Sports

Burlington Baseball Hall of Fame welcomes four new members

 

 

By Mike Ramczyk

Sports Editor

The Burlington Baseball Hall of Fame Committee is ready to welcome in its newest class.

This Sunday, July 20, at noon, the committee will host its fifth induction ceremony at Beaumont Field.

This year’s candidates include the late Art Rein, James “Jim” Seri, Larry “Red” Smith and Jamey Oberbruner.

Each year, the committee honors former Burlington area baseball players that played, coached, managed or contributed in some way to Burlington area baseball. This can include contributions to youth baseball, high school, college or semi-pro.

Following the ceremony, the Burlington Barons will host the Ixonia Snappers at 1:30 p.m.

Mayor Bob Miller will be making some of the Hall of Fame presentations, and Burlington graduate Micah Gebel will perform the national anthem prior to the Barons game.

Here’s a rundown of the inductees:

Art Rein

“Mr. Rein not only was a very good baseball player, but he was also well known in Burlington for other feats of excellence,” said Hall of Fame committee chair Bill Milatz.

Rein purchased one of the first airplanes in the city, and as a Burlington police officer, he was involved with the shooting and capture of two criminals that robbed a store in Honey Creek.

Rein began playing baseball in the Navy in 1917, and that evolved into a spot with Fort Atkinson in the Central State League in 1920. Rein moved on to Burlington in 1923 after a professional tryout in 1921 with former Milwaukee Braves manager Charlie Dressen.

Primarily a pitcher, Rein played with the Burlington White Foxes along with various leagues in the Midwest.

Rein was honored as the White Foxes MVP in 1924 and once fired a no-hitter in 1926.

James “Jim” Seri

Seri, a Milwaukee native, graduated high school in 1942 at Milwaukee Bay View and was offered basketball scholarships at both Marquette and Wisconsin.

After serving in World War II in the Navy and attending Wisconsin, Seri played basketball and football at UW-La Crosse.

After marrying Burlington native Norma Degan in 1947, Seri taught at the old Cooper School. He pitched for the Burlington semi-pro baseball team from 1950 through 1955.

Seri went on to teach at DePaul University and was the school’s first tennis coach. Seri, now retired and in his 90s, lives in Prospect Heights, Ill.

Larry “Red” Smith

Born and raised in New Munster, Smith attended St. Mary’s High School in Burlington and graduated in 1961.

After graduating from high school, Smith, whose parents ran a tavern in New Munster, played center field and first base for the Burlington Merchants and sometimes pitched.

He played for the Merchants from 1961 through 1968, retiring from baseball at age 25.

Smith then played softball for the old “Harmony Bar” for Beanie Daniels and Hap Tenhagen. Smith also played for teams in the New Munster area.

After his playing days, Smith did some coaching for the Lakeland Little League and the Lakeland Babe Ruth League.

He became a licensed barber and ran the New Munster Barber Shop for 50 years before retiring in 2013.

Jamey Oberbruner

Oberbruner grew up in Milton before graduating from Burlington High School in 1976. He was a pitcher and played for the American Legion as well.

Oberbruner went on to play college baseball for his dad, Ken “Red” Oberbruner, at UW-Parkside. Jamey was a Division II All-American as a pitcher in 1980.

In 1995, Oberbruner was inducted into the Parkside Hall of Fame.

In 1981, Oberbruner was drafted in the 24th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the San Diego Padres. He spent four years in the minors, three with San Diego’s farm system and one with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

After his minor league career, Oberbruner returned to the area to play for Butler in the Land O’Lakes. He was named the division’s most valuable player three different times. Oberbruner was inducted into the Land O’Lakes Hall of Fame in 2008.

Oberbruner also played in Milwaukee’s Langsdorf League, where he was named league MVP in 1980.

Oberbruner currently lives in Waukesha and has run a pitching clinic for the last 20 years.

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