Springers win the big one at home in '86

Written for 2002 State Tournament Program

By Tom Elliott
St. Cloud Times

As far as Pete Cheeley was concerned, there was no better way to end a career.

"To win a state championship on your home field in front of your home fans has got to be the most perfect way to finish," said Cheeley, who was one of six Springers who announced their retirement just before the state tournament in 1986.

Joining Cheeley in their last games as Springers were catcher Jim Arnold, pitcher Tom Arnold, third baseman John "Boogs" Rausch and outfielders Gary Frericks and Dave Theis. Tom Arnold would go on to pitch for the Miesville Mudhens and win another state title. The rest, however, hung up their spikes.

Maybe it was because of the emotional, intense baseball Cold Spring had to play in order to win its fourth state championship in the club’s history.

Because of a format change, 48 teams competed in the 1986 state tournament, making it the largest in Minnesota Baseball Association history. Twin Cities teams remained in Class A. Thirty-two teams competed in a single-elimination Class C tournament.

Eight teams competed in a new class, Class B. They played in a double-elimination tournament at St. Cloud, Cold Spring, Richmond and Sartell.

Cold Spring made sure it would be an incredibly difficult task by losing to Dundas, 7-6, in the tournament’s first round on Saturday, Aug. 16, 1986.

The Springers then won four straight games in the losers’ bracket, eliminating Marble 9-4, then coming back the next weekend to beat the St. Cloud Beaudreau’s Bar Saints 7-6. It was a wild, intense game between two bitter rivals. The Saints were led by Jim Eisenreich, who was playing his last season of amateur baseball before returning to the major leagues with the Kansas City Royals.

"I remember Eisenreich hitting one a mile out of the ballpark," said Springers manager Bill Huls, who was in his ninth year as Cold Spring’s manager and 20th on the team. "But I also remember getting him out in a key situation later in the game."

By then, Huls had been ejected. But because he was also the official groundskeeper in Cold Spring, he remained on the field, taking care of the mound and the home plate area. The game was played in a light rain.

"I was trying my best not to crack up," said Springers pitcher/first baseman Matt Butala of his manager being ejected. "What I remember most about that tournament was how much fun it was. I remember how great our fans were. We had huge crowds."

After surviving the St. Cloud game, Cold Spring beat Dundas 7-4 on Aug. 31 in a rematch of their opening-round contest. It was another intense elimination game.

The Springers then met the Arlington A’s, who were then the two-time defending state champions. Cold Spring won, 3-2.

The Springers advanced to the championship, beating the Red Wing Aces 8-4.

"Somebody had to have had something written down somewhere for all of this to have come true," said Jim Arnold in 1986. "This just doesn’t happen."

It did. Key to the championship game was the pitching of Willmar draftee Dane Kallevig, a tall, blond, right-hander who was then playing at South Dakota State. He eventually would be drafted by the Cleveland Indians.

Butala was named tournament MVP. He went 9-for-20 in the state tournament, batting .450 with a double and home run. He also handled 60 chances at first base without making an error. A crowd of 2,144 watched the championship games.

The Springers that year featured Rod Schafer at catcher. It was his first season in Cold Spring after having played for the St. Cloud Beaudreau’s Bar. At first was Butala, a Cincinnati Reds draft pick. At second was Russ Huls, who played at St. Cloud State. The shorstop most of the season was Ron Terres. Tom Ficker played short and had two hits in the championship game. Terres was away at college, playing football for the University of Minnesota-Duluth.

At third was Rausch. The outfield featured Dave Jungels, Bruce Theisen and Frericks, a former two-sport star (football and baseball) at St. Cloud State. Cheeley, the oldest player on the team, was the designated hitter.

Right-hander Dave Hinkemeyer was the team’s ace, going 14-0 for the season. Tom Arnold ended his Springers career with a 13-2 record in state tournaments.

"It’s truly hard to say which one was most enjoyable," Huls said of three state tournament championships he was a part of. "There are so many intangibles with each one, without a doubt. My first as a manager, in 1981, was a big thrill. In 1973, it was great to win one as a player. And then, in 1986, to bring it back home. What better way can you find than that?"

The answer: You can’t.