Kiecker, who pitched in 50 major league games with 30 starts for the Boston Red Sox in 1990 and 1991, threw batting practice for nearly two hours to batters of all ages Saturday at Sleepy Eye Ballpark.

Batters ranged from grade school kids to 85-year-old Marvin Huiras, who wore a Fairfax High School letterman jacket and hit the ball like a young Ruth.

Kiecker, 61, an assistant baseball coach at Century College in White Bear Lake, seemed unphased after throwing so many pitches.

In high school, Kiecker said his teams didn’t score much against the Sleepy Eye and Sleepy Eye-St. Mary’s baseball teams.

Staff photo by Fritz Busch Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Dana Kiecker, born in Sleepy Eye and a 1979 Fairfax High School graduate, throws batting practice at the Babe Ruth barnstorming visit centennial observance at Sleepy Eye Ballpark Saturday.

“I remember losing high school games to Sleepy Eye High School by 10-0, 2-0, 10-1 and 10-0 in my freshman through senior years,” Kiecker said.

An eighth-round draft choice by the Boston Red Sox in 1983, Kiecker had his bright moments pitching in 1990 and 1991.

He struck out Oakland Athletics power hitter Mark McGuire three straight times before serving up a home run.

“Looking back, I have much more appreciation for learning the game in places like Sleepy Eye and New Ulm, playing against some great players,” said Kiecker.

“It helped give me the perseverance to make it through the minor leagues,” Dana said. “Playing New Ulm and Sleepy Eye, it was a moral victory for us if we could take them to a full game instead of a five-inning, 10-run game. I was always the underdog, but I think it helped me.”

Kiecker recalled his last year in Class AAA baseball at Pawtucket, R.I.

“We started the season 5-25. I wondered if it was really worth it,” Kiecker said. “Because of the performance of some marquee players, I got my (major league) opportunity, pitching against Oakland in the American League playoffs. It all came full circle.”

Kiecker mentioned other southcentral Minnesota players drafted by Major League Baseball in 1983. They included Terry and Tom Steinbach, Jeff Schugel and Doug Palmer of New Ulm, Barry Wohler of Bird Island, Dave Harman of Morgan and Mike Kingery of Atwater in 1979.

A ballpark memorial to the loving memory of Dean Brinkman to be placed in the outfield, was unveiled at the Ballpark.

Fans included Tom Derry of Detroit, who drove to Sleepy Eye to participate in the events. Derry helps observe Babe Ruth’s birthday every Feb. 6 and helps restore old ballparks in Detroit.

Minnesota Twins official scorer Stew Thornley spoke Saturday night at the Sleepy Eye Brewing Co.. He recalled meeting a group of Sleepy Eye fans at the June 22, 1977, Twins game, where he climbed the right field foul pole.

The Sleepy Eye High School High School Band and Sleepy Eye Honor Guard were part of a flag-raising ceremony at the ballpark.

Minnesota Twins organist Sue Nelson, who grew up in Nicollet, played baseball music at the ballpark and brewery. Her music included “Summer Samba,” a Brazilian song often performed during breaks in Twins game action, in a nod to Dean Brinkman.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)