Five contributors to the game of baseball at the local level were welcomed into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame in late January, and now have plaques inside the Hall of Fame’s home beside Lewis Gale Field.
The five newest members of the Hall – there are now more than 100 in all – were received at the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Hot Stove banquet – a fundraiser held every year held in conjunction with the Salem Red Sox.
The five honorees included Kelly Dampeer Jr., who played three seasons as an infielder in the Cleveland Indians organization after starring at Northside High School and at Radford University. Since then he has coached at Radford, at Northside, at Roanoke College and had ownership in the Rip City training facility. He still helps coach the Northside baseball squad.
“It gives me an opportunity to put a frame around that time in my life,” said Dampeer, who is now a local sales manager. “It’s great for me – I’ve been around this town for so long. I’ve had so many friends that helped out with my career and my development. It’s just a special day.” Dampeer thinks it is “fantastic,” that people care so much that they worked for nearly 20 years to raise money and get the Hall building constructed. “It’s a small fraternity of people that [want to] do that.”
Bob Scarborough now works for Valley Bank; he was a standout pitcher at Franklin County High School and at Ferrum College. He went 6-and-4 in one season of professional baseball with the Cleveland organization. “[Tonight] I have a chance to thank the people that have really helped me. I’m going to see some old friends …and thank some of the coaches. It’s a great honor for me.”
Also inducted were longtime area coaches Cecil Doss (American Legion ball) and Gary Rice (31 years at Alleghany High School). Ben Minton, the other new member, was a long time baseball umpire at the college and scholastic levels. Chuck Muncy took home the Wayne LaPierre Sr. Community Service Award. Muncy was a longtime supporter of baseball in Christiansburg.
The Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame banquet has welcomed many notable keynote speakers over the years – Catfish Hunter, Tug McGraw (both now deceased), Tommy John, Sparky Lyle, Jay Johnstone, etc. This year was no exception as former Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was the guest of honor; the Buena Vista native, who still works for Philadelphia, won a World Series title in 2008 with a team that featured Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins. Manuel won five straight division titles at one point – only Atlanta’s Bobby Cox had done better than that (14 straight years) previously.
Manuel, a former major leaguer who played for legendary managers Billy Martin (Minnesota) and Walter Alston (LA Dodgers) once hit 48 home runs in a season while playing in Japan.
Former Salem Avalanche owner Kelvin Bowles, who emceed the banquet, invited his friend Manuel to come up from Florida to speak. Manuel lived in Roanoke for 17 years. “Any time I can get up here and see some people that I know …it makes me feel good.”
Manuel was inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995: “I think it’s super. I think it’s a way to honor [the game].” Manuel said he knew many of the past inductees. “It’s an honor to have my name up there with them.”
He also likes the fact that the Hall honors local contributors to the game, most often at the recreation and scholastic level. Manuel spends time as a “senior advisor.” He’s a roving instructor and scouts major leaguers for the Phillies, when they are looking to trade for players. He also looks at prospects the Phils might draft. “It’s a good job.”
Manuel became friends with now-retired commissioner Bud Selig and said he left the game “at its peak,” also cleaning up the “drug situation.” Manuel said Selig deserves kudos for expanding the playoffs to include wild card teams. “He did a good job.”
By Gene Marrano