The 1969 & 1970 Baseball Teams
(Photo above is of the 1969 Brewer Witches Baseball team)
(Photo above is of the 1970 Brewer Witches Baseball team)
Baseball has always been a staple of American culture, but it took nearly 25 years for Brewer to reach the pinnacle of baseball here in the state of Maine, after Brewer was the PVC runner up in 1945. The 1969 and 1970 baseball teams surged to this domination with the determination and guidance of head coach Ken Perrone and assistant coach Jim White. As many of these players had come from a Class A State Championship Football win in 1968 under Coach Perrone, this culture of building champions had already begun, and this winning attitude would help spearhead many future wins, including baseball. Coach Perrone was known for being innovative and having an unyielding belief in each of his players. He taught them new skills that would make them better and more efficient at their respective positions, always explaining why it was important to do things a certain way which in turn built the players’ and teams’ confidence.
The 1969 team was known for its superior offensive play. In only the second season under Head Coach Ken Perrone and Assistant Coach Jim White, the team had improved their winning season record from 16 wins and 4 losses in 1968 to 23 wins and 2 losses, including pre-season games. Of the 23 games won, Brewer scored in double digits 12 times, and three of those games scored over 20 runs. During this outstanding season they went on to score 264 runs only allowing 53 runs by their opponents. This team garnered several power hitters including Dana Corey (Hall of Fame Inductee 2016), Ric Franks (Hall of Fame Inductee 2025), and Dana Folsom. In addition to Corey and Folsom, Steve Tardiff (Hall of Fame Inductee 2020) and Jim Libby achieved batting averages over .300. Bob Fortier led the defense as the team’s premier catcher while pitching was led by senior Dana Corey and juniors Maynard Corey and Mike Trask. Brewer’s superior pitching and outstanding defensive play held the opposing team to zero runs in five of the team’s victories. In the 1960’s, there were no regulated state playoffs, so the highest level the 1969 team could achieve was the PVC championship title, which they achieved after defeating the Hampden Broncos 22-2.
The 1970 baseball team, with 17 overlapping players from the 1969 team, continued to dominate the field with a regular season undefeated record of 25-0. With a powerful offensive team, they scored an impressive 297 runs, only allowing their opponents 67 runs. This powerhouse team was led with seven players with batting averages over .300 which is very rare in high school baseball. These batters included Mike Trask (.414), Ron Estes (.356), Jim Smith (.356), Dennis Tate (.348), George Moran (.320), Jim Libby (.306), and Steve Smith (>.300). The strong defensive play on the field also led to six of their match ups ending with no scoring runs from opponents. This in part was due to strong pitching from Bob Beers, Maynard Corey, and Mike Trask. Mike Trask’s precision pitching was able to cement 11 wins, doing this by striking out 104 batters within 75 innings. The 1970 baseball team’s winning streak would bring them into the inaugural year of state playoffs sanctioned by the Maine Principals’ Association where Brewer was crowned Eastern Maine Runner-Up.
Another true hallmark of these teams’ achievements is the fact that during the five times that Brewer played Bangor in 1969 and 1970, Brewer was undefeated in each matchup! When reminiscing about what made the 1969 & 1970 Baseball Teams special, Coach Ken Perrone recalls, “The players had poise and great work ethic! These athletes made up a golden age of sports at Brewer High School like no other time in school history.” We welcome these two outstanding teams into the Brewer Athletic Hall of Fame!
1969 & 1970 Brewer Baseball Team Rosters
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE INDUCTION OF THE 1969 & 1970 BASEBALL TEAMS
Members of the 1969 & 1970 Baseball Teams at their Induction Ceremony 2025