12 minute read
Sporting Life James Larsen
Marquette hitter Dan Sabin awaits the pitch during the championship game of the Felch Labor Day Tournament against Bonduel, Wis.
the old ballpark located off M-69 in Felch since the 1970’s. “We love the atmosphere. It’s like turning the clock back to a time when baseball was the attraction in small towns – like taking a page from the past. It’s refreshing to see.”
While there wasn’t a goat auctioned off between innings like Jim recalls from the seventies, there was plenty of excitement. The 50/50 raffles and autographed baseballs donated by former Detroit Tiger great John Hiller added another layer of intrigue to complement the action on the field.
Following his remarkable career, Hiller found himself eight hours north of Tiger Stadium on a mound in Felch in 1981. Forty years later, the long-time area resident climbed up that same mound. This time, to throw out the first pitch before the Labor Day championship game. After being honored with a plaque and addressing the crowd during a moving pre-game ceremony, Hiller signed autographs, spoke with fans and caught up with old friends.
“It was a good day. A really good day” exclaimed Hiller.
Among the many people taking in the action was Mike Ferguson. As a sophomore in high school, Mike played for the Channing Railroaders during the inaugural Felch tournament in 1971. “There were so many good ballplayers. The talent was unbelievable.”
Former player and current volunteer Todd Lindeman explained, “when high school kids got to play in the Felch Tournament it was like being called up to the big leagues.”
Another youngster making his debut in Felch in 1971, was 16-year-old Gus Murray. “When I got that call, I thought it was like the Major Leagues.” The talent did in fact extend to many former professionals, including future and former major leaguers. Kevin Tapani, Bob Wickman, John Hiller and Mark “The Bird” Fidrych were some of the big leaguers cited. Other professionals, including several minor leaguers, also graced the field built upon an old swamp in the woods.
With Hiller’s arrival in 1981, the crowds swelled, reaching their pinnacle in 1983. According to multiple first-hand reports and corroborated by an article in the Iron Mountain Daily News, more than 10,000 people took in the action during the tournament that year. Joining Hiller was former Detroit phenom Mark “The Bird” Fidrych. People came out in droves to see the former 1976 Rookie of the Year. An estimated 5,500 showed up the day he pitched. The beloved and often eccentric Fidrych took the nation by storm during his 19-win rookie campaign. That season Fidrych nearly won the Cy Young award as the American League’s best pitcher as a 21 year old. Injuries led to a premature end to his Major League career, but his popularity never flickered.
Former Felch Ranger Dave Bray called seeing Hiller and Fidrych take the mound in Felch “the coolest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
Warren “Windy” Wickman has been the public address announcer each year since 1971. He recalled vehicles on each side of the road all through Felch. He spoke of Fidrych
Remembering Tom Donckers
Beloved local umpire Tom Donckers passed away unexpectedly in September. The long time Marquette area resident’s lifelong passion was baseball in all its forms. Widely respected, he was NCAA certified, and umpired many games and tournaments.
Many leagues around the Upper Peninsula depended on him. Recent highlights from this year included umpiring the American (Mark Pantti photo) Legion State Championships in Marquette and the Superiorland Baseball League Championship game in Gwinn.
down at Solberg’s tending bar and even his mannerisms. “He even manicured the mound when he was here, like he did when he was in Detroit,” recounted Windy, referencing Fidrych’s habit of smoothing the mound’s dirt by hand before he pitched.
People stood several deep, enjoying the history taking place on the field. The celebration after the games was just as intense. John Hiller described it as “shoulder to shoulder,” with Fidrych just handing out cans of beer at Solberg’s Bar in Felch, and it being so crowded “we were not able to move.”
Just as in the early years of the tournament, the 50th installment had its share of excitement. The four-day, double elimination marathon saw several games decided in dramatic fashion. Multiple elimination games included walk off victories with plays at the plate. After winning one such game on Monday, the Marquette team found itself in another close game later in the day. Down by two in the final inning with two runners on base, their last hope rested on the bat of Ethan Bemowski. The crowd erupted when the ball jumped off his bat and easily cleared the outfield fence, sending his team to a winner-take-all championship game against Bonduel, Wisconsin. That game would be another thriller, as Bonduel won the title on a walk-off hit.
Marquette player-manager Hunter Larson spent part of this summer playing professionally in Boise, Idaho. While a great thrill for him, he explained that Labor Day in Felch is hard to beat. “It’s always fun. I look forward to it each year” he said with a smile.
Team 906 shortstop Bobby Beauchamp echoed that sentiment. “I never want to miss this tournament. It brings back a sense of the American past. People are coming out of the woods and genuinely appreciate baseball. People are really watching the whole time. There’s definitely something special about this tournament.”
To put something of this caliber together, it takes a dedicated team. At the forefront of those efforts is tournament director John Benzie who is simply proud to have the event in Felch. He was quick with gratitude and offered “thanks to all the people who support the tournament.”
Supporters include the board, grounds crew, concession stand volunteers, raffle ticket sellers, business sponsors, fans, community members and more. The list is long and keeps growing as it takes a lot to put on an event of this magnitude in the middle of the woods.
As for the devotion to the game at this location, former Channing Railroader Mike Ferguson felt it was “like a religion.”
In addressing the crowd before the championship game, former Detroit Tiger and Felch Ranger John Hiller referred to Felch Memorial Field as “the field of dreams.”
A sign in the corner of left field greets fans as they enter the ballpark. It asks the question, “Is this Heaven?”
The answer, “No, it’s Felch.” When you hear the name John Hiller, what do you think of? Many recall his pitching contributions for the 1968 World Champion Detroit Tigers. Others marvel at his trailblazing return to professional baseball following a heart attack in 1971. Others may point to his pioneering role in helping change the perception of a relief pitcher and closer.
Those in the Upper Peninsula may have a different description for the Dickinson County resident: friend.
John Hiller explained it this way, “I go to the grocery store to pick
up five things and come back two hours later. People see me in the store and they just want to talk baseball. I’m one of them. Part of the community.” So how did the Canadian born Hiller, who played his entire 15year Major League career with the Detroit Tigers, come to buy an old farm in Felch 40 years ago? Following Hiller’s retirement from the Tigers in 1980, Dickinson County resident Andy Anderson reached out to Hiller who was living in Duluth, Minnesota, at the A sign on the outside of the left-field time. Anderson asked if he’d like to fence sums up the sentiment the Felch pitch for the Felch team. To their community feels toward their annual amazement, the former All-Star ac-
summer baseball tournament. Felch Labor Day Tournament Director John Benzie (right) presents former Detroit Tiger pitcher John Hiller with a plaque for his dedication to Felch at the community’s annual Labor Day tournament.
REACHING HOME
Retired World Series champ traded Tiger Stadium for Felch
Story and photos by James Larsen
cepted. Nearing Sagola, Hiller recalled saying with a grin, “I don’t think they have any hotels around here.”
Hiller stayed at a camp in the woods and loved it. He enjoyed the Felch Labor Day baseball tournament experience and asked his family if they would consider moving to the Upper Peninsula. To his surprise, none of his kids opposed the move.
Forty years later, Hiller accepted a plaque from Felch Labor Day Tournament director John Benzie this Labor Day. It stated the following: ‘With sincere thanks and appreciation for your generosity and for sharing your lifetime dedication to baseball. Our community is honored to call you friend.’
Hiller then spoke spontaneously to the crowd. “It’s a fact that the love and generosity and the ‘down-to-earthness’ of the people of this area made me come back the following year, buy a farm that had no water, very little electricity, and our family made it our home. And I’ve been here ever since. God bless all of you.”
One of the reasons Hiller acclimated so quickly was an instant connection to his teammates, including Felch catcher Bruce “Hubba” Murray. “He was an outstanding receiver” exclaimed Hiller. “I shook him off once and Todd Lindeman hit a home run off me” Hiller lamented with a wry smile.
When told that Hiller, the former MLB single season saves record holder would be suiting up for the Felch Rangers, Bruce “Hubba” Murray responded “yeah right.” In speaking of Hillers astonishing arrival, “he just came and fit in. He was easy to get along with. You know they called him gentleman John. You won’t meet a nicer man.”
How was it to catch a Major Leaguer? Hubba explained, “The better the pitcher, the easier it is to catch. We trusted each other and it just clicked.”
A couple years later, Hubba would have the opportunity to catch not one but two former Detroit Tigers on the same day. In 1983, former 19-game winner Mark “The Bird” Fidrych teamed up with Hiller and the Felch squad. In describing the experience, Hubba roared, “unbelievable.”
Speaking of Fidrych, Hubba explained that, “His slider was good, he still hit his spots, control was good and he was fun.” After giving up a home run to Stanton hitter Larry Asiala, Hubba went to the mound to talk to Fidrych who was famous for allegedly talking to the ball. “I don’t know what you said to that ball, but don’t say it again” Hubba counseled the 1976 rookie of the year. The Bird laughed and kept the Stanton hitters at bay for a few more innings. Then in a flashback to their days at Tiger Stadium, Hiller came in to close out the game and preserve the victory.
While playing with major leaguers was a thrill of a lifetime, the Felch catcher they call Hubba went on to conclude, “the biggest thing about playing ball is all the friends you make. A lot of life-time, close to the heart buddies.”
Hiller spoke in similar tones when reflecting back on the last 40 years of life in the Upper Peninsula. “You put all these pieces together. It’s amazing how it all came to be.”
Yes, John Hiller was a champion in 1968 with the Detroit Tigers. Then, he did what nobody had done before and came back from a heart attack to become the best relief pitcher in the American League for much of the 1970’s. He set records and helped to change perceptions. He won awards and was invited to an All-Star game.
Referring to the heart attack, Hiller used what was a low point in his life to try and help others and raise awareness of what is possible. Most wrote off his career after he missed the entire 1971 season. Not Hiller, who “got out of that hospital and started working out.” He emphasized “I hated to run. It was 35 laps to a mile. I ran two laps and fell flat on my face.”
A burning desire, coupled with an unshakable determination to return to the mound, saw him changing his diet, repeatedly throwing a baseball at a square at the YMCA wall and adding a new change-up to his pitching arsenal. After getting cleared by a cardiologist, the Tigers finally gave him the green light. Hiller quickly found himself back on the mound. The first batter he faced was star Dick Allen who promptly deposited a Hiller offering over the outfield wall. Hiller settled down, finding his groove en route to contributing to the Tigers American League East title in 1972. The next year, he set a record for saves, posted a 1.44 ERA and had what famed Sabermetric guru Bill James reportedly once called, “the greatest season for a closer in the history of baseball.”
Hiller cited Detroit Tiger manager Billy Martin’s vote of confidence as a major factor in the success of his return to baseball. Doing his best Billy Martin impression, Hiller recalled the manager exclaiming after his first outing, “this guy came back from the dead and didn’t walk anybody.”
Hiller continued pitching for the Tigers until his retirement during the middle of the 1980 season. His second act in baseball would consist of traveling around as a roving pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers minor league affiliates. This allowed him to get back home monthly to see the family and pitch a game for the Felch Rangers in the Wishigan (Michigan-Wisconsin) hardball league.
While he deeply loves the game, what means the most to John Hiller are relationships. Seeing old friends at the ballpark, interacting with fans, and passing on a few words of wisdom to a young ball player were all counted as Felch Labor Day highlights
When asked if he’d be back next year for the tournament, Hiller said what he often does when asked to help, “Yes.”
