Sheboygan A’s Present Awards

Matt and Ryan Schilter, Doug Dekoning and Eric Van Beck took top honors for players and Eric Wiesman and Dave Hinze top honors for club members for the 2010 Sheboygan A’s season.

Awards were presented at the annual dinner held at Lakeshore Lanes’ Windjammer Hall Jan. 8.

Matt Schilter was selected as the R. Erlien Jeweler Most Valuable Player. Schilter, a second baseman who hit .321, topped the club in six offensive categories and led defensively in assists and double plays, set a record this season with 41 stolen bases. In addition to the MVP plaque, he was presented with the coveted engraved MVP ring. Earlier, Schilter was announced as MVP of the Northeastern Wisconsin League.

Ryan Schilter won General Manager Denny Moyer’s Sine Qua Non Award and Manager Chad Gehr’s Manager’s Award. Schilter, a catcher and outfielder, also hit .321. Matt and Ryan are brothers and both attend Concordia University in Mequon.

Dekoning, who is entering his senior season at UW-Milwaukee, got the leading hitter award by virtue of his .331 average and was also voted the Most Valuable Defensive player. He led the club in runs batted in and defensively recorded five outfield assists and committed only one error in 94 chances. He also had two saves on the mound.

Van Beck was honored as Most Valuable Pitcher after posting a 5-2 record and a 1.31 earned run average. Van Beck plays at UW-Stevens Point.

The Golden A Award, also from Erlien Jewelers, goes to the Sheboygan Athletic Club member who went above and beyond in their contribution to the organization. Wiesman worked religiously on the maintenance and upkeep of Wildwood Baseball Park and Hinze played an instrumental role in the club’s Wildwood Park Improvement project.

Greg Parmley of Trilling True Value Hardware received the club’s Sponsor of the Year Award and Danny Post was named Fan of the Year.

The club presented awards a member of each of the Diamond’s teams who was judged as the most dedicated player on the team. Winners were: 5^th Grade Lakeshore, Kameron Meyer; 5^th-6^th Grade Lakeshore, Hunter Creech; 7^th Grade Lakeshore Zach, Aicher; 8^th Grade Lakeshore, Joe Ullmer; Diamonds U10, Jackson Pothast; Diamonds U11, Derek Ploetz; Diamonds U12, Josh Pingel; Diamonds U13, Alex Feudner; Diamonds U14, Brady Otte.

Club President Scott Stangel paid tribute to the five absent club members who gave so much of their lives to the community baseball program. Chuck Zeichert, Stan Gehr, Snipe Van Veghel, Arlyn Wiesman and Marie Grams all died in 2010.

Stangel also reminded club members of the following upcoming events.

Jan. 29 is the Wisconsin State League Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner. Sheboygan’s Dave Gehr will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The city’s baseball fans are encouraged to attend.

Feb. 25 is The Tempters Show at the Weill Center and March 25 is the bus trip to the Milwaukee Admirals game. Both of the latter events are fund-raisers for the Park Improvement Project. For information or to make reservations, contact the club at 920-458-6377 or sac@excel.net.