Players of the Grassmere Little League gathered at noon on August 10, 2002, to exchange memories, enjoy stories, and honor the coaching leadership of David Laubach. Because it was a very hot day, no one seriously suggested anything as strenuous as an Old Timers’ Whiffle Ball Game. Attending were guests David Laubach, coach of the team from 1953-1956, and former North County League President Dayne Hartman, with wife Jeannette. Players and guests were Sam and Peggy Follmer; Terry Griffith and son, Terry, and grandson, Jeremy; Bob and Carol Stackhouse; Jerry and Pat Houseweart; Eugene Laubach; Charles Eckhart; and Harry and Jane Ackerman. Friends of the team in attendance were Calvin and Carol Follmer and Wayne Hess. Former players not in attendance were Gard Poward, George Houseweart, David Dinsmore, Ed Roth, Craig Roth, Charles Rakich, John Rakich, and Arlan Baer. Players since deceased are Terry Carl, Joe Cole, Jack Getz, Robert Green, Carl Puterbaugh, and James Reimard. Terry Griffith made a presentation to Laubach of an actual little league bat. The wooden bat bore a number of brass plates, one thanking Laubach for the memories generated by his activity and energy in coaching the team at such a young age. During his first year of coaching Laubach was just 14. Smaller plates bore the names of all the people who played on any of these teams. One group—those still living—was labeled “Still on Base”; a second group bore the heading “Safe at Home.”

Laubach also received a joke gift: an umbrella to provoke umpires to end a game early if the team would be losing. He was known for using just such ruses in tight spots when he coached. His “style” of throwing his hat to the ground in protest and crushing it into the earth was likewise remembered. Additionally, Laubach received a scrapbook with clippings of many of the games he coached, all taken from files of the Bloomsburg Morning Press. This document contains such interesting items as a report of a game between Grassmere and Millville which ended early when players ran off to view a parachute drop. Other files cover the journey of the 1955 area all-star squad, coached by Laubach, the first local team to play in the state elimination's at Original Field in Williamsport.

The former coach, who went on to earn his B.S. Ed. at Bloomsburg State College and his Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts, now teaches composition, literature, and folklore at Kutztown University of PA. He is married to the former Glenda Christ. The couple have two children and one grandchild. The team had ordered hats lettered in red with “GRASSMERE.” An excellent hot buffet meal was catered by Fought’s.Submitted by Harry Ackerman.

Back to TopIn team photo, l to r,
Harry Ackerman, Sam Follmer, Gerald Houseweart, Robert Stackhouse, David Laubach, Eugene Laubach, Charles Eckhart, Terry Griffith.