Coach Doug Sawyer, far right, stands with the Columbia Gorge Hustlers after a game played earlier this summer. Sawyer was inducted into the hood River Valley high School Hall of Fame.
Coach Doug Sawyer, far right, stands with the Columbia Gorge Hustlers after a game played earlier this summer. Sawyer was inducted into the hood River Valley high School Hall of Fame.
Long-time The Dalles coach and hitting instructor, Doug Sawyer, will be inducted into the Hood River Valley High School Hall of Fame in a ceremony set to take place on Sept. 23 and 24.
Sawyer is one of the pioneers of American Legion Hustlers baseball and also helped lead Hood River Valley High School to a state championship in 1980.
Sawyer served as head coach for the HRV varsity baseball team from 1979-1983 and led the team to the state playoffs in every year.
In four years, the Eagles captured three league titles and he finished with a .730 winning percentage.
In addition to Sawyer, Allison Raymond (track and field), David Adams (baseball), Tonja Hill (volleyball and basketball), Les Perkins (football), and Travis Neal (baseball), named first team All-State as an outfielder for baseball.
“It is not about personal recognition for me, it is about the kids,” Sawyer said in an earlier interview. “We share in their successes on and off the field. That is the main reason why we are here with them every day. Our goal is to teach them about the game and about life. Don’t get me wrong. This in an incredible honor and I am humbled to be recognized.”
HRVHS will also be inducting members of the 2015 Hall of Fame class, including Eugenio “Pepe” Quintanilla, Phil Nolin, Ed Wells, Ed Drew, Jacobe Krizman, Meagan Flem, the 1962 Hood River High School Blue Dragons basketball team, and the 1977 HRV ski teams.
The HRVHS Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony was started nine years ago as a way to honor athletes from all different sports for a variety of accomplishments, both individual and team.
Typical inductees to the Hall of Fame will be a member of a state championship team, or the entire team itself, a winner of an individual state championship, a first team or second team all-state athlete, a prominent coach, or a community member who has made a significant contribution to local sports.
“I was fortunate enough to coach a lot of great players over the last 30 or so years. There were a lot of great wins and some tough losses,” Sawyer said. “Those are the memories. Those moments we share together. It has been a lot of fun to be coaching so many of those kids over the years.”
The Hall of Fame celebration begins at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 23 at Henderson Field in a halftime ceremony.
There will be a Hall of Fame Golf Tournament starting at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 24 at Indian Creek Golf Course, with costs at $75 per person.
At 5:30 p.m., at the Best Western Plus Hood River Inn, an awards banquet takes place. Costs are $40 per person.
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