Baseball Hall of Fame

Front Row: (from left) Greg Fuson, assistant manager Roger Rockey, Mike Tonsor, Dan Cassidy, Bob Brickner, Terry Gualandi, Rich Trau, Dan Snell, Dave Klobucher, manager Tom Armstrong.

Back Row: (from left) Assistant coach Ted Bruington, Ed Satterfield, Bill Bootz, Fred Michael, Mike Best, Tim Anderson, Duane Demmin, Dan Cloud, Gary Anderson, Bob Soilberger, Tony Montle, Jim Gottwald, head coach Ed Stonebock.

Peoria Manual High School made its tenth trip to the state high school baseball finals and won its third title under coach Ed Stonebock in 1968 at Peoria's Meinen Field.

The Rams, led by pitchers Duane Demmin and Tim Anderson, who alternated between the mound and first base, finished with a 27-3 record.

During the regular season, Demmin went 10-1, allowed only 41 hits in 72 innings and fanned 89. Anderson was 9-1, gave just 49 hits in 70 innings and whiffed 73. Demmin also hit .373, hit four home runs and had 18 RBI’s, while Anderson hit .310 with six extra base hits. Shortstop Terry Gualandi batted .308 with 13 extra base hits, including three homers and 23 RBI’s, and centerfielder Tony Montle had 23 hits while hitting .268.

Manual won the Limestone District with a 4-0 win over Limestone and then turned back Pekin, 3-0, and Bergan, 3-1, to win the Pekin Regional and advance to the state.

Demmin gave just four hits in an opening 7-4 win over Morton West and Anderson stopped Niles East, 8-3, in the semifinals. Dick Trau, who had pitched only eight innings during the season, started the title game against Rockford Guilford, Ed Satterfield relieved him, followed by Demmin and Manual won easily, 9-3.

Gualandi, who went 6-for-11 with three RBI’s, was named the tourney MVP. Also making the all-tournament team were Demmin, who gave up five hits and four runs in 9.2 innings; catcher Dan Cassidv and outfielder Mike Tonsor, who went 3-for-6 with four walks and four RBI’s.