The Shadow
The 2022 Valley Baseball League (VBL) Class of 2022 Hall of Fame inductees have been announced.
This years inductees include, Jason Kipnis, Rick Honeycutt, and Teresa Wease.
Jason Kipnis, is a former Covington Lumberjack, having spent summer league baseball with the team in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, Kipnis, was considered one of the leagues best hitters as he put together a stat line of .318 batting average, 11 doubles, nine home runs, and a VBL record 49 walks. In that same 2007 season, Kipnis, won the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game (ASG) held at Bing Crosby Stadium in Front Royal. Coincidentally, the ASG takes place at Bing Crosby Stadium this Sunday. Kipnis was also second round draft pick by the Cleveland Indians (now known as Cleveland Guardians). During his 10 years in the major leagues, Kipnis spent nine seasons with Cleveland where he was an All-Star in 2013 & 2015, and one season with the Chicago Cubs. Kipnis made it to one World Series in 2016 where Cleveland lost to the Cubs in seven games. Kipnis played in all seven games where he went 9-for-31 at the plate with two home run and four RBI’s.
Rick Honeycutt, pitched for the Charlottesville Hornets (now known as the TomSox) in 1973, Honeycutt was selected in the 17th round of the 1976 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. One year later, Honeycutt, made his MLB debut with the Seattle Mariners after being traded almost two seasons into his minor league career with the Pirates organization. His career lasted for 21 seasons where he spent time with the Mariners, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, and the New York Yankees. He had two stints with the Athletics, and the Rangers. In 1989, Honeycutt, was a member of the World Series Champions Athletics who defeated the San Francisco Giants in four games. He was a two-time All-Star in 1980 as a member of the Mariners and in 1983 as a member of the Dodgers. In 1983, Honeycutt, led the American League (AL) with 2.42 ERA as a member of the Rangers. To this date the Rangers have not had a pitcher since to lead the AL in ERA. From 2002 to 2005, Honeycutt was the Dodgers minor league pitching coordinator and spent 13 seasons from 2006 to 2019 as the teams pitching coach.
Teresa Wease, while not a former player in the VBL, Wease, has been a huge part in the league and with the Harrisonburg Turks. For 33 years, Wease, has been the operations manager for the Harrisonburg franchise where she runs nearly everything that involves what happens at the Turks games. From preparing team meals, selling advertising, merchandise sales, hosting players, putting together media packets & rosters for gamedays, cleaning the stadium, and so much more, Wease has played such a huge role in the success of the Turks franchise. Her husband, Bob, is the current President and General Manager of the Turks and has been for the last 32 seasons. Bob, has also been the Turks coach for the last 19 seasons. He also spent time playing in the VBL as well where he was inducted in the inaugural VBL Hall of Fame Class in 2016 as a former player. The Wease family will now have two hall of fame plaques to display at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park (home of the Turks).
The HOF ceremony will take place this Sunday, July 17th as part of the VBL All-Star Game.
