Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame
Ashland County Sports
Hall of Fame
 
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Class of 1998
'Cathy L. Applegate
'Jack G Augenstein *
'Tom Christopher
'Steve Kick
'Bill Mills *
'Gary Moose
'Forrest R Pruner
'Jim Runyon
'Bill Seder Jr.
'Richard I. Siler


'T: Jack C. Myers, Jr. *
''( Deceased * )
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'1954 AC Football Team
'1979 Hillsdale Softball '''State Champ
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Selection Committee
'George Valentine ,
'''Chairman

'Ron Marquette
'Dan McBride
'Tom Herron
'Gaylord Meininger
'Marvin Sprang
'Don Sprang


 

Richard Siler

Richard Siler

Richard I. Siler is a 1953 graduate of Ashland High School where he lettered for 3 years in football and was a member of the undefeated teams of 1951 and 1952. After graduation, Dick attended Manchester College in Indiana. He lettered in football 4 years and was all conference his sophomore year. Siler graduated from Manchester in 1957 and from Indiana University with a Masters in Educational Administration in 1961.

Dick has had a long and successful coaching career in the State of Indiana where he began teaching and coaching in 1957. He coached basketball from 1957 through 1996, track from 1958 until 1967, football from 1957 through 1990, and his most successful coaching venture is baseball from 1968 through the present.

Dick’s coaching records, awards, and accomplishments read like the who’s who in high school baseball – which he is. He coached for 30 years in high school and two years in college to date. Dick was Head Baseball Coach at Elkhart High School for 25 years. The last 2 years he has been assistant baseball coach at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana.

Coach Siler has received the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association award for 100, 200, 300, 400, 550, and 600 victories. His overall record is 612 wins, 370 losses, and 15 ties. He was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992, was Regional Coach of the Year in 1985 and 1992, Elkhart County Baseball Coach of the Year in 1992, Northern Indiana Conference Baseball Coach of the Year in 1993, and received Dave Emens Outstanding High School Coach Award in 1996.

Dick’s teams have won 5 Northern Indiana Conference titles, 7 sectional titles, 2 regional titles, and the Elkhart County’s first state finalist in baseball. He has coached 90 all-conference players, 11 all-state players, 10 academic/all-state players, and 2 of his players made it to professional baseball.

Not only is Dick in demand on the diamond, but also as a baseball clinic speaker and baseball camp coach throughout Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. He has also been a member of the American Baseball Association for 32 years and a member of the Indiana High School Coaches Association for 30 years. After 40 years in education, Coach Siler has retired, but still is active in coaching baseball.

He married the former Marjorie Thompson on August 12, 1956, and they reside in Elkhart, Indiana. They have 3 children: Scott of El Paso, Texas, Laurie Mastic, Springfield, Virginal, and Julie Birr of Elkhart, Indiana. Dick and Majorie are also proud grandparents of 6 grandchildren.

Nominator: Keith Siler



 
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