The 1996 Appleton East Boys Baseball Team’s Journey to State
Catching the state title, Appleton East Boy’s Baseball team threw an incredible season.
Appleton East boys baseball team claimed the title that every high school athlete dreams of.
In June, 1996, The Appleton East boys baseball team was just beginning their offseason journey preparing for the Wisconsin State tournament. Managing to overcome any doubts, this team snatched up a state title.
“We played the best of the best.” Stated former Appleton East player, Randall Reed. The State Tournament was after graduation and was leading into the summer.
“Practice was pretty laid back, we were at the end of our season so we had a routine that we followed. With me being the young guy
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Heinritz stated.
Once the Patriots got the State Tournament their journey was not over. The Patriots still had to play and win against three other Division one baseball teams.
The State Tournament was held at Athletic Park in Wausau, Wisconsin. Athletic Field is now Home of the Wisconsin Woodchucks of the Midwest Baseball League.
The first Game the Patriots played against was Chippewa Falls, with an end score of 2-0. The patriots continued their winning streak, defeating Oshkosh West 1-0 in a very close game, where the Patriots took the lead, gaining a homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the game.
The Patriots earned their spot in the State Championship game playing against the Oconomowoc Raccoons.
“I was feeling both nerves and excitement.” Mr. Reed stated. “ The playing level was very high, playing the best in the state.”
The Patriots rallied in the Championship game down 4-2 and put guys on base for Tim Nelson to hit the only home run of his high school career. Aaron Olson pitched 5 great innings to shut down Oconomowoc in the last 2 innings, winning the State Title
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Heinritz.
Winning the state title is what every high school athlete dreams of doing and the Appleton East boys baseball team made that happen, truly being apart of something amazing.
Reed goes on to say that even though winning state is something great and being inducted into the Appleton East hall of fame for it is very special, it was more about the relationships he made with his teammates.
“I think it was more along the lines of the group of guys that was great. The amount of them that went onto play college ball was incredible.” said reed?
Mr. Reed went on to be a physical education teacher and Is now the varsity baseball coach at Appleton East.
Mr.Reed states “ I have been coaching baseball here for four years now and I have had maybe two boys go on and play college ball, where on the 1996 team, we had seven or eight guys that continued to play ball in college. The group of guys that got pulled together there was impressive.” Mr. Reed continues to stay in touch with his fellow teammates. John Henrick, a senior on the team is now one of Reed’s assistant. “ I still see a handful of them here and there and some keep in touch.” Reed