I originally wrote this story three years ago. Dallas Lavin, 81, was still involved with the South Dakota Rushmores Men’s Senior Baseball squad as of 2011, not sure about 2012 or 2013 though.
“The strongest thing that baseball has going for it today are its yesterdays.”
When baseball writer Lawrence Ritter penned those words years ago, he never met Dallas Lavin.
The 78-year old Clear Lake native has spent most of his life involved with the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association in one form or another. With over 70 years of South Dakota baseball experience under his belt, his eyes are the path to the yesterdays of South Dakota baseball history.
“I never got to see my father play,” said the veteran of several hundred amateur games. “But I was always told I couldn’t carry his jockstrap. So that’s how I got my welcome to Legion baseball.”
The grandson of the first mayor of Clear Lake, Lavin was the youngest in his family. Born June 1, 1932 during the Great Depression, baseball was a motivating factor throughout the Lavin family.
His playing career got started as the starting second baseman for the Clear Lake Legion teams. But his best memories involved state tournament time
“There was no A and B then,” Lavin said. “We had this terrific pitcher named Jim Anderson from Brandt and we would always win our first game at the tournament. Once in a while we would win our second game. It was just like pie ala mode if we won two games at a state tournament. We took Watertown out my last year in Legion ball at the state tournament.”
He then went into the service spending three and a half of the next four years in Casper, Wyoming upon his high school graduation. Serving the country on detached duty as a Radar Technician, Lavin wound up meeting his future wife, Joy, in Casper. While he didn’t get to play baseball during that time, he played the next best thing in fast-pitch softball.
“I always say, I was lucky in the service and I met my wife,” recalls Lavin. “At that time, low-flying aircraft could come flying in under the radar and so we went out and set up in ranches, oil fields and small towns. Then we had people watch and they would call in to our fielder center in Casper and we would track the planes across the state. It worked out good and it was a good duty.”
Upon the completion of his service to the country, Lavin and his new bride returned to Clear Lake where they started a family of five. All three of his sons were actively involved in the Clear Lake program while growing up. Two of his sons have since relocated to Arizona while Chad, the former head coach of the USD Coyotes women’s basketball team, has been actively involved with the Vermillion amateur program.
Remaining fully involved with the Amateur team, both as a player and manager, Lavin ran the Legion program at the same time. He also picked up a new position shortly after his return to Clear Lake, namely that of the catcher due to a freak injury suffered by the original catcher.
His best season was the 1958 campaign where he won the Louisville Slugger Award in the Eastern Dakota League with a .409 batting average. During years where the season ended early, Lavin often found himself drafted by area teams to help fill out a state tournament roster, including several trips with Milbank and a trip with Watertown.
But with the task of being manager, so came the headaches associated with the position.
“You’d get people mad at you,” Lavin said. “There was a couple times where the wives wouldn’t talk to my wife because I wouldn’t play their husbands. Most of the time it was a great time, we had a great bunch of guys. We went to the state tournament 15 years I would guess off and on.”
Turning his love for the game into service, Lavin spent 36 years on the state baseball commission. Despite some of the scrapes that came up from time to time, it was mostly an enjoyable experience. During that time he has seen the changes in South Dakota baseball, namely tournament site location.
“At one time, small towns were hosting the state tournament,” said Lavin who stepped away from the District 1 Commissioner’s spot in 2008. “Eventually we went to the large towns, because financially wise it was better. But a town like Parkston had the state tournament, Freeman had the state tournament, and it was neat to have small towns hosting state tournaments.”
But you’ve got to have a lot of hotel rooms for the teams that come in there and stay. That kind of took the tournament away from the smaller towns. We try and keep it closer, because most of the teams are on the east side of the river. Rapid City, being A ball, represents that side of the state very well.”
Enshrined in the South Dakota Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993, Lavin thought his career may be on the outs. But an opportunity he could not pass up came his way. The 1994 Ed Tyson Reuer Award winner for outstanding service, dedication and commitment to supporting and promoting amateur baseball in South Dakota has played for the last 10 years with the South Dakota Rushmores Men’s Senior Baseball World Series team down in Arizona.
And with games held on several of the spring training fields used by major league squads, Lavin has cherished the experience while using it as a time to visit family and reunite with old friends.
“I thought I was crazy in going down there and playing,” said Lavin. “But it was the best thing I have ever done. It is something to do and I enjoy every bit of it. I started and went with the 68 and over team and I haven’t missed a year since. It is just like Old Folks Home week, where you get to meet all the same old ball players.”
And while his game is slowly declining, he isn’t about ready to call it quits. Back to his natural position of second base, Lavin is the oldest member of the squad. And while he doesn’t play every game, he helps those around him enjoy it.
“It isn’t quite like it used to be,” Lavin said, “but it is fun to try to make it like it used to be.”
And Lord willing his love for the game will keep him going, as he just committed to the 2010 70 and over World Series team.
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