Four inducted into Highland American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame during fund raiser

Friday was a special day for the Highland Post 439 American Legion Baseball Hall Of Fame.

Four former Highland players and a former coach were inducted during the annual Wayne Wirz Legion Post 439 Hall Of Fame and Highland Quarterback Club St. Patrick’s Day awards fundraiser luncheon at Michael’s Restaurant in Highland.

Former players Elliott Prott, Steven Diaz, Dylan Knebel, Tyson Kunz, and former Coach Harry Painter were honored.

Diaz, who played for Painter during the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons, was a strong defensive outfielder that could hit and get on base often. He had a strong .372 batting average with Post 439 and then went on to play college baseball at Westminster College in Fulton, where he sported a .316 career average with the Bluejays before graduating in 2023.

Going into the hall of fame with other former standout players left Diaz with special feelings for the day.

“It feels amazing and I was not expecting it to be honest, which is kind of a new thing to me, so I’m happy to be honored like everyone else that’s in the hall of fame” Diaz said.

The best part of the day for Diaz was being able to be mentioned in the same breath with previous players such as Dan Koishor, Mike Young, and Randy Manley, who played on the 1973 state championship squad. Being held in such special company left Diaz feeling very good. “I’d say being honored with everyone else that has come before me and having my name associated with all them is the best part of it,” Diaz said.

Prott played for Painter on the Post 439 club in 2017 and 2018 and hit .376 in his two seasons.

Knebel, a catcher who also played for Painter, played on the 2018 and 2019 clubs and sported a .372 career average. Knebel’s .372 average ranks fourth all-time in program history and he along with twin brother Colton were big contributors to Highland’s 2018 and 2019 District 22 championships.

Kunz, who played for current legion coach Todd Kunz, made his mark on tbe program in the 2022 and 2023 season. Playing second base as well as pitching, Kunz turned in back to back strong seasons on the diamond for Highland hitting a robust .410 at the plate.

Painter was inducted into the hall as the only coach this year and his resume was more than worthy. Painter was an assistant coach from 2006 to 2009 and was head coach of the program from 2010 to 2019 and won District 22 championships in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019 and won the Fifth Division championship in 2016.

“I’ve been a big American Legion guy my entire life and I’ve always believed in it and especially here in Highland, the way that it’s run and Highlands a great baseball team, there’s no doubt about it and the high school’s always good and it helps out the legion program,” Painter said. “It means a lot to me (to be inducted) and it also meant a lot to be part of the with somebody like (the late) Wayne Wirz, who put his heart and sole for over 50 years of cost-free baseball. I mean who it be could it be better than that? So, I’m just honored and I’m humbled.”

After stepping down as head coach in 2020, Painter stayed involved as a voluntary administrator and helping out with various club operations during 2021 and 2022.

On Friday, the Highland legion hall of fame was officially renamed the American Legion Post 439 Wayne Wirz Hall Of Fame in honor of Wirz, who founded the program in 1959 and passed away at the age of 90 on Oct, 15, 2023.