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It was a perfectly glorious day for Pennsylvania Freemasonry and the Little League at the Little League World Series game Aug. 18 in Williamsport the weather, the Masonic ceremonies, the nostalgia, the young ballplayers, the excitement, the camaraderie, and the spirited community concert. In a traditional ceremony two hours before the start of the Little League game, Robert L. Dluge, Jr., R.W. Grand Master, and the R.W. Grand Lodge officers symbolically placed the date stone for the Little League's new Volunteer Stadium. Marvin A. Cunningham, Sr., R.W.D.G.M., testified that the new stadium was plumb, level, and square, then he and William Slater II, R.W.S.G.W., and Ronald A. Aungst, Sr., R.W.J.G.W., spread the corn, wine, and oil and declared the date stone duly placed. Immediately after the ceremony, Grand Master Dluge unveiled the new big league-style scoreboard that was donated by the Masons of Pennsylvania. The head of |
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The Grand Lodge officers, who symbolically placed the date stone for the Little League's new Volunteer Stadium and unveiled the scoreboard provided by the Masons of Pennsylvania, are pictured with the Lettermen (three at right), who sang "The Star Spangled Banner" to start the game. |
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the scoreboard was covered with a banner proclaiming "The 2001 Little League World Series" which fell at the unveiling to reveal the wording "In Memory of Carl E. Stotz by Pennsylvania Freemasons." Below that, square and compasses emblems flank "Welcome to the Little League World Series." Concluding the ceremonies in the stadium, the Grand Master introduced the members of the Stotz family who were in the stands and invited everybody to join him outside the stadium for the unveiling of a statue in memory of the late Bro. Stotz. He was a member of the John F. Laedlein Lodge No. 707, Williamsport, who conceived the idea of organized baseball for young boys that resulted in the founding of the first program in 1939. The statue depicts Bro. Stotz as the coach with a young ball player, Gary Richey, a member of the 1954 all-star team who was present for the unveiling. When it came time to play ball, Grand Master Dluge took the mound for the ceremonial first pitch. His battery mate was Deputy Grand Master Cunningham. (It can be considered a perfect pitch because the new scoreboard didn't register it as either a strike or a ball.) |
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Ready to throw out the ceremonial first pitch are the battery mates, Grand Master Dluge and Deputy Grand Master Cunningham. |
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Related stories of the Little League World Series and Pennsylvania Freemasons |
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