Former Shenandoah manager Dofflemyer brings back players from VBL golden era.
SHENANDOAH, August 16th It was homecoming by the river for about 40 alumni of the Shenandoah Indians baseball team, who gathered Saturday night at the home of former manager Larry Dofflemyer.
The Indians, who were a dominant team in the Valley Baseball League in the 1960's and 1970's, welcomed back stars from their 'glory days'.
Dofflemyer, a beloved 'old school' manager, hopes to make the reunion an annual event.
This is very rewarding for me to have so many of you show up, Dofflemyer said as he addressed the group.
Some of the group were returning to Shenandoah for the first time since their playing days.
Dofflemyer both played and managed for the Indians.
I remember the little things he taught us, like base-running skills said Dave Steinhour, who played one season under Dofflemyer. He always had our backs.
The Indians of that era had plenty of home-grown talent, but also, largely due to Dofflemyer, put together a strong recruiting effort, bringing high-level players to Shenandoah.
The Indians attracted many top collegiate players and some like Shenandoah's own Wayne Comer, who made it all the way to the Major League show.
Those were two of the best years of my life, said Duval White, a star player at U.Va. who helped the Indians win VBL championships in 1973-74, He (Dofflemyer) always told us to get some fire in our butts. We went out on the field and thought we'd never lose.
The Indians won 37 of 50 games in 1973 and 38 the next season.
We had an aggressive style, said Andrew Hence, a pitcher for the Indians from Essex, who played for Bridgewater College. Coach Dofflemyer was like a Dad to me.
The Indians won championship pennants in the VBL in 1960, 1961, 1963, 1972, 1973 and 1974. They also tied for the regular season title in 1959 and won the regular season in 1962.
With sensational stories swapped, friendships renewed and timeless memories rekindled, the Indians gradually retreated from the banks of the Shenandoah back to their respective homes, with a deeper sense of their legacy intact. Written by Bill Meade, Sports Editor with The Page News and Courier. This article appeared in the Thursday, August 21, 2014 edition of The Page News and Courier.
