State League to Induct Six into Hall of Fame
December 4, 2015
Six players representing Lombard, Janesville, Madison, Green Bay and Kenosha were elected and will be inducted into the Wisconsin State Baseball League Hall of Fame at the league’s annual awards dinner in Sheboygan on Jan. 30.
Six players representing Lombard, Janesville, Madison, Green Bay and Kenosha were elected and will be inducted into the Wisconsin State Baseball League Hall of Fame at the league’s annual awards dinner in Sheboygan on Jan. 30.
Joining the Hall of Fame will be Jim Kating, Lombard, 1992-96; Chris Kilen, Janesville, 1996, 1998-2005; Carl “Butch” Maglio, Madison, 1976-84, 1986; John Nelsen, Green Bay, 1973-81; Howie Norsetter, Madison, 1980-88, 1991; Tim Pulizzano, Racine, 1996-97; Kenosha, 2001-13.
Kating may have been the best hitter ever to play in the league, was the consensus of the league’s Hall of Fame committee. His .471 career batting average is the best ever recorded in the league and his .859 slugging percentage ranks second best. He hit .453, .450, .457 in his first three full seasons, and then in limited at bats hit .500 and .567 in his final two. He was named to the all-league team three times and was a key member of Lombard championship teams in 1992, 1993 and 1994. His .453 batting average and .800 slugging percentage led the league in 1992.
Kilen, a career .362 hitter, was a unanimous all-league pick in 2001 when he led the league with a .471 batting average, .800 slugging percentage, 40hits and six triples.Hitting .471 in a single season ranks sixth in the one-season top 10. He hit .420 in his first full season, 1998, and his .362 career batting average ranks 10th among players with 500 or more plate apperances.
Maglio was one of the leaders on some very good Madison teams. A 10-season veteran, he hit .400 three times and .300 or better in eight of his 10 seasons, finishing with a .337 career batting average. He also filled in on the mound when needed, contributing 125 innings and posting a 9-8 record. More than anything else, he was a winner, helping Madison to a divisional title in 1976 and to league championships in 1978, 1982, 1983 and 1986. Further, he managed the Avenue Bar club in 1983-86, posting a 56-20 record, winning a championship in 1986 and being named Manager of the Year that season. His .337 batting average ranks 21st all-time among players with 500 or more appearances and his 12 stolen bases led the league in 1978.
Nelsen, who posted a 2.88 earned run average in 250 innings of then aluminum bat baseball, will be honored posthumously. That 2.88 ERA ranks 11th among pitchers with 250 or more innings pitched. He was cited as co-pitcher of the year in 1980. His best stretch came from 1974-76 when he was a combined 12-3 with ERAs of 0.55, 2.59 and 2.09. Nelsen helped the Blue Ribbons to seven championships (1973-74, 1976-77 and 1979-81).
Like his teammate Maglio, Norsetter contributed to Madison championships in 1982-83 and 1986-87. He was named MVP in 1986 when he hit .509 for the Avenue Bar champions. Although his career numbers are good, he peaked between 1984-88 when he consecutively hit .400, .396, .509, .381 and .331. His career average came to .342, which places him 11th among players with 600 or more plate appearances.
A hard-thrower, Pulizzano turned to managing after hurting his arm in pro ball. Organized, thorough, and possessing an acute baseball savvy, Pulizzano was a highly successful manager. In his 13 seasons, his Kings were 210-158 with one co-championship (2006) for a .571 winning percentage. He was the league’s Manager of the Year in 2006. His best year on the hill was in 2002 when he won two games, saved three and had a 3.15 ERA.
The Annual Awards and Hall of Fame Dinner, which is open to the public, will be held on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2016 at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center in Sheboygan. Cost is $30. Cash bar reception is at 4:30 p.m., dinner at 6 with program and 10th inning to follow. Reservations can be made by sending the names of those attending accompanied by a check payable to Wisconsin State Baseball League to the league at P.O. Box 32, Sheboygan, WI 53082-0032.
The Wisconsin State League is one of the premier semi-professional/amateur baseball leagues in the mid-west. In operation since 1970, the Wisconsin State League is a highly competitive league that features many of the midwest's top current and former collegiate athletes, as well as many former professional baseball players. Keep up to date on everything happening in the Wisconsin State League by following the league online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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