Jake Stenger coached for more than 55 years
(ST. LEON, Ind.) – Longtime St. Legon American Legion baseball coach Jake Stenger made an impact on the lives of countless players.
The Army veteran and farmer coached for more than 55 years and while winning meant something, he was just as committed to shaping the lives of the young men he coached.
Stenger passed away in September. His impact on the community has led the community members to ensure his legacy is never forgotten.
A couple of business owners wanted to upgrade the legion baseball field which was in need of maintenance and upgrades. They did it at no cost to the Legion.
That is when Legion members decided to approach the family about the possibility of naming the field in Jake's honor.
On Memorial Day, the field was officially opened in his honor as “Jake’s Field of Dreams” during a ceremony.
Family, friends, post members, former players , and community members attended the event.
Jakes daughter, Lynn, spoke at the ceremony and there were also stories shared from former players.
“I didn’t realize the significant impact my dad had on others that went far beyond baseball. He was a second father to some of those players,” Hertel said. “He was doing these life lessons and instilling them into all these young men over 50 years of baseball,” she added.
Jake did a lot of his coaching while working at Firestone in Brookville with plenty of work to do on the farm. There were times when the baseball players would come to the farm and bail hay without being asked.
Stenger also helped several of his players reach college baseball over the years by utilizing his connections outside of the St. Leon community.
For those who would like to see “Jake’s Field of Dreams”, it is worth making the trip to check out the upgrades!
During the ceremony, an American flag and flagpole was unveiled which was donated by Andres-Wuesterfeld Funeral Home.
The field is located at 8866 Post 464 Road in St. Leon.
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