 | CARL ADDIS - OUTFIELDER -
Another outstanding Barberton athlete is being honored by the GABHOF for his accomplishments. Carl played with several youth teams before becoming a star outfielder for the Magics. He was one of coach Les Scarr's classic examples of a complete ball player. He could hit, run, throw, and field far in excess of most high schoolers. He earned four letters, was team captain two years and led the team in hitting and RBIs. His play attracted the attention of Ohio University recruiters who provided him a baseball scholarship. Carl's play earned him unanimous All-MAC Player of the Year honors as a sophomore. Following his college career he played in the AA League with the Farber Clothiers, Akron Orphans and Smith Sheriffs. He played a large part in helping those teams win eight championships. As a result he was voted on five All-Star teams. This honor unites Carl with his brother Bob who was inducted in 1995. They are the 12th pair of brothers inducted in the Hall of Fame.
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 | DON BROWN - RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER -
As a 14-year old, Don began pitching and playing outfield for American Legion Post 209, where he immediately established himself as a winner. Throughout his baseball days he never had a losing season and usually hit over .300 averages. While successful at Central High, Don helped Post 209 win the legion title in 1944, and Borden Autos get second place in A League national division play in 1956. He signed a pro contract with the Cubs organization, assigned to Janesville of the Wisconsin State League, and as a rookie won the opener with a neat three-hitter. He also played at Lumberton, North Carolina of the Tobacco States League and in Jacksonville before deciding to return home for economic reasons. He resumed pitching in Akron and found the ability to throw a "fork ball" which helped make him one of the A League's top pitchers. Don hurled for the Canton Road Furnitures, 1948-1950; had even more success with the Smith Sheriffs, 1951-52; before rejoining the Furnitures when Frank Garcia took over the team in 1953 and helped them into the league playoffs.
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 | GEORGE DAVIS - UMPIRE -
Following a lengthy period of time as a fine player with such teams as the Avery A.C. Stembridge All-Stars, Royal Vagabonds, Holland Furnaces, Warren, Ohio Gamecocks, and a year with the Pittsburgh Crawfords of the National Negro League, George embarked on an umpiring career. He graduated from umpire school and became the first accredited African-American sports official registered in Ohio. His experience as a player made him keenly aware of his responsibilities as an umpire and he became very competent. His skills and ability landed him assignments at all levels of competition, including the Stan Musial Amateur World Series in Battle Creek, Michigan, and many high school, college regular season tournament games, and AA League games as well. George was a member of the Portage County Umpire's Association and served as its president for several years.
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 | MIKE DONAHUE - MANAGER -
If the Kenmore area had a Hall of Fame, one of the very first to be recognized would be Mike Donahue. Mike has a 35-year association with Kenmore baseball. At every level he has been available to do what was needed to keep the game alive. He managed, coached, was groundskeeper, and yes, even umpired. His services extended from the little leagues to the Pony League to the Hot Stove league, to high school and the AA League. All his teams recorded better than .500 statistics and along the way they won titles, including two trips to the Hot Stove state finals in Alliance, and assistant coaching duties with the 1986 City Series Champion, Kenmore High. In association with his on the field activities, Mike found time to serve 20 years as administrator. Eleven of those years on the AA Board of Directors. He was instrumental in fund raising efforts for the youth teams, high school and the AA League. Mike is truly dedicated to Kenmore and Akron baseball.
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 | DON MILLER - INFIELDER -
Don began playing baseball for 1992 Hall of Famer Phil Dienoff's Howe School sandlot team. From there to South High, where he earned three letters playing second base for the varsity team. Upon graduation, he enrolled at The University of Akron, but after a year enlisted in the Army Air Corps, and played on the base team while being trained as a bombardier at Sioux Falls, South Dakota. After the war, he returned to The University of Akron and sharpened his shortstopping skills under the tutelage of Frank Garcia (who at the time was serving as U of A baseball coach). He was a member of the same team as Hall of Famers Joe Staudt, George Ostrander, and Sam Filer. After college he signed a pro contract with the New Castle Chiefs, a Cleveland Indians affiliate in the Penn State League. Deciding that pro ball was not for him, Don returned to Akron, entered law school and played AA baseball with Hoe Winkler's Civitan Club, Souvenir Beers, Norka Plating and Ravenna Chevrolet. During his 9 years in the AA League, Don was a member of five championship teams, and was an All-Star selection twice.
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 | JIM MISANKO - RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER -
Like so many other Greater Akron Hall of Famers, Jim got his start playing with the American Legion Post 209 teams. He then moved on to Garfield High School where he pitched the Presidents to a pair of city championships in 1950 and 1951. At The University of Akron he earned three letters and was named the team's most valuable player for 1953. After college he joined Bob Simmons' Krumroy Markets team. After a couple of years, Frank Garcia recruited Jim to pitch for the Borden Autos. Several years later the military claimed him for a hitch. Upon his return to Akron, Jim finished out his baseball days with the Canton Road Furnitures and the Krispy Kremes. With the Kremes he was the win-loss leader also having the lowest ERA Jim was selected on four All-Star teams and was a member of eight championship teams.
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 | JOE NAUER - RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER -
He started young, having spent three years in the South Akron Little Leagues. Moving on to high school, Joe was instrumental in the Kenmore Cardinals winning the 1978 City Championships and in four years of varsity action was twice selected to the All-City Team. Recruited by Wooster College, Joe helped the Scots to a pair of Ohio conference titles and his performance there was rewarded with selection to the All-Conference Teams. After college Joe joined the Crocker Restaurant Team in the AA League and helped them win three titles in five years. He then played two championship seasons with the Field Falcons (1984-85) before closing out his baseball career in AA with C&P Sales Company teams for eight years. He helped pitch C&P to titles in 1986, 1991-92-93. All-in-all Joe played on 12 title teams and was voted on eight All-Star teams. In 1985 his stellar performance merited him the league's Frank Garcia Award for outstanding play. Joe has continued to pitch in the over-30 Roy Hobbs Baseball League in Akron, and has led his Grandpa Sports Card team to one title.
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 | L.C. PEARSON - INFIELDER - (OLD TIME PLAYER)
L.C. was born in Akron and played with Speed Bosworth's Akron Sporting Goods team as a youngster. Pearson moved to East Orange, N.J. and attended high school, where he was a teammate of Cooperstown Hall of Famer, Monte Irvin. He dropped out of school to join the semi-pro Orange Triangles before becoming the first baseman for the Newark N.J. Eagles of the National Negro League. He would spend 11 years with the Eagles, hitting over .300 lifetime. In 1956 he led the Eagles to a Negro World Series championship over the Kansas City Monarchs, hitting .393 in the seven game struggle. L.C. moved to the Baltimore Elite Giants in 1949 as their player-manager and hit .332, leading them to a league championship. He was a five-time east-west All-Star during the 1940's. Pearson died as a result of an automobile accident in Newark N.J. in 1984.
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 | RON PIEKARSKI - RIGHT-HANDED PITCHER -
Few pitchers if any have experienced the longevity of Ron Piekarski. He has spent more than 30 years fooling area batters. Thru the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's, he has been a dominant AA league pitcher and never had a losing season while racking up a 175-72 record. Ron began winning at St. Mary's CYO High School, helping his teams win four titles. Ron first pitched in AA at age 15 with Joe's All-Stars in 1965, when he beat Erhart Kramers at Erhart by an 8-3 score, allowing only three hits and five walks, while striking out 14. In between playing football at Purdue University, Ron pitched for Nino's Lounge AA team and after college pitched for Magic City Lanes, Acme Ash, Akron Insulating, Oakwood Bar, Genesee Beers, D.B. Johnsen's and then 10 years with the team he co-sponsored with his father, Rudy F. Piekarski (a 1996 inductee), C&P Sales Co., which won 5 titles: 1986, 1991-92-93-94. Besides the games he won as a starter, Ron had a number of saves as a reliever. He played on 12 championship teams and was selected for five All-Star games. His '90's career highlight came in 1993 when he won a pair of games in relief on the same day, a 4-inning win for C&P and a 3-inning win for the Akron Blues team of the Roys Hobbs Over 40 League. Ron has also played on three Blues title teams.
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 | BILL STEINRIEDE - FIRST BASEMAN & OUTFIELDER
Bill's ability and skills became apparent as a high schooler at Roger Bacon High in Cincinnati. His stellar play earned him three varsity letters as well as All-City MVP recognition in 1963. Kent State University Golden Flashes presented Bill with a scholarship where he won three letters, set an NCAA record for four consecutive doubles, was a second team All-MAC selection and led Kent hitters with a .311 batting average in 1965. While at Kent and after, he continued as a hitting terror and fielding whiz in the AA League with Airmatic Valve, champion Wayne Knolls Farms and champion Akron Insulating teams. Besides playing on four title teams, Bill was a three-time All-Star selection, was player-manager of Insulating Teams for three years, and led the Insulators in hitting 1972-73.
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 | AMERICAN LEGION POST #209 - SPONSOR
Over the years certainly no organization has done more for the youth of the greater Akron baseball community than Post #209. An examination of our program book will show that during the 1940, 1950, and 1960 years more than half of our Hall of Famers got their start in baseball as a member of one of the Post #209 teams. Today the GABHOF is honoring and recognizing Post #209 for having made such a positive impact on the youth of our baseball society. For more than 30 years Post #209 provided the opportunity and financial support for baseball activity in the Akron area. While the success of their teams can be measured by the many trophies and plaques in their trophy case, the real measurement lies in the outstanding citizens they have helped start in the right direction. Post #209 and all its members have the GABHOF's sincere gratitude for its dedication to Akron baseball.
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