Labor of love of baseball to benefit Ohio Veterans | Sports

On Apr 12, 2022

What began as a labor of love for longtime Napoleon baseball backer Dave Rohrbaugh has turned into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one lucky person, and an opportunity to aid Ohio Veterans.

Rohrbaugh, who passed away in October of 2020, had an idea to raise money for Ohio Veterans by raffling off baseballs and baseball cards signed by the 19 northwest Ohio high school baseball players who played Major League Baseball.

After two delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rohrbaugh’s vision is being realized with the help of some of his friends.

“Dave thought it would be very nice to do something with baseballs and baseball cards and use that to help the veteran’s home,” said Larry Adams of the Napoleon American Legion, where the drawing for the signed baseballs and baseball cards will be held. “When Dave passed away it was put on hold. Denny Meyer and Gregg Inselmann took it over and got it going.”

“Dave had an idea to use baseball to help veterans in Ohio,” said Meyer, who played high school baseball with Rohrbaugh. “That started three years ago. Then COVID hit and last year COVID was still around. Dave passed away in October, but before he passed I said I would help carry this out for him.

“We are full bore going ahead,” Meyer continued. “We have 35 teams in six counties involved with this along with American Legions and V.F.W.s. We are also holding various Veteran’s Games throughout the season.”

One of those Veteran’s Games is Saturday, when Holgate plays at Patrick Henry. Three veterans with grandsons playing for the Patriots and another from Holgate with a grandson playing for the Tigers will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

All veterans attending the game will be asked to stand behind home plate during the first pitch ceremonies.

Other Veteran’s Games, where raffle tickets will be sold, include Wauseon at Archbold Thursday, Liberty Center at Evergreen April 18, Holgate at Stryker and Hicksville at Tinora April 19, Fayette at Pettisville and North Central at Hilltop April 21, Fairview at Ayersville April 28 and Patrick Henry at Napoleon May 14.

High school teams in the six-county area were given raffle tickets before the season to sell. The tickets are also for sale at various American Legion and V.F.W. halls in northwest Ohio.

Tickets are $5 each and 100% of the proceeds will go to the Sandusky Veterans Home, which currently houses four Henry County veterans.

First prize is 19 autographed baseballs that are placed in a wood box with a glass case that is shaped like home plate. The 19 autographed baseball cards, placed in a wooden case, is second prize.

Four tickets to a Detroit Tigers game is third prize, with four tickets to a Toledo Mud Hens game fourth prize and four tickets to a Fort Wayne Tin Caps game fifth prize.

The drawing for the winners will be held July 4 at the Napoleon American Legion and the winner does not need to be present.

The 19 players to autograph the baseball and baseball cards are Mel Held (Edon), Steve Firevoid (Bryan), Denny Stark (Edgerton), Chris Carpenter (Bryan) and Matt Wisler (Bryan) of Williams County; Ned Garver (Fairview), Bruce Berenyi (Fairview), Scott Taylor (Defiance), Chad Reineke (Ayersville), Chad Billingsley (Defiance), Jon Niese (Defiance) and Justin Hancock (Defiance) of Defiance County; Rich Reese (Deshler), Jerry Fosnow (Deshler), Marc Krauss (Patrick Henry) and Art Warren (Napoleon) of Henry County; Doug Bair (Oakwood/Paulding) of Paulding County; and Larry Cox (Ottawa) and Gene Stechschulte (Kalida) of Putnam County.

Cox and Garver are both deceased, making this the only collection of its kind in existence.

Meyer said getting all the autographs wasn’t an easy task.

“I went to Florida to get one,” said Meyer. “Jerry Fosnow lives down there. He was 79 at the time and was going to send them to us, but I was going down there for a Spring Break thing so I just asked if I could stop by.”

Fosnow showed Meyer his collection of items he had from his days with the Minnesota Twins.

“That was quite something,” said Meyer.

Adams said they are hoping to raise $25,000 from the raffle. Meyer said that kind of donation would go a long way at the veteran’s home.

“I called a lady there and told her what we wanted to do and she was crying over the phone,” said Meyer. “She told me that at the end of the month they are flat broke. They have nothing extra.”

“This was Dave’s idea and we are all happy to see it through to the end,” added Meyer.