Mike Gagnon
Howard Lake, MN

Mike played baseball for Howard Lake-Waverly High School; he was a second baseman at the University of Minnesota Morris.  During his college summer vacations he played for the Maple Lake “Lakers” amateur team for seventeen years.  During these summers he volunteered his time coaching youth baseball in Howard Lake and Waverly.  In 1995 Mike began rebuilding the Howard Lake baseball team.  He became a player, manager, groundskeeper, fundraiser, and promotion coordinator.  After the flood of 2002 which destroyed many years of hard work on the ball park, Mike spearheaded with the help of the city, neighbors and fans not only to rebuild the ball park but to enhance it.  Again in 2005 Mike helped with a project to improve the seating in Memorial Stadium.

Al Mueller
New Ulm, MN

Al played baseball for Arlington High School; he played football at Gustavus Adolphus College. After he graduated from Gustavus, he served in the United States Navy.  When he returned form the service, he played amateur baseball for Arlington and New Auburn.  Al has served two terms totaling twenty- three years on the New Ulm baseball association.  Al’s crowning achievement was the second lighted baseball field in New Ulm which was the result of Al working with New Ulm  City government and Al making a significant contribution toward the field which is named “Al Mueller Field.”  Al is a member of the New Ulm Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.  Al is also a member of the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame board of directors and also has served as chairman of the endowment committee.  For many years Al has volunteered his legal services to the Hall of Fame.

Bill Nelson
Dundas, MN

Bill played baseball for Albert Lea High School; he was a pitcher for Augsburg College and is member of the Augsburg Hall of Fame.  Bill played amateur baseball for Hayward, Dick’s Place and finally for Dundas from 1975-1989 during which Dundas won State Championships in 1982 and 1988.   Bill managed Dundas from 1989-1999 and from 2005 to the present with State Championships in 1998 and 1999.  Bill was the head baseball coach at Carleton College from 1994-2005.  In addition to playing and managing Bill served as a director for the Minnesota Baseball Association from 1984-1986.  The renovated Dundas baseball field, a $300,000 project, with new dugouts, grandstand, lights, sound system, batting cage and picnic area was a project Bill helped to create.

Bob Van Hee
Redwood Falls, MN

Bob played baseball for  Belview High School; he then attended Mankato State University.  Bob played amateur baseball for the Belview “Merchants”, Milroy “Yankees”, Leaavenworth “Orioles” and the Sleepy Eye “Indians. “  In 1978 Bob moved to Redwood Falls and with a singular passion, started the “Redbirds” amateur team and has kept them going for thirty years.  He began without players or equipment and a field that was just playable.  Under his leadership Memorial Field had a new infield, new dugouts, a new scoreboard, a new batting cage, a concession stand and Bob actively doing field maintenance.  He has played for and managed the Redwood Falls Redbirds; he has been high school coach at Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s and has volunteered to coach youth baseball.  In addition to baseball, Bob has volunteered in various community activities such as the development of the new Redwood Area Hospital addition.