FINALLY, ALL-STATE RECOGNITION ARRIVED
The Iowa High School Athletic Association has determined a state baseball champion most years since 1928.
Outstanding teams have always been commended for their achievements but in some early years, not much all-state type individual recognition was awarded.
It wasn't until the late 60's that much individual player attention was provided by, for example, the Des Moines Register. And, that was long before the Iowa Baseball Coaches Association became an organization. In these later years, the Register, the IBCA and, perhaps, others regularly publicize the top individual players in the sport.
Still, many of the top players up to the late 60's were not given their proper due.
In the 1940's, Toreador players like Don Reed, Cookie Ewing, Maurice Hagaleen, Jim Kennedy, Kenny Blosser, Bill Curell and others would certainly deserve special recognition.
Top Central Iowa Conference honors were accorded BHS players starting in the late 50's.
Outfielder Gary McVicker and first baseman Don Dutton were the first Toreador players cited in 1959 in this "new" conference. Don Dutton was a .408 hitter that year. In '60, pitcher Jon Gustafson, who hit .352, and third baseman Johnny Malcom were named and in 1961, pitcher Denny Adreon, Malcom and outfielder Roger Dutton earned top honors. Roger Dutton hit .327 that year.
In 1962, it was Adreon and outfielder Dick Musser and in 1963, pitcher Jack Mustapha, catcher Mike Loehrer and shortstop Donny Riker were selected. Loehrer led the Boone team in hitting in both '63 and '64 with batting averages of .329 and .354 respectively. Those three, Mustapha, Loehrer and Riker, repeated as the top players in '64 and in 1965, Mustapha, Bruce Geerdes, Mike Harris and Steve Crandell were first team choices.
There were other Boone High players named to second and third-team positions during that time. They included Chuck McGriff in '59; Darrell Richards and Ron McDowell in 1960; Brett Downey in '62; Pat Ahlstrom in '63 and Rick Barry, Steve Hilts and Denny Mylenbusch in '64 when Hilts led the Boone hitters at .316. Outfielder Marty Rinehart was an all-conference honoree in both 1964 and '65.
Finally, in the late 60's, the Register and the baseball coaches group felt the sport had grown enough to start promoting individual success.
Locally, BHS 1968 stars, pitcher Joe Fontanini and catcher Denny DeLance were named to second and third all-state teams respectively. In 1970, pitcher Tommy Price garnered fourth team praise.
Infielder John Camelin and pitcher Blane Reutter were both two-time all-staters.....Camelin second team in 1987 and first team in '88 while Reutter made the first team in 2009 and the second unit in 2010.
Here are some other Toreadors who were first team all-staters.....Jeff Sebring and Jason Behn in 1993; Kyle Erb and Graig Taylor in 1995; Chad Behn in 1996; Bo Baker in 1997; Josh Frank in 2008; Michael Eckhart in 2009; Mike Dahl in 2011 and Brett Price in 2019.
Mike Olson was a second team choice in 1986; Chris Larson in 1994; Nick Anderson in 2008; Chris Ely in 2009; Jackson Hull in 2015 and Evan Appenzeller in 2018.
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BOONE CONNECTED DEATH: Dennis Paul Savits, 79, Ogden. OHS-60. Married Sharon Kane in 1964. They were divorced in 1987. Dennis farmed but, eventually, attended Auto Body School in Omaha. Worked at Sherbring Chevrolet in Ogden and at body shops in Grand Junction, Boone and Urbandale before opening his own shop, Denny's Collision Repair, in Boone. He operated that shop for over 30 years before retirement. Dennis was also an almost 30 year Iowa National Guardsman before retiring from that duty at age 60. Survivors include his son, Mike, of Ogden, a daughter, three brothers and a sister.
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