BABE RUTH LEAGUE HALL OF FAME WELCOMES FOUR
Babe Ruth League, Inc. has more than just top of the line competition. It has a legacy stacked with exceptional individuals who have unselfishly given their time and resources to provide all young athletes with an enjoyable, healthy, and educational experience.
The Babe Ruth League International Hall of Fame was established in 1968 to honor those persons and organizations who have played a vital role in the development of the baseball and softball programs. Each individual or organization, upon induction, receives the coveted Hall of Fame Plaque and is enshrined on the walls at Babe Ruth League Headquarters. Induction into the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame is a rather rare honor. In its history, there have been millions of players and volunteers, yet there are only approximately 300 members in the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame.
The Babe Ruth League International Board of Directors, during their last annual meeting, unanimously elected Kirk Bouchie of Vincennes, Indiana; Brian Pipes of Montrose, British Columbia, Canada; Rebecca Slough of Glen Allen Virginia; and Jim and Bonnie Winder of Williamsport Pennsylvania; into its Hall of Fame.
Kirk Bouchie served as a coach, manager, and Board Member for the Vincennes Cub Babe Ruth League for several years beginning in 1987. He became League President in 1998 and is still active in that role.
Bouchie is a member of the Babe Ruth League, Inc. National Advisory Board, and was the recipient of the 2018 Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year Award.
Under Bouchie's leadership, the Vincennes Cub League hosted several District and State Tournaments, 31 Regional Tournaments, one Bambino Division World Series, and 6 Cal Ripken Division World Series.
One of the more memorable years was in 2001, which is affectionately known in Vincennes as the Cal Ripken World Series Double Play. Vincennes hosted both the Cal Ripken 10-Year-Old and the Cal Ripken 12-Year-Old World Series, where a total of fifty-eight games were played on Bilskie Field from August 2-26 with the Championship Game being televised on FOX Sports.
Bouchie is well respected throughout his community and has helped develop Babe Ruth League, locally, statewide, regionally, nationally, and worldwide. Over the past 35 years, Bouchie has inspired volunteers throughout the Vincennes Cub League to bring the values and philosophy of Babe Ruth League to countless young people.
Brian Pipes began his Babe Ruth career in 1976 serving as a coach for the Trail Babe Ruth League. His knack for the game became apparent when he coached his team to the provincial championship in 1969. Pipes continued coaching through the 70s, while also promoting the league through local radio and as a columnist in the local newspaper.
As an administrator, in 1974 he was elected League President of the Trail Babe Ruth League and appointed as the British Columbia District Commissioner. In 1980, Pipes became the British Columbia Assistant Provincial Commissioner, and in 2001, was elected the Provincial Commissioner. In 2006, Pipes began a three-year stretch as the Pacific Northwest Assistant Regional Commissioner for Babe Ruth Softball.
Pipes’ personal honors include:
- Trail Babe Ruth League and British Columbia District Baseball Roll of Honor
- British Columbia Hall of Fame
- Baseball BC Roll of Honor
- British Columbia Softball Hall of Fame
In 1995, Pipes was instrumental in bringing the Babe Ruth League 16-18 World Series to Trail, British Columbia, the first and only time the 16-18 World Series was played outside of the United States. The Babe Ruth World Series serves as gateway experiences for many first-time visitors, inspiring large numbers to make plans for subsequent trips and vacations to the area. Local hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, shopping outlets, gas stations, entertainment venues and other local business experience direct spending from attendees.
Pipes has dedicated his life to the promotion and development of Babe Ruth League. The lives he has touched are as countless and endless as the energy and commitment he has shown along the way."
Rebecca Slough began her Babe Ruth career in 2004 with the Glen Allen Youth Athletic Association Babe Ruth League. With nearly two decades of active volunteerism, she has served the league in several capacities: Board Member, President, Director of Administration, Assistant Treasurer, Manager, and Coach.
Slough also served as World Series Director for three of the Babe Ruth World Series hosted by the Glen Allen Youth Athletic Association. In addition to her superb leadership, Slough has had incredible success as a manager and coach.
Her accolades include:
- Two-time Cal Ripken World Series Champion
- Three-time Southeast Regional Champion
- Six-time Virginia State Champion
- Six-time Virginia District Champion
- 57-5 overall Babe Ruth League tournament record
In honor of her many accomplishments, Slough was inducted into the Glen Allen Youth Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2020. In 2022, she was inducted into the Babe Ruth League Southeast Region Hall of Fame.
Slough is a straight-forward, get-it-done, ‘can-do’ leader. She is dependable, capable, resilient, genuine, and a person of impeccable integrity. She’s the epitome of everything that is right in youth sports, especially the Babe Ruth League organization.
Jim and Bonnie Winder have been elected as a team because they have served together as a team, dedicating 41 years of volunteerism to the West End Babe Ruth League and the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth Leagues.
Hitting leadoff in the lineup for the West End Babe Ruth League, the Winders have served as President, Secretary, Treasurer, Manager, Coach, Groundskeeper, Play Agent, Scorekeeper and Purchasing Agent. In addition, they have been in charge of scheduling umpires, volunteers for the concession stand, public relations, fundraising, maintenance, and registration. They have done it all in a quiet and unassuming manner.
Jim has served as President of the West End Babe Ruth League and Bonnie as Secretary/Treasurer for the past 35 years. Also, Jim has served District 8 Commissioner for the past 30 years and as State Commissioner for the past three years for the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth League State Organization.
The West End Babe Ruth League has two fields. One of those fields – Winder Field – was named after Jim and Bonnie for their unparalleled allegiance to the league. Both fields have lights, bleachers, restrooms, concession stand, and an equipment shed. Jim and Bonnie led the way in obtaining grants and raising funds to construct and maintain these fields.
The Winder’s personal honors include:
- Induction into the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth Hall of Fame in 2004, becoming the second husband and wife team to be selected.
- Induction into the Middle Atlantic Babe Ruth Hall of Fame in 2014, becoming the first husband and wife team to be selected.
It goes without saying that an organization is only as good as its people. The continuity created by the Winders has provided the foundation for the West End Babe Ruth League. During Jim and Bonnie’s tenure, approximately 2,500 young men and women have participated in the league, learning many valuable life lessons, not just on the baseball field, but on the field of life.