History of Legion Baseball Bears: 1969-1981

It simply defies description or logical explanation. Sportswriters have used such adjectives as extraordinary, phenomenal, stupendous. It is somehow beyond all of that.

The recent history of the Boyertown American Legion baseball program, more precisely from 1969 from 1969 through 1981, is something to marvel at.

The 13-year overall account reads 459 victories and 81 losses. Dick Ludy's 11-year head coaching slate stands at 406-71. The Bears have garnered ten Berks Legion League championships, nine state regional titles, six Pennsylvania crowns, two Mid-Atlantic golds, and a runnerup finish in the always-prestigious American Legion Baseball World Series.

Here is a year-by-year recap of the marvelous Bear trek.

1969
Under head coach Buck Rhoads and assistant mentor Ludy, Boyertown enjoyed a 27-5 overall season en route to winning its first state championship. The locals also won once before bowing out of the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

1970
Buck Rhoads again led his forces to another outstanding campaign, this time the final log reading 26-5. The Bears again reached the state tourney and won three games prior to elimination.

1971
In Dick Ludy's inaugural season as head coach, Boyertown went 30-5 overall, claiming it second state tourney crown. Two straight losses spelled an early exit from the Mid-Atlantics in Lyndhurst, New Jersey.

1972
The Bears ran into stiff competition early in the form of Coply, which defeated the locals two straight in the state Section 3 series. The Bear's season slate read 23-3.

1973
After gaining the Berks South title, Boyertown was defeated in the league semi-finals by Reading's Gregg Post, both games ending with 1-0 scores. The 1973 final log was 18-4.

1974
This year saw the Bears go 19-10 overall, with league foe Shillington serving as the chief nemesis. Boyertown finished second in the Berks South to the Blue Sox, lost the league title series to Shillington, and also lost a game in the state Region 2 tourney to the same team.

1975
In a renewal of earlier years, the Bears reached the state tourney and finished as runnerup. Boyertown's final log was its most impressive to date, 35 wins and 9 losses.

1976
Boyertown again reached the state tourney, and this time Dick Ludy's squad accomplished what many considered to be impossible. The Bears dropped their opening game in the states and came back to win six straight. They went on to win once in the Mid-Atlantics before bowing out. The season slate was 38-8.

1977
It was another state crown for the locals, and they proceeded to grab their first Mid-Atlantic championship. That meant a berth in the Legion World Series in Manchester, New Hampshire. The Bears lost two straight, but it was quite an experience just being there. Final overall record for the year: 45-5.

1978
This time Boyertown compiled a 49-4 account. En route the Bears garnered their third consecutive state title and finished second in the Mid-Atlantic.

1979
The locals reached the state level once again but dropped two straight games. As host team in the Mid-Atlantic held in Reading, the Bears placed third. The final tally was 39-8.

1980
In what would have to rate as the finest season for Boyertown, the Bears went 53-10 overall. After dropping the Berks title to Temple, Boyertown rebounded with a championship in the state Region 2 tourney. Then the Bears placed second in the state finals and qualified for the Mid-Atlantics. A victory in that affair sent them to Ely, Minnesota for the World Series, where they finished second, losing in the final to Honolulu, 5-4.

1981
In action this past season, Ludy directed his forces to a 52-6 overall performance. The Bears hosted the states and won four straight en route to the crown. After several key wins in the Mid-Atlantics, a 10-3 loss to Richmond, Virginia ousted the locals from the tourney. The year included a perfect 24-0 account in the Berks County regular season.

		Channel 6's Gary Papa makes a tv star of Bears Manager Dick Ludy.
TV Interview - Bill Baldini from Philadelphia TV Station, Channel 10, chats with Don Specht in the grandstand seats at Bear Stadium. The newscast was held on Tuesday, the day of the Stadium dedication. (Berks-Mont Photo by Harold Hoch)		TV Coverage - Channel 10 covered the dedication of Bear Stadium on its Tuesday TV newscast. The Channel 10 helicopter landed on the Bear Stadium field on Tuesday afternoon. (Berks-Mont Photo by Harold Hoch)