Non-players Steve “Kirky” Dittrich, along with LeRoy and Linda Flor, are the non-player selections, with players Wade French and Jeremy Wieland.

Formal ceremonies will take place on Sunday, June 23, prior to the New Ulm Brewers game that day.

STEVE DITTRICH is a long-time umpire in the area and a promoter of New Ulm baseball.

Dittrich said that when he was informed about his selection, he said it meant the world to him.

Submitted photo Steve “Kirky” Dittrich, a long-time umpire and promoter of New Ulm baseball, will join the New Ulm Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame this June.

“As a little kid you played at Johnson Park and going to all of those games with family,” Dittrich said as he joins both his older Billy (player) and late father Stan (non-player) in the Hall of Fame. “Being with all of the people who are in the Hall of Fame — I am humbled by it all. New Ulm has a great reputation throughout the state and when I went around the state for baseball, I was always very happy and proud to say that I came from New Ulm.”

Dittrich said that it makes it even more special as he joins his brother and father in the select group.

“[Stan] spent countless hours down at the park and I always tagged along with him and watched Billy play,” he said. “To be there now with my dad and brother makes it really very special. I was surprised, humbled and kind of emotional when I got the phone call.”

Dittrich said he wants to thank the New Ulm Baseball Association and all of the teams, fans and volunteers in the Tomahawk East League for all of the great memories.

LEROY AND LINDA FLOR become just the second husband and wife to be selected to the Hall of Fame joining John and LeAnna Fluegge in that category.

Wade French

LeRoy said that never in his wildest dreams did he ever think that he and his wife would both be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the same year.

LeRoy Flor is the Concession Chairman for the New Ulm Baseball Association and he and turned the concession stands at Johnson and Mueller Parks into gourmet dining for fans in attendance. In fact, non-baseball people when they saw there was a game, came down to get food to take home. Visiting baseball teams have also ordered food to go with them after a game.

“It has probably gotten bigger than we even ever dreamt of,” LeRoy Flor said. “There are a lot of other people who do a lot — not just me and Linda. We have a bunch of people who volunteer.”

LeRoy Flor has multiple items on the menu at both parks but one of the fan favorites is his wife Linda’s home-made sauerkraut and german potato salad.

“We do not do those until around May 1st,” he said.

Jeremy Wieland

LeRoy Flor said that in addition to the cooking, the concession stands are cleaned after every game.

“Some days we clean two concession stands.”

And he receives compliments from out of town and out of state people on the food.

“We want this to be the best. People come here to enjoy. We hear people say ‘Oh, we came here for supper tonight’.

WADE FRENCH enters the Hall of Fame as one of the most prolific pitchers in New Ulm amateur baseball history going 62-27 and having pitched 699 2/3 innings and striking out 702 batters.

French, who is still an active player for the Brewers, said that being selected makes him feel proud.

“I am just happy to be part of it and it kind of caught me off-guard “French said when he was informed by father Mike — who is also in the Hall of Fame — about his selection.

“It came out of the blue, but it was definitely good news. And I don’t know how many times that has happened but it definitely feels special. It is pretty cool.”

French, who is going into his 15th season with the Brewers, said that it feels like he just got done with his first season.

“That is how fast it has gone,” he said. “I started when I was 19 but it seems like it has been a blink of an eye.”

One of the things that French recalls was a game against Hanska when he and Hanska’s Junior Wilfahrt hooked up in Hanska.

“I am sure how many innings we went but I threw around 195 pitches,” he said. “And I think that he threw more pitches. And I hit the game-winning home run in the game.”

French does not know if he will hang up the spikes after this year.

“My wife and I have two boys so that keeps me pretty busy,” he said. “But when the time comes to stop playing it will be tough to take that uniform off for the last time. Definitely — I have played baseball since elementary school.”

JEREMY WIELAND, who now lives in Tallahassee, Florida, said that the phone call was a surprise.

“I did not spend a lot of years there (New Ulm Kaiserhoff from 1997-1999 and the Brewers from 2000-02), but the years I did spend there were an awful lot of fun,” he said.

In 2000, Wieland won 14 game,s including three in the state tournament. He had 177 strikeouts in 2000 as the Brewers finished third in the Class C State Tournament.

“That year [2000] we came out of nowhere and went on a run,” he recalled. “Teammates were good and we jelled together.”

Wieland said that he has played for a lot of different teams since he left New Ulm.

“Down in Florida, I tell people about Johnson Park and the fans that we got to play in front of,” he said. “And they are amazed at Johnson Park and want to come up and take a tour of it. And I do not blame then because it is awfully cool.”

Being in the Hall of Fame also has another meaning for Wieland as his grandfather, Vernon “Ader” Wieland is also in the Hall of Fame.

“I will be honest — that was the number one thought that I had,” he said. “My grandpa is my hero and to be in a place now where my grandfather is — and I miss him every day — means a lot to me.”