WC Wisconsin News

The 1968 Eau Claire Memorial baseball team reunited for the first time since winning to celebrate their state championship and the legacy of the baseball program at Memorial High School.

For the first time since becoming state champions in 1968, all members of the Eau Claire Memorial baseball team reunited last month to commemorate their victory, according to WQOW. A dozen members, alongside their former head coach Dennis Bohman, came together before the game April 29 at Fairfax Park. Team member Jim Howe threw out the ceremonial first pitch before joining the crowd to support the current Old Abes. 

"I know I might get emotional," said Howe, according to WQOW.  "It’s so exciting to have everyone back, with the distance that they come from, classmates that are here, just Old Abes fans it’s really been exciting, heartwarming. That’s about all I got."

Due to harsh rain, the ceremony was moved inside away from Carson Park, the site of the 1968 championship victory. The current Eau Claire players mingled with the champions, exchanging stories before all members of the 1968 team were honored by current coaches, family and fans. The former champions even made sure to include '68 players who could not be in attendance, according to WQOW. 

"The speeches, the talks that the different guys gave to the kids were inspirational," Howe said. "Hopefully, they got a lot out of it, I believe they have. Really a nice group of kids; polite, well-mannered, and excited to play the game. Memorial's in great hands."

The entire event was organized by Memorial assistant coach Jon Redwine who highlighted earlier this season the strength of the school's baseball program in the 1960s. Beginning in 1961, Eau Claire won a total of five titles throughout the course of the decade, with the last coming on June 7, 1968, with a 1-0 victory over Middleton High School, according to WQOW.