Draft:Le Sueur Braves
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The Le Sueur Braves are a member of the Minnesota Baseball Association and belong to the River Valley League West. The Braves are a Town Team and have been active since 1989.
History of Town Team Baseball in Le Sueur
[edit]Le Sueur baseball has a rich history deeply intertwined with the town's heritage, industry, and community spirit. The town, known as the original home of the Green Giant company and the Mayo Clinic's founder, William Worrall Mayo, also boasts a legacy of baseball teams that have represented Le Sueur for nearly a century. Early Years and Team Names
Le Sueur's baseball history can be traced back to the 1920s and 1930s, with scattered references to teams like the "Giants." By the post-World War II years, baseball solidified its presence in the town. From 1946 to 1949, two local teams, the Merchants and the Farmers, battled it out on the field. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Dresselville and Rush River teams also played in Le Sueur.
Perhaps the most iconic team was the Le Sueur Green Sox, active from 1950 to 1977, named in homage to the town’s Green Giant Company. While the company colors were green, the local high school adopted the Giants name in 1938, using blue and gold for school teams. However, the Green Sox wore uniforms proudly reflecting their Green Giant roots.
Since 1987, the Le Sueur Braves have carried on the town's amateur baseball tradition. The Braves have achieved notable success, including multiple state tournament appearances in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2004. Notably, the Braves’ 1997 performance tied for the most wins in town history. Key Moments and Achievements
Le Sueur's amateur baseball teams have made several state tournament appearances, including:
1927, 1928, 1930 (Class B runner-up), 1931 (early appearances of Le Sueur baseball) 1971 (Green Sox) 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2004 (Braves)
From 1978 to 1986, Le Sueur went without a town team, marking a brief interruption in its long baseball tradition.
Bruce Frank Field
[edit]Bruce Frank Field that has served so many players over the years whether it be in football or baseball. The field was named after Mr.Bruce Frank. Mr.Frank was the long-time football coach and Athletic Director, as well as a baseball and basketball coach. The field has been named in his honor since his retirement in the late 1980s. The field however, has been home of Le Sueur baseball since 1947. After the Second World War when the veterans returned home, there were two amateur teams in town, The Merchants and the Farmers. They played many memorable games before large crowds and a successful fundraising effort brought a new park onto the existing site, complete with a grandstand and lights. The park has seen many changes over the years. In the early 1950s infield grass was installed and in the 1970s volunteers replaced the canvas outfield fence with chain link, the grandstand was condemned and replaced by the Community Center next to the field. The 1980s brought a new set of lights to the park and the 1990s saw a new grandstand erected, a new set of dugouts were built with a new scoreboard installed. When the football field was built in 1998, Bruce Frank Field became a strictly “baseball only” facility and the batter’s eye and the current fencing was installed. The third base dugout was moved back to improve the sight lines from the seating area and a new concession stand and storage shed were put up. In April 2005, a press box was built on top of the first base dugout to give the radio announcers a comfortable place to call the game. In 2020 the ivy was taken down and in 2023 green tube slats were put in their place. Also in the same summer a new scoreboard was installed. At least 75 to 80 games of Amateur, High School, American Legion, and seventh- ninth grade baseball games are played here each spring and summer. We are proud of the improvements that have been made and look forward to continued improvement while maintaining this excellent facility.
Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Famers
[edit]Three different men with Le Sueur connections have been inducted into the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame.
Joe Driscoll Jr 2013
Fred Roufs 2020
Lon Berberich 2024 Born October 30, 1956, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota Born in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota and growing up in Leavenworth, Minnesota, a tiny community not far from Sleepy Eye, it was natural that Berberich took to baseball. He started in organized baseball as a batboy for Leavenworth Cardinals/Orioles in 1962. His first coaching job was with the Leavenworth Bi County Midgets team (9–13-year old’s) in 1971 and during that time he was also playing in the Minnesota Amateur baseball Program in 1970. While playing for Leavenworth, his team was the ranked #1 in Class B amateur baseball. Lon graduated from Sleepy Eye Public High School in 1975-played for HOF Coach Don Boelter who was assisted by Marv Berg. He played at the collegiate level for a bit at the University of Minnesota, Morris while earning his bachelor’s degree in political science. Later he earned a master’s in regional studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He was working as a management intern in New Ulm before he took the job as Henderson city administrator in 1983. In 1983 Lon moved to Henderson, Minnesota and became the city administrator of the small town for the next 40 years. Lon wasn’t directly involved in baseball for a while. But he observed games, thought he had something to offer and decided to get back in. In 1987 he joined the coaching staff of Bruce Hollom’s high school baseball team in Henderson, then with the Le Sueur and Henderson merger in 1990 he remained on Hollom’s staff with the Giants and subsequently with his successor Rick Bruns. Lon’s contributions to local baseball do not end with high school. From 1994-2002 Lon was the manager of the young town team in Le Sueur. Before Lon’s 9 years as manager the Braves had not posted a winning season, when he left the program, the team had 3 consecutive appearances from 1996-1998 in the Class C State Amateur Tournament. Since 1992 Lon has been the main man behind the scenes with the Le Sueur Henderson American Legion team and served two stints as the team's Head Coach. Since he has been involved with LS-H Legion Baseball, the club has gone to state 8 times and won two DII State titles (winning one as the head coach in 2018) as well as placing 3rd in 2016 also with him being the head coach. Le Sueur also has hosted State Legion Tournament in 2005, 2009, and 2016 and the Central Plains in 2010 and 2015 all with him doing behind the scenes work to help the tournament run smoothly. When Henderson was ready to start a town team again after almost 70 years of not having one it was Lon who was the cog behind getting the Tigers set up and was a part of the Tigers squad that went to state in 2017. During all these past 40 years living and coaching in Henderson and Le Sueur, Lon has also found time to build countless connections throughout the Minnesota Baseball Community. Lon has served as a league or regional officer in the Minnesota Amateur Baseball Association since 1983. Also serving as a District rep for Junior Legion Baseball. In total 29 Teams Lon has either played for or managed have gone one to the state tournament in their respected level. In the community of Henderson Lon has also been a long-time Henderson Lions Club memeber and the St. Joseph’s parish council until the church closed in 2023.
In 2022, Lon was awarded the 2022 Minnesota American Legion Baseball Coach of the Year award. In 2023 the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association awarded Lon the Angelo Giuliani Award that recognizes someone who has promoted high school baseball. Lon has always been able to blend old-school baseball wisdom with the new age technology. It is the classic look that this generation of ball players and fans have come to know about Lon with his glasses at the end of his nose glancing at his phone then yelling to someone out on the field about what might have happened the last time a batter was up or shouting out his endless knowledge of baseball. The impact that Lon has had on the game of baseball is something that will not be forgotten by the thousands of teammates, players, fellow coaches, or league officials that Lon has worked with his entire life. His legacy will forever be what he has given to this great game.