By Jim Moyes
LocalSportsJournal
I’ve been taking my Prevagen regularly to keep my memory sharp and it appears to be working so it’s time to take the Moyes’ Memories column out of mothballs for the loyal readers of the Local Sports Journal. Before I begin to share a few of those memories from yesteryear I must first share some sorrowful news. I was saddened to learn of the recent passing of a pair of Greater Muskegon Sports icons, Bob Ludwig and Marcus Toney.
Bob Ludwig was probably the oldest living member of the Greater Muskegon Hall of Fame before he passed on August 26 at the age of 96 following a brief illness.
Former Muskegon Catholic and Michigan State stalwart Marcus Toney left us all too soon on August 11 at the much too young age of 62.
Bob Ludwig was a two-sport standout at Muskegon High in the early 1940s. Bob was so good at both football and baseball that he first took his talents to Michigan State where he excelled in both sports. His exploits at Muskegon High still rank among the best in MHSAA annals. Ludwig compiled a record of 17-1 as a pitcher for coach Harry Potters Big Reds. Bob’s only loss was a monumental setback as it came against a Grand Haven team in 1945 that ended a then state record of 55 consecutive wins over the years. Ironically, it was Grand Haven who then eclipsed the Big Reds record streak in 1962. Although an outstanding pitcher and the ace of the Big Red staff, Bob was even better as a hitter. So accomplished was Ludwig that he came just one level shy of making it to the major leagues when he performed at the AAA level in the minor leagues.
Bob had many great moments at Muskegon High. It was more than 80 years ago when the 16-year-old Ludwig was engaged in a pitching duel with 17-year-old Jack
Weisenburger of Muskegon Heights, one of his contemporaries whose career closely paralleled that of Ludwig. Ludwig bested Weisenburger 1-0 on May 10, 1944, in a game at historic Marsh Field that saw Ludwig strike out 17 Tigers batters and allowed but one hit, a seventh inning bunt single. Both Ludwig and Weisenberger were early inductees into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame, Weisenburger inducted in 1991 and Ludwig in 1993. Weisenburger, best remembered as the spinning fullback of Michigan’s 1948 Nationals champs who scored three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl against Southern Cal, also made it to AAA in baseball. During the summer months both would be teammates for the Outwin Zephyrs, a local team comprised of the very best players in the area. Ludwig was a prodigious hitter as he batted a hefty .468 playing three years for Harry Potter’s Big Red Machine of the 1940s.
So talented was Ludwig as an athlete that he became a starter for Michigan State’s football team as a backfield performer in his freshman year. However, baseball was his passion and when he was given the opportunity to play professional baseball, the temptation was too great, and Ludwig signed a pro contract in May of 1946. Prior to inking his contract with the Chicago Cubs organization, Ludwig was the starting third baseman at Michigan State and a teammate of future Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts.
There was no pitch count in Bob’s heydays with the Big Reds. In a five-day span Ludwig once won three games in the same week against the toughest of opposition. Nearly 80 years has passed since Ludwig last put on a Big Reds uniform, but his career earned run average still ranks in the top ten in MHSAA history. Shortly after playing in his last baseball game since leaving Michigan State, Ludwig signed his pro contract on May 30, 1946. The popular Ludwig was honored between games of a double header of the Outwin Zephyrs before leaving for Hutchinson, Kansas for his pro debut.
Playing primarily at third base during his minor league career, Ludwig had a superb career batting average of .290 in nearly eight years in organized ball. Ludwig’s best year was in 1951 when he batted .331 while bashing out 213 hits and a place on the Southern Association All-Star team. Bob made it to AAA before retiring to pursue his passion in academics.
Although he left college to enter the pro ranks in baseball, Ludwig returned to education where he earned his master’s degree in vocational arts that he used to become a teacher and an administrator in the Muskegon Public Schools for over 42 years. I first met Bob Ludwig as his teammate in 1959 when he was lured back into baseball to help his dear friend Lyle Moran begin a fledging independent baseball team in North Muskegon. Although Bob had been out of baseball for many years Ludwig was more than a mentor for our very young city baseball club. Ludwig was our ace pitcher where he was part of a battery of two players both inducted into the MASHOF, as his catcher was none other than future Muskegon football coach Dave Taylor. Ludwig was an accomplished woodworker and furniture maker who helped develop the many cabinets used in making room for the many mementos and artifacts on display at the LC Walker Sports arena.
Although Marcus Toney had an outstanding career as a MSU Spartan it was his prep days playing for the Crusaders that brings back those Moyes’ Memories. How well I remember Toney’s heroics in late September of 1978 when the Crusaders defeated powerful Traverse City 15-12 when Toney beat the Trojans not only with his legs but also his foot. With just three-seconds remaining in a 12-12 deadlocked game with TC it was Toney’s 25-yard field goal that won the game for the Crusaders. Oddly enough both teams had fired wide on all their extra point attempts from earlier touchdowns. MCC was a Class C school in 1978 while TC was Class A and traveled to Kehren Stadium boasting of never tasting defeat in the vaunted LMAC in three seasons. The loss to MCC would prove to be the Trojans last loss of 1978 as they would end up as the Class A state champion later in the season at the Pontiac Silverdome.
Toney was selected to the all-state team in his senior season of 1978, but his brilliant prep career came to a surprising end when the Crusaders were stunned in the opening round of the playoffs by Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 14-12. For those who have seen MCC enjoy so much success over the years, surely most of their fans would be surprised to know that the loss to Forest Hills Northern was MCC’s 12th loss in as many games ever contested at Houseman Field.
MCC had a terrific team in 1978 and were rated number one all during the regular season, with much of the success going to Toney who scored 20 touchdowns against tough competition during the season. Toney capped his career with both MCC touchdowns in the loss to FH Northern, but it was not quite enough to bring victory to MCC. The Crusaders were hindered late in the season with several key injuries, not the least of which was the loss of both of their starting defensive ends.
Yes, Muskegon indeed lost a pair of good ones recently with the passing of Bob and Marcus.
On a much brighter note, let me conclude this Moyes’ Memories remembrance with a couple of memories from yesteryear.
What a fitting end to former Tiger Skipper Jim Leyland’s career with his deserving induction to Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Did you know that Leyland was the catcher in 1964 for Cocoa Florida in the Rookie League? One of the pitchers on that Cocoa staff was none other than former Big Red pitcher Ray Newman. Newman had a much better rookie season than his battery mate Leyland as the bespectacled lanky southpaw posted a 4-4 record as a pitcher. As for Leyland? Well, let’s just say that Jim didn’t get inducted into the Hall of Fame for his offensive accomplishments as he hit but .194 in 52 games.
Getting back to Muskegon Catholic. Does anybody care to wonder how their Hall of Fame longtime assistant coach Mike Ribecky acquired the nickname, Bunny? Mike’s father’s nickname was Rabbit so when little Mike was born the mother said: “I guess we have a little bunny.” That surely is a strange nickname for the still finely chiseled and muscular Ribecky, a fixture on the sidelines at MCC for fifth years.
One final remembrance from yesteryear before closing. Have you ever heard of a baseball game being called because they ran out of baseballs? In a game played on May 11 of 1946, Muskegon was winning 1-0 in a game played in the rain in Holland against the Dutchmen. Muskegon was leading 1-0 in the top of the fifth in a game played in a light drizzle. A double by Gordon Wilder sent three runs across the plate with two runners on base when the umpire called the game off. “The balls are too wet to play,” said the umpire. When it was suggested that new balls be tossed into the game the umpire disclosed, he had only two to start the contest and neither was new. In today’s day and age, and well before there was a post-war shortage of baseballs I cringe whenever I see a new baseball put into play whenever a baseball even touched the dirt.
LocalSportsJournal
I’ve been taking my Prevagen regularly to keep my memory sharp and it appears to be working so it’s time to take the Moyes’ Memories column out of mothballs for the loyal readers of the Local Sports Journal. Before I begin to share a few of those memories from yesteryear I must first share some sorrowful news. I was saddened to learn of the recent passing of a pair of Greater Muskegon Sports icons, Bob Ludwig and Marcus Toney.
Bob Ludwig was probably the oldest living member of the Greater Muskegon Hall of Fame before he passed on August 26 at the age of 96 following a brief illness.
Former Muskegon Catholic and Michigan State stalwart Marcus Toney left us all too soon on August 11 at the much too young age of 62.
Bob Ludwig was a two-sport standout at Muskegon High in the early 1940s. Bob was so good at both football and baseball that he first took his talents to Michigan State where he excelled in both sports. His exploits at Muskegon High still rank among the best in MHSAA annals. Ludwig compiled a record of 17-1 as a pitcher for coach Harry Potters Big Reds. Bob’s only loss was a monumental setback as it came against a Grand Haven team in 1945 that ended a then state record of 55 consecutive wins over the years. Ironically, it was Grand Haven who then eclipsed the Big Reds record streak in 1962. Although an outstanding pitcher and the ace of the Big Red staff, Bob was even better as a hitter. So accomplished was Ludwig that he came just one level shy of making it to the major leagues when he performed at the AAA level in the minor leagues.
Bob had many great moments at Muskegon High. It was more than 80 years ago when the 16-year-old Ludwig was engaged in a pitching duel with 17-year-old Jack
Weisenburger of Muskegon Heights, one of his contemporaries whose career closely paralleled that of Ludwig. Ludwig bested Weisenburger 1-0 on May 10, 1944, in a game at historic Marsh Field that saw Ludwig strike out 17 Tigers batters and allowed but one hit, a seventh inning bunt single. Both Ludwig and Weisenberger were early inductees into the Muskegon Area Sports Hall of Fame, Weisenburger inducted in 1991 and Ludwig in 1993. Weisenburger, best remembered as the spinning fullback of Michigan’s 1948 Nationals champs who scored three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl against Southern Cal, also made it to AAA in baseball. During the summer months both would be teammates for the Outwin Zephyrs, a local team comprised of the very best players in the area. Ludwig was a prodigious hitter as he batted a hefty .468 playing three years for Harry Potter’s Big Red Machine of the 1940s.
So talented was Ludwig as an athlete that he became a starter for Michigan State’s football team as a backfield performer in his freshman year. However, baseball was his passion and when he was given the opportunity to play professional baseball, the temptation was too great, and Ludwig signed a pro contract in May of 1946. Prior to inking his contract with the Chicago Cubs organization, Ludwig was the starting third baseman at Michigan State and a teammate of future Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts.
There was no pitch count in Bob’s heydays with the Big Reds. In a five-day span Ludwig once won three games in the same week against the toughest of opposition. Nearly 80 years has passed since Ludwig last put on a Big Reds uniform, but his career earned run average still ranks in the top ten in MHSAA history. Shortly after playing in his last baseball game since leaving Michigan State, Ludwig signed his pro contract on May 30, 1946. The popular Ludwig was honored between games of a double header of the Outwin Zephyrs before leaving for Hutchinson, Kansas for his pro debut.
Playing primarily at third base during his minor league career, Ludwig had a superb career batting average of .290 in nearly eight years in organized ball. Ludwig’s best year was in 1951 when he batted .331 while bashing out 213 hits and a place on the Southern Association All-Star team. Bob made it to AAA before retiring to pursue his passion in academics.
Although he left college to enter the pro ranks in baseball, Ludwig returned to education where he earned his master’s degree in vocational arts that he used to become a teacher and an administrator in the Muskegon Public Schools for over 42 years. I first met Bob Ludwig as his teammate in 1959 when he was lured back into baseball to help his dear friend Lyle Moran begin a fledging independent baseball team in North Muskegon. Although Bob had been out of baseball for many years Ludwig was more than a mentor for our very young city baseball club. Ludwig was our ace pitcher where he was part of a battery of two players both inducted into the MASHOF, as his catcher was none other than future Muskegon football coach Dave Taylor. Ludwig was an accomplished woodworker and furniture maker who helped develop the many cabinets used in making room for the many mementos and artifacts on display at the LC Walker Sports arena.
Although Marcus Toney had an outstanding career as a MSU Spartan it was his prep days playing for the Crusaders that brings back those Moyes’ Memories. How well I remember Toney’s heroics in late September of 1978 when the Crusaders defeated powerful Traverse City 15-12 when Toney beat the Trojans not only with his legs but also his foot. With just three-seconds remaining in a 12-12 deadlocked game with TC it was Toney’s 25-yard field goal that won the game for the Crusaders. Oddly enough both teams had fired wide on all their extra point attempts from earlier touchdowns. MCC was a Class C school in 1978 while TC was Class A and traveled to Kehren Stadium boasting of never tasting defeat in the vaunted LMAC in three seasons. The loss to MCC would prove to be the Trojans last loss of 1978 as they would end up as the Class A state champion later in the season at the Pontiac Silverdome.
Toney was selected to the all-state team in his senior season of 1978, but his brilliant prep career came to a surprising end when the Crusaders were stunned in the opening round of the playoffs by Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern 14-12. For those who have seen MCC enjoy so much success over the years, surely most of their fans would be surprised to know that the loss to Forest Hills Northern was MCC’s 12th loss in as many games ever contested at Houseman Field.
MCC had a terrific team in 1978 and were rated number one all during the regular season, with much of the success going to Toney who scored 20 touchdowns against tough competition during the season. Toney capped his career with both MCC touchdowns in the loss to FH Northern, but it was not quite enough to bring victory to MCC. The Crusaders were hindered late in the season with several key injuries, not the least of which was the loss of both of their starting defensive ends.
Yes, Muskegon indeed lost a pair of good ones recently with the passing of Bob and Marcus.
On a much brighter note, let me conclude this Moyes’ Memories remembrance with a couple of memories from yesteryear.
What a fitting end to former Tiger Skipper Jim Leyland’s career with his deserving induction to Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Did you know that Leyland was the catcher in 1964 for Cocoa Florida in the Rookie League? One of the pitchers on that Cocoa staff was none other than former Big Red pitcher Ray Newman. Newman had a much better rookie season than his battery mate Leyland as the bespectacled lanky southpaw posted a 4-4 record as a pitcher. As for Leyland? Well, let’s just say that Jim didn’t get inducted into the Hall of Fame for his offensive accomplishments as he hit but .194 in 52 games.
Getting back to Muskegon Catholic. Does anybody care to wonder how their Hall of Fame longtime assistant coach Mike Ribecky acquired the nickname, Bunny? Mike’s father’s nickname was Rabbit so when little Mike was born the mother said: “I guess we have a little bunny.” That surely is a strange nickname for the still finely chiseled and muscular Ribecky, a fixture on the sidelines at MCC for fifth years.
One final remembrance from yesteryear before closing. Have you ever heard of a baseball game being called because they ran out of baseballs? In a game played on May 11 of 1946, Muskegon was winning 1-0 in a game played in the rain in Holland against the Dutchmen. Muskegon was leading 1-0 in the top of the fifth in a game played in a light drizzle. A double by Gordon Wilder sent three runs across the plate with two runners on base when the umpire called the game off. “The balls are too wet to play,” said the umpire. When it was suggested that new balls be tossed into the game the umpire disclosed, he had only two to start the contest and neither was new. In today’s day and age, and well before there was a post-war shortage of baseballs I cringe whenever I see a new baseball put into play whenever a baseball even touched the dirt.
