Brian Hoffman
Contributing writer
Pulaski Yankee owner and Christiansburg businessman David Hagan (left) receiving plaque from Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame President Charlie Hammersley during induction banquet on Thursday.
Five area baseball players and contributors were inducted into the Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame at the 27th annual hot stove banquet on January 25 at the Salem Civic Center, including David Hagan.
The speaker was Bobby Basham, a Franklin County native and current member of the Chicago Cubs organization. Basham was also one of the five inductees along with Hagan, Jon Hartness, Doug Heptinstall and Rodney Spradlin.
Hagan is the owner of historic Calfee Park in Pulaski, where he brought in the New York Yankees as a minor league affiliate in the Appalachian League. The franchise has been the most successful in the league, attendance-wise, for the past three seasons.
In addition, Hagan sponsors Little League tee-ball, baseball and softball organizations. In 2010 he created the “Growing the Future” program to partner with the community and give back to local public schools.
Hagan and the Shelor ownership group purchased the ballpark in 2014 from the town of Pulaski. Since the purchase, Hagan has invested more than 9 million dollars in renovations to the Calfee Park facilities, field, team and hotel where the players stay. During Hagan’s ownership attendance has risen from 26-thousand to more than 77 thousand and he is credited with bringing the New York Yankees affiliate to the small, rural community of Pulaski.
“It is an honor to be inducted into the Roanoke-Salem Baseball Hall of Fame alongside so many other wonderful contributors to the baseball industry. The success of Calfee Park would not be made possible without the support from our fans and we look forward to many seasons of great baseball in the New River Valley,” said Hagan.
Basham just completed his sixth season working in the front office for the Chicago Cubs organization, which included their 2016 World Championship season, the first for the Cubs in 108 years. He currently holds the title of Assistant Director of Minor League Operations and has held roles in Advance Scouting and Major League Strategy.
Bobby grew up in Franklin County and graduated from Franklin County High School in 1998. He was named both the 1998 Timesland baseball player of the year and the Ray Bellamy award winner for going 8-0 with a 0.77 ERA for the Roanoke Valley District champs. During his junior season he was a key contributor on one the greatest baseball teams in Eagles history — the 1997 Northwest Region championship squad that went 22-2.
Hartness, a Salem resident, earned a baseball scholarship to Virginia Tech after an outstanding high school career as a pitcher at Mills Godwin High School in Richmond. He was primarily a relief pitcher but an occasional starter and holds the distinction of pitching the first nine inning no-hitter in Tech baseball history.
Jon joined the Tech coaching staff in 1990 and served as pitching coach for 17 years. He is currently the athletic director at Cave Spring High School.
Heptinstall is currently the State Director for American Legion baseball, and also serves as District Chairman for the state rules committee. He’s spent numerous hours of volunteer time making sure the local league runs smoothly.
Doug also coached Little League baseball for almost 20 years in the Cave Spring program, and he also coached a 13-year-old team that won the state tournament and the regionals.
Spradlin was a standout pitcher for William Byrd High School and also played two years at Carson Newman College. He spent many years as an assistant and head coach for the Terriers. In 1997 he coached the Terriers to their only state championship and was named the state Group AA Coach of the Year.
Rodney is still involved in many aspects of baseball. He works for the “Baseball Factory” organization, traveling the east coast evaluating baseball players’ skills. He’s also coached the West team in the annual Virginia Commonwealth Games for the past 25 years.
In addition, local free lance journalist Bill Turner was selected to receive the Wayne LaPierre award for contributions to the game. Bill is a regular contributor to the Roanoke Star newspaper and been involved in baseball in many other areas as well.
The Salem-Roanoke Baseball Hall of Fame was founded in 1991 and honors players and contributors from the counties of Alleghany, Roanoke, Bedford, Botetourt, Craig, Floyd, Franklin and Montgomery and the independent cities located within the boundaries of those counties. The Hall of Fame building is located on the grounds of the James E. Taliaferro Complex, next to the Salem Red Sox administrative office behind the third base seating area of Salem Memorial Ballpark.