Cleveland, Ohio This month marks the 2025 Frank Petruno Old-Timers annual sandlot baseball reunion.
Former Cleveland sandlot ballplayers will reunite on Saturday, August 23, at League Park’s visitors center on Lexington Avenue.
Sandlot ball was played for many years; in Cleveland, it peaked in the 1950s. On teams supported by various companies, thousands of players competed on diamonds around the city. The number of sandlot teams in the city gradually decreased due to suburban growth and the growing popularity of softball.
A program commemorating the late reporter Dan Coughlin and Tim Wells, the former manager of organized sports for the city of Cleveland, is part of the reunion.
The honorees of the reunion award are as follows:
Frank Petruno, 2021.
John Nagy, 2022.
Ray Schmotzer, 2023.
2024: Garry Roggenburk and Rich Rollins, who was born in Akron, played in the Major Leagues for ten seasons, primarily with Minnesota, until passing away in May. Rollins attended Kent State.
The League Park Baseball Heritage Museum is accepting donations to support a sandlot baseball section of the museum.
The Hot Dog Cart Lady will be serving food and drinks for sale.
If you go: Old-Timers annual sandlot baseball reunion
Where: Cleveland’s League Park Visitors Center, 6601 Lexington Ave.
Street parking is available.
When: August 23, Saturday.
Timetable:
From noon to 12:30 p.m. Check in.
From 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Bob Zimmer, founder of the Baseball Heritage Museum, welcomes you. Al Drews made the opening remarks. Carmen Angelo and Tim Hyland, “Remembering Dan Coughlin.” Dave Schmotzer’s induction into the Tim Wells Wall of Fame. Tim Wells’ closing remarks and ideas for the future sandlot.
1:30–3 p.m. Socializing.
Stories by
Marc Bona
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