Making History
“I know he's here. I know he's watching.”
Such were the words of Steve Domachowski, moments after his father, the late Leo Domachowski, became the charter member of the Pullman Park Hall of Fame Tuesday night.
Domachowski, who died last year at age 84, was inducted by the home-plate area prior to the Creekside-Butler BlueSox doubleheader.
Steve Domachowski threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the first game.
But this night was all about his father.
Leo Domachowski volunteered his time at Pullman Park for decades. He started off helping to coach and work with his son's teams.
“Long after I was gone, he was still here,” Steve said of his father.
Steve played T-Ball through Prep League baseball in Butler. He played games and pitched at Pullman Park. He now lives in Findlay, Ohio.
“My father taught me how to play baseball,” he said. “He supported me in every way. He umpired. He worked on the field. He worked the concession stand. He ordered uniforms and organized teams.
“He put sod down on this field. He painted the old bleachers. He loved the people he worked with and he loved this ballpark.”
Leo and his wife, Eileen, were married 58 years. Eileen Domachowski was on hand to accept Leo's Hall of Fame plaque as well.
“He would be so proud of this,” she said. “I was a baseball widow for a lot of years. But he loved this place and worked at it for a long time.”
Steve said his father “would not have believed this (induction) ... This isn't what he did all that work for. He never expected to be honored, but he would have enjoyed this.”
Dan Cunningham, one of four Hall of Fame committee members, conducted Domachowski's pre-game induction. He said the Pullman Park HOF will continue to induct one person each year.
“This park has been here since 1934,” Cunningham said. “Before its renovation in 2008, there were so many volunteers here.
“People dedicated much of their time to work here and keep Pullman Park going. This induction — and others to follow — are like lifetime achievement awards.”
Domachowski's name will become part of a Hall of Fame display in the main concourse of the ballpark. Eventually, park manager Dean Selfridge hopes to convert one of the vacant rooms at the park into a Hall of Fame room, complete with memorabilia depicting the park's history.
“This wa a Class D minor league ballpark from 1934 through 1951 and a community park ever since ... a lot has happened here,” Cunningham said.
Steve Domachowski recalled his father cutting scrap iron on-site at the park and selling it to raise money for Pullman Park.
“That's how much he cared about this place,” he said. “Now his name will be part of Pullman Park for good. As a family, we are forever grateful for that.”
