Busch poised for induction into Burlington Baseball Hall of Fame
By Mike Ramczyk
Correspondent
It only takes about five minutes to see the joy on the face of Dennis Busch when he’s umpiring a women’s slow-pitch softball game to know how much he loves the game.
“I turned it down a couple times,” Busch, 72, said Tuesday night of the induction to this year’s Burlington Baseball Hall of Fame. “Being the age I am now, I couldn’t turn it down. Any time I can step on a baseball field, I work like it’s my last game or a tournament game.”
“And the number of people I’ve met, I’m in the third generation with some families.”
Affectionately known as “Shrub,” Busch had a boyish smile on his face a few times Tuesday night at Congress Diamond in Burlington as he balled up a fist to call a bang-bang play “out” or joked around with some of the ladies.
He first played for the Burlington Merchants amateur baseball team in 1967, and had a career that has spanned seven decades and has seen Busch play, coach American Legion baseball in Burlington and umpire baseball and softball of all ages.
Busch started the Burlington Baseball Hall of Fame Committee in 2010, when Dick Imrie was the first inductee, along with Rollie Bauman.
Now, the ceremony, which involves the honoring of new members and a chance for all the old-timers to get together and catch up, is back after a year off due to COVID in 2020.
The Hall of Fame
Busch will finally get his day Sunday, Aug. 1 at Beaumont Field in Burlington.
“I worked with the committee for six months to put together the Hall of Fame thing, and we put Dick and Rollie in at the same time,” Busch said.
Busch added that he wishes American Legion baseball would return to the city.
He has always loved the game, and he says he’s been fortunate to still be involved in the sport in his hometown of Burlington after so long.
“For me to be able to do this – a lot of guys quit playing or being associated, I’ve been fortunate to be involved with umpiring and keep going,” Busch said.
The induction ceremony will be at 11 a.m. at Beaumont Field Aug. 1.
In conjunction with the induction of Busch, the Hall of Fame Committee will hold a memorial tribute for the late Richard “Dick” Imrie, who died nearly two years ago.
Imrie served as a member of the Burlington Baseball Hall of Fame Committee, was also on the Wisconsin American Legion Baseball Board of Directors, along with being a coach for many local American Legion teams in the Burlington area in the late 1970s.
The Hall of Fame Committee will run a concession stand that will serve beer, water, Gatorade and food.
Everyone is welcome, especially former Burlington area players and past Hall of Fame inductees.
Any former player can contact Bill Milatz at 262-492-7684 for more information.
Farm boy with a bat
Busch grew up in the Town of Wheatland area and attended St. Alphonsus Grade School in New Munster.
Milatz, the Hall of Fame Chairman, said the Busch, a 1967 Burlington High School graduate, grew up as a farm boy and found a love of baseball in his youth.
Busch played football and baseball in high school before being drafted into the United States Army in December 1967, where he served two years including one year in Germany.
Busch then worked for 34 years for TDS Telecom and retired in 2004.
Busch continued to have a love for baseball.
Early in his youth, he played Little League baseball in the Lakeland Little League. After Little League, Busch played Kiwanis Pony League baseball and Colt League baseball in Burlington from 1962 thru 1967.
In 1967, Busch was a player for the Burlington Merchants, until the team disbanded in early 1969. After his playing days ended, Busch coached and managed an Independent League team in 1970 and 1971. Busch then coached and managed American Legion baseball from 1972 through 1974.
He also coached T-Ball and Minor League in Burlington, as well as softball at Wheatland Center Grade School.
Busch has been a WIAA baseball and softball certified official for 48 years and still continues to umpire for WIAA schools in the Burlington and surrounding area.
Busch umpires Land O’ Lakes amateur baseball to this day.
He has been the only umpire for the past eight years for the Burlington Recreational Women’s Softball League on Tuesday nights. He and his wife, Alice, still live on the Wheatland area farm where he grew up in his youth. They have two adult children, Jeff and Julie.
“Dennis Busch has joined a historical group of Burlington Baseball Hall of Fame inductees and he truly deserves this honor,” Milatz said. “Congratulations to Dennis, Alice, and his family.”
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