TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
On Friday, July 9, the “1985 Wisconsin Valley American Legion Conference Champion” Team was inducted into the Merrill Baseball Hall of Fame during their 11th year of celebrating and honoring local legends, at a ceremony at Merrill’s historic Athletic Park. Representing the 1985 Team were: Coach Brian Artac and six players: George Wilde, Scott Vanderbilt, Tim Oestreich, Mark “Eddie” Hassel, Kent Reinhardt, and Andy Lehman.
The 1985 Team was the first Merrill team to ever win the Wisconsin Valley Championship and marked the first time since the Valley was reorganized in 1963 that a Northern Division team beat a Southern Division team to take the title.
Player Ryan Leavitt, Coach and Major Contributor Kevin Golisch, and Player Mark “Eddie” Hassel were also inducted into the Merrill Baseball Hall of Fame in the ceremony for their contributions to the sport locally.
Ryan Leavitt, a 2007 Merrill High School (MHS) graduate, started playing baseball competitively at age nine on traveling teams, made his mark for the Merrill Bluejays as a two-year starter on Varsity and on the Post 46 Legion Team, and received numerous honors and recognitions in high school, including being a part of the Post 46 Legion team’s State Championship in 2007, earning 1st Team All-Conference honors in both his Junior and Senior year in high school, and being named 1st Team All-Region and Honorable Mention All-State during his Senior Year. He then played at the college level as a three-year starter at UW-Whitewater, becoming Team Captain and earning 1st Team All-Conference in his Senior year. And most notably, he was a member of the teams that qualified for the NCAA D-III World Series in both 2008 and 2011.
Kevin Golisch graduated from MHS in 1983 after lettering three times in baseball, as well as football and basketball. He earned All Conference as both a pitcher and outfielder and earned Valley All Star recognition in Legion ball twice. After high school, he was recruited by colleges for baseball and became a part of two WBA State Champion teams – the Everest Merchants in 1984 and Merrill Rangers in 1991. Then he was invited to try out for the Kansas City Royals and the Cincinnati Reds.
Golisch started coaching at age 25 when he started coaching the Legion team, and he has been involved in coaching and volunteering for Merrill Youth baseball for 46 years, including serving on baseball boards for almost 20 years, including Merrill Little League, Merrill Baseball Association, Merrill Youth Hardball Association, and Merrill Baseball Boosters. He has been an integral part of Merrill baseball on every level.
Mark “Eddie” Hassel is a 1985 MHS graduate who also lettered three times in baseball and played on the Bluejay Varsity baseball team. He earned 1st team All-Conference Pitcher as a Senior in 1985 and his seven win seasons continues to be the second highest in school history. Mark also played three years with American Legion Post 46 and was a part of the 1985 team that won the Wisconsin Valley American Legion Conference Championship, also inducted at the July 9 ceremony. Mark continued playing baseball as a member of the Merrill Park City Rangers in the Langlade County League and was voted MVP in 1988, and he continued playing for Merrill when they became the Merrill Rangers in 1989 where he used his strong right arm to help pitch the Rangers into a WBA Championship in 1991. Later Mark began coaching Little League, Babe Ruth, and traveling softball teams as his children began playing the sport.
And local legend, Adelbert “Debs” V. Loud (Coach/Major Contributor), was inducted into the Hall of Fame posthumously. His grandchildren, Joy Annis, John Stockowitz, and Judy Kaehne. accepted on behalf of the family.
Debs, a native of Michigan, moved to Merrill with his family and later worked for the sawmill. He played baseball for the Merrill Merchants from 1930-1943 and is credited with keeping the game alive and the team going during the depression. Not only did he play center field, but he was also an exceptional batter. He also managed the team, was a primary fundraiser for the team, and he maintained the grounds and paid the bills. For a good number of years, you might say Debs was the face of the team. He left the area to serve in the US Navy and managed the team in 1948 after he returned and halfway through 1949, at which time he resigned to focus more on family, fishing, bowling, and cheering on the Detroit Tigers and Lions.
