NEW ULM — Al Flor said that he was grateful and honored to be inducted into the New Ulm Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon at Johnson Park.

Flor, along with players Mitch Bockenstedt and Aaron Pfaff and non-player Bob Skillings received their Hall of Fame plaques prior to the New Ulm Brewers-Springfield Tomahawk East League game.

“I am honored that they want me to be a part of it. It feels good to be recognized for your accomplishments,” said Flor, who won his 400th career game in his 18th season as Brewers manager Sunday.

What was also special about Sunday’s Hall of Fame induction for Flor was that he now joins his parents, LeRoy and Linda Flor, in the Hall of Fame. Both of them were inducted in 2024.

“It means a lot,” Flor said about joining his mother and father in the Hall of Fame. “My mom and dad are one of the big reasons that I am in baseball and love baseball.”

And Flor has shown that passion for the game both on and off the field.

“My mom and dad always said that when you find something, you want to leave it better than when you found it, and that has been my goal so everything I have been trying to do is to build for the next generation,” he said. “And to me baseball in New Ulm has always meant a strong tradition — a family on the field,” he said.

Brewers pitcher Mitch Bockenstedt said that being selected was an honor.

“There is a good baseball tradition here so it is an honor to be in this prestigious Hall of Fame,” he said.

Bockenstedt’s baseball journey to the NUBA Hall of Fame started at Starmont High School in Arlington, Iowa, to Coe College to amateur baseball in Jordan to New Ulm.

“It has been quite the journey,” he said. “Twenty-four years of amateur baseball — a lot of good teams and teammates — and if has been fun. New Ulm has a super rich tradition in baseball.”

Bockenstedt, who is in his eighth season with the New Ulm Brewers, has pitched in 82 games [prior to the game on Sunday] and has a record of 52-11 with 480 innings pitched with 590 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.92.

Aaron Pfaff also joins a parent in father Todd, who was selected as a player in 2010.

“I was not expecting this,” he said about his selection. “And being in the Hall of Fame with my dad is cool — he taught me a lot and he is a big reason why I played baseball in the first place.”

In Pfaff’s five season’s with the Brewers, they went to the state four times and finished second in Class C in 2014, where Pfaff was named to the All-State team that season.

In 2015, Pfaff collected 70 hits in the season, which was one hit short of the All-Time New Ulm Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame record.

“Anyone that knows New Ulm it is because of baseball,” Pfaff said. “That is a testament to their great tradition.”

Skillings has been a tremendous booster and worker in promoting and improving New Ulm baseball.

“It is important to me,” said Skillings, who has been on the NUBA since 2001 and NUBA President since 2013.

“I feel honored to be a part of a group of men that have been dedicated to New Ulm baseball,” he said. “And I am dedicated as well — it is a great honor.”

Skillings was a key in New Ulm getting the 2020 Minnesota State Amateur Baseball Tournament that was cancelled due to COVID and he also served on the committee that hosted the 1990 State Amateur Baseball Tournament in New Ulm and in the planning of both the 50th and 75th anniversaries of Johnson Park.

“With New Ulm’s rich tradition of baseball, it is important that we host big tournaments and celebrate our historic ballpark,” Skillings said. “And the Hall of Fame is an important aspect of what makes New Ulm baseball what it is.

“Baseball is one of my passions, so that is why I chose to put the time in and to work on projects like the new scoreboard — projects that showcase New Ulm baseball and continue to make it an important part of our community. New Ulm is a baseball town — we celebrate the game in our community.”