Micah Evans led the game off with a solo home run but the pitching efforts of sophomore Max Spitzmiller could not top the visiting Parkway North Vikings as the Pirates fell 6-4.
Before the game, four men were recognized for their accomplishments with the Pattonville baseball program. Bob Benben, Scott Cooper, Mark Hahn and Don Mueller were part of the inaugural ceremony established to honor an elite group of former players and coaches that made outstanding contributions to Pirate baseball. The baseballs mounted to the outfield fence with their names on it are displayed along the windscreen at the Pattonville baseball stadium so that the accomplishments of the inductees can be celebrated year-round.
Bob Benben had a 32-year career at Pattonville and served as the head baseball coach from 1977-1988 winning 186 games and losing only 93. He coached three teams that won the Suburban North Conference championship and won the state title in 1986. He became Pattonville’s athletic director in 1989 and held that position until his retirement in 1999. He has been inducted into the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and the St. Louis Amateur Hall of Fame.
Scott Cooper graduated from Pattonville in 1986 and was drafted that year in the 3rd Round by the Boston Red Sox. He played for the Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals during his 7-year Major League career. He was an All-Star 3rd baseman in 1993 and 1994. As a Pirate, Cooper played third base and pitched for the state-winning baseball team in 1986. He was a three-time all-conference player. During his junior and senior seasons, Cooper was named Suburban North Conference Player of the Year, named to the all-state team and was a high school all-American. In 1986, Cooper was the National High School Player of the Year. He still holds the following records at Pattonville: Most runs scored in a season (37), Most RBIs in a season (41), Most home runs in a season (9), Most RBIs in a career (104); As a pitcher: Most strikeouts in a season (121), Most wins in a season (12), Most wins in a career (20). He is currently a director for the St. Louis Gamers baseball organization.
Mark Hahn graduated from Pattonville in 1979 and pitched for the varsity team 3 seasons. He was part of the 1978 Suburban North Conference championship team and was all-conference in 1978 and 1979. He finished his career with a 17-3 record. He returned to Pattonville in 1985 as an assistant baseball coach and was named head coach in 1997 and held that position for 18 years. He finished with a 250-122 record that included 13 Suburban North Conference titles and was named the conference’s Coach of the Year 10 times. He was inducted into the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 and has coached many players who went on to continue their baseball careers at the collegiate and professional level.
Donald Mueller passed away in 2011 but was represented by Mark, Kurt and Brent Mueller (Brent currently teaches at the high school). Donald Mueller played professionally from 1948-1959 and spent 10 years with the New York Giants batting over .300 for three consecutive seasons and led the National League in hits (212) in 1954. He finished second that season in the NL batting race to teammate Willie Mays. He played in the 1954 World Series and helped lead the Giants to a 4-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians while batting .389 in the series.
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