basics with the Post 209 and East Akron Nash teams in the American Legion. At The University of Akron he was a 4 year letterman, serving as captain during 1956. In 1955 he received the MVP Award. In 1956 he received the Touchdown Clubs Outstanding Player Award. He played in the AA League with Souvenir Beers, Old Dutch Beers, Howe Construction, Krispy Kremes and the Borden Autos 1949 championship team. He played on the Naval Air Station team in Memphis, Tenn. Jim had a .345 lifetime batting average and played on 4 All-Star teams. He was a keen student of the game. He sustained a broken finger just prior to a scheduled try-out with the Memphis Blues of the International League, preventing his shot at the pros.
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 | CLARK "JIMMIE" JOHNSON
He was the lefthanded counterpart of a dominating pair of West High School athletes. Jimmie and his cousin Bobby Nash (1982 Famer) ruled the area sports picture during the 30's. Jimmie pitched and played first base for the Akron Jays, Stembridge All-Stars and the Avery A.C. When Bobby Nash opted to attend Toledo University instead of trying out for the Pittsburgh Crawfords of the National Negro League, Jimmie took his place and made the team. He was known as "Schoolboy Johnson." He played 4 seasons with "Cool Papa Bell", Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, Jimmie Crutchfield and other great players. Following his time with the Crawfords, he joined the Monterrey Club in the Mexican Professional Baseball League. A shoulder injury concluded his career in Mexico, after several successful seasons. He was truly a gifted pitcher having a blazing fast ball and blessed with great control. He appeared in the All-Star games in Mexico City on two occasions.
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 | ARA PARSEGHIAN
Sometimes a person's skill in one sport is so overwhelming that his excellence in another is often overlooked. Such is the case involving Ara. His football prowess and coaching ability has diminished the perception of his baseball skills. But make no mistake, he could play the game. So much so, that the late "Speed Bosworth" (1984 Famer & Cleveland Indians scout) maintained he would have been every bit as successful as a baseball player. The G.A.B.H.O.F. would be remiss had we failed to honor that early segment of his life. He pitched and played first base for the National A.C. Team, moving up to the championship Grays IGA team of the American Legion. At South High School he was instrumental in helping them have several winning seasons. In 1940 he was selected on the 1st Akron Orphan Team of high school All-Stars, along with Hall of Famers Bill Starkey (1990), Hal Schumacher (1991) and Jesse Raines (1993). He continued playing with the Orphans until his enlistment in the Navy in 1943. He was able to pitch some in the service and a try-out was arranged with the Pittsburgh Pirate organization following his service commitment. However he opted for a scholarship at Miami of Ohio, where he starred in baseball as well as football and basketball. Following graduation, football became his preference in life and the rest is history.
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 | FRANK PETICCA
Frank joins his brother Joe (1992) in the Hall of Fame. A right-handed pitcher with a smooth effective motion, good curve ball and a more than adequate fast ball, he won his share of games. He was All-City at Buchtel High School in 1944. At Miami University of Ohio he was No. 1 starting pitcher for 3 years and during one period of time he won 9 consecutive games. He started his AA League career as a 16-year-old with the Akron Orphans. He also pitched for the Civitan Club, Howe Construction, and Souvenir Beers. Frank pitched 10 years in the AA League and was on 4 All-Star teams and a member of 8 title championship teams.
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 | EMERY "DUTCH" RAUSCHENBERG
"Dutch" joins his son Delbert (1985) in the Hall of Fame as the eighth father-son combination. His career dates back to 1916 when he began playing with the Wheeling-Lake Erie Team in the Southeastern Ohio - West Virginia League. He quit playing in 1940 and began to manage and coach, imparting his skills & knowledge to the younger players. Some of the teams he managed include the Barberton Slovenes, Rittman Ohio Boxboard, Canton Road Furniture, Smith Sheriffs, N. Canton Hoover Sweepers, Erhart Kramers, Wadsworth P.O.C. and the Borden Autos. Listing the names of the Greater Akron Hall of Famers he helped would fill this page. Dutch was inducted into the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame in 1978. He devoted 44 years to baseball and his death in 1980 was a profound loss to our game. Dutch's son Delbert (Del) also was inducted into the Wayne County Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
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 | JOHN SARVER
Baseball has been a part of John's life since he began to play in the Ellet area program at age 8. At Ellet High School he lettered 3 years, helping to win 3 district championships. He went to Orlando, Florida and played for Valencia Junior College, where they were Division I champions for 2 years. At Austin Peay State University he pitched and served as pitching coach. In the Greater Akron area he played with Red Peppers, Akron Insulating, Pfeifle's Undertaking, Ellet Graphic Arts, Forest City, Stow Quality Cleaners and Akron Omnicor. He was All-City at Ellet in 1972 and 1973. He was on the AA League All-Star Team on 8 occasions. He was named to the All-Ohio Valley Conference Team in 1977. He had 2 no-hitters and was 8th in the nation with a 1.23 ERA. In addition to being an outstanding pitcher, he has the skill to teach his knowledge to others. As a coach he has won championships at Kenmore High, Buchtel High and at Hoban High schools. He was named Coach of the Year in the Tri-County Conference and in 1993 was selected to coach the Akron Entry in the State All-Star Series in Columbus, Ohio. He is a current member of the Senior League Akron Blues baseball team.
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 | JEROME STEMBRIDGE
Throughout the history of Akron baseball the most important role has been that of the sponsor. None have handled the part better than Jerome Stembridge. He provided the means to promote the game citywide, but primarily in the Elizabeth Park community. His generosity gave many athletes the opportunity to be better than their environment. His dedication to our youth though the lean years as well as the good years made baseball possible for those great players of the urban West side. Several present Hall of Famers played on his teams sunch as Ed Finney, Thurston Walker, Bobby Nash, Eddie Elias, Joe Harris, Don Tyler, Jimmie Johnson and many other likely candidates for this honor. We owe much to the "Scatmans" memory.
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 | HAL WARREN
He graduated from Central High School with an impressive record, having earned 9 letters (4 in baseball). He joined the Early Borden Auto Team as their ace pitcher. He attended Kent State University for a time, before signing a professional contract with the Chicago Cubs organization in 1946. He was sent to Hutchington, Kansas, where even though he was a pitcher, he was called on to pinch hit for an injured player and his debut in pro baseball resulted in a double. He moved up the Cub organization to Elisabethon, Tennessee, Springfield, Massachusetts and finally to Portsmouth, Virginia. In 1950 he returned to Akron, helping Krispy Kremes with a championship. He pitched 6 consecutive victories at one stretch. He had a lifetime ERA of less than 3 runs.
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