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Veteran tickets, for a month other than November, are available online with a $9 discount automatically applied at checkout. Proof of veteran status is required when you visit the Museum. Visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum website for more information.

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Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall Of Fame Inducts 5 New Members

LONGMEADOW — The Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame forever immortalized five inductees Thursday night and also honored a man who helped document the region's sports for decades.

The Class of 2024 was the 11th inducted into the regional Hall of Fame, established in 2014 to honor those who made lasting contributions to the game at all levels. The event was held at the Twin Hills Country Club.

The five Hall of Fame inductees were a perfectly pieced-together ensemble that consisted of three former major leaguers and two regional head coaching legends. In addition, a historic high school team out of Turners Falls defied the odds to go undefeated during the height of World War II.

Dalton's Jeff Reardon

Former Major League Baseball World Series champion pitcher Jeff Reardon was also in attendance. To many, the Pittsfield native is also better known as "the pride of Dalton."

Reardon's professional career lasted 16 seasons, during which time he laced up cleats for over seven organizations, including the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees.

Reardon ended his career with 367 saves, placing him 12th all-time on the MLB saves list. He was also a four-time all-star.

"It was great," said Reardon, reflecting on his induction into Western Massachusetts annals. "I'm from a small town, Dalton, Massachusetts, which has about 5,000 people, and even though I'm part of many Hall of Fames, this honor truly means a lot, because I am from the area."

In 2019, 6-year-old John Hart of Wilbraham became an honorary member of the Springfield College baseball team with a special draft-day signing ceremony at the college. This is John with his mom, Michelle, and Springfield College baseball coach Mark Simeone during the ceremony. (Don Treeger / The Republican, File)

Rounding out the ensemble of inductees were Mark Simeone, who just surpassed 500 wins this past Sunday as part of his 28th season of coaching for Springfield College, Bob Taylor and Don Strange, who both have ties to professional baseball and roots in Springfield.

Bob Taylor of Springfield played baseball for the Springfield Giants and spent the 1970 season with the San Francisco Giants. This is Taylor in his Springfield home. (Don Treeger / The Republican, File)

Taylor's career spanned 16 seasons with multiple teams. His most notable was with the San Francisco Giants, where he shared the field with legends such as Willie Mays and Willie McCovey. Strange spent eight years in the Atlanta Braves farm system.

In 2022, Western Mass Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Patrick Strange, center, with his family. (Dave Roback / Special to The Republican, File)

In addition, legendary Turners Falls head coach Earl Lorden was inducted posthumously, along with the rest of his team, the 1942 state champions, whose spirit and legacy were kept alive by the last living member of the team, George Bush, and direct family members of other players in attendance.

Longtime Republican staffer

In 2004, Republican staffers Garry Brown, left, and Ron Chimelis. (Marla Pinsky / The Republican, File)Marla Pinsky / The Republican

Notable takeaways from the event included longtime Republican columnist Ron Chimelis being named the second recipient of the Garry Brown Award. The award is dedicated and presented in honor and legacy of the acclaimed Republican sports writer whose career spanned from the early 1950s until his passing at age 90 in early 2022.

A longtime columnist and community staple for 36 years, Chimelis' career reflected his character and genuine nature. During this time, he had a front-row seat and witnessed the Boston Red Sox win three World Series championships in 2004, 2007 and 2013. His work has been recognized nationally and regionally as among the best in the business.

"It's very gratifying, partly because I worked for years next to Garry at Fenway Park, along with the Springfield office," said Chimelis after Thursday's event.

As recipient of the honor, Chimelis expressed gratitude for his late colleague.

"There's a humanity to this whole thing, and it is tremendously flattering to be linked with him in any way. (Browne) gave me a big boost when he nominated me for the Baseball Writers Association in 1998. And you have to be in that to do things such as be bestowed the ability to vote for Cooperstown. But it meant more that my longtime friend nominated me for it than some of the accolades I received."

In 2018, Ron Chimelis of The Republican during an editorial board meeting. (Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican, File)Hoang 'Leon' Nguyen / The Republican

Chimelis' dedication and integrity expanded well beyond the realm of sports into the later years of his career, when he wrote news, features and editorials for The Republican.

Chimelis tackled tough questions and topics, demonstrating his simple, practical, every-man approach.

"Should Sox owner Tom Yawkey's name be kept on a street outside Fenway Park in light of his racist history?" was one query. Another: "Do the likes of Pete Rose and any number of steroid users belong in the National Baseball Hall of Fame?" Both columns still can be found on Masslive.Com.

"I think the media needs people who can connect readers with the story being told," Chimelis said. "This approach allows me to explain the story in ways people can understand and feel comfortable with."

Longtime colleague Cynthia Simison, Republican executive editor emerita, said she felt Chimelis was "richly deserving of this honor."

"The poignancy of it being now named in honor of Garry Brown makes it even more special."

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Johnny Damon Weighs In On Shohei Ohtani Controversy, Calls For Pete Rose To Be In Hall Of Fame

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The gambling scandal involving Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani engulfed the baseball world ahead of Opening Day.

Ohtani claimed his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stole money from his bank accounts in order to gamble, but that explanation came after Mizuhara said Ohtani openly helped him pay off gambling debits. Mizuhara has said he lied in his original ESPN interview and Ohtani said the interpreter was "stealing money and telling lies."

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Shohei Ohtani hits a double in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on March 31, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)

World Series champion Johnny Damon appeared on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" and even thought it was strange that Ohtani wouldn't have initially noticed the large sum taken out of his accounts.

"Well, having $4.5 million stolen from you – I would think he would notice it. I just think he's just too big for baseball," Damon said. "This is something that nobody wants to deal with, especially at the start of a brand new baseball season.… This is a really tough call for everybody."

EX-MLB ALL-STAR CASTS DOUBT OVER SHOHEI OHTANI'S GAMBLING INNOCENCE: 'THE CIRCUMSTANCES DON'T ADD UP'

Johnny Damon attends Michael Rubin's Fanatics Super Bowl Party at Loews Miami Beach Hotel on Feb. 1, 2020, in Florida. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Fanatics)

The former New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox star added that he believed Pete Rose should be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame given how the world's attitude has changed toward gambling.

"I still believe Pete Rose should be in the Hall of Fame. This is a big gambling issue. But there's gambling sites everywhere now. It's what's fueling the sports world right now. It's one of those things where everyone else can do it, but you can't. Who knows the extent of what (the interpreter) bet on."

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Shohei Ohtani against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on March 29, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

Major League Baseball is investigating the matter. Mizuhara had been Ohtani's personal translator since breaking into MLB in 2018 with the Los Angeles Angels. They were inseparable, as Mizuhara would even catch Ohtani's bullpen sessions and play catch with him in the outfield before games.

Fox News' Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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