Written By Ginny Tostenson
Milbank is commemorating the 100th anniversary of American Legion baseball this summer. Anyone who knows about Milbank baseball, undoubtedly has heard the name Doug Dohrer in relation to America’s favorite pastime. And you can’t mention Doug Dohrer without the #3. “Baseball was our life. The field was our second home,” expressed Doug’s wife, Peg.
Doug was born and raised in Milbank and was a 1967 Milbank High School graduate as well as a stand-out athlete for the Bulldogs. Sports were always an integral part of his life. He participated in football, basketball, and track during the school year and spent countless hours during the summer on the baseball field. He was also the leading scorer on the MHS 1967 State A champion basketball team coached by Dave Wolsky. “The love of sports, competitiveness, and hard work were just a few of the things dad passed down to us early on in our childhood,” expressed his oldest child, Ginny Tostenson. “To this day, sports continue to be a big part of our family’s lives. From the time I was just a baby, my summers were spent at the baseball field. It’s in our blood.”
Doug grew up playing baseball, the game he considered his favorite. He went all the way up through the ranks playing midgets, teeners, and American Legion baseball for Milbank. Cal Modin was his midget’s coach. Late in life, Doug credited Modin with instilling in him the love of the game and helped him develop his talent. “I wasn’t old enough to catch Grandpa Doug in full uniform on the ballfield,” stated his oldest grandson, Jonah Dohrer. “However, I was fortunate to catch a glimpse of the player I heard many stories about.” One specific memory really stuck out for Jonah. “I had played catch with grandpa a few times before, but one instance has always stuck with me. Once we got into position in the front yard, the first throw from him had more heat than I was expecting. It felt like the ball was heavy, a mysterious force propelling it into my glove for a loud ‘pop’ that almost knocked me back a step. I couldn’t believe my eyes. His slightly wobbly windup (on knees that had seen better days), a little hitch in his shoulder when his arm was coming over the top, but then the most natural snap down of his wrist and fingers that no pain, surgery, or disease could ever take away from him. That ball was on a string to my chest every time. It made me concentrate on catching every throw and firing a good one back at him, maybe even putting a sting in his glove. Not much was said, but it didn’t need to be. I got to enjoy baseball in its simplest form with him, a game of catch.” Jonah is unsure how long the game of catch lasted. “But I will always remember how he threw the baseball.”
Doug went on to play baseball for South Dakota State University. He was an All-North Central Conference selection at third base for two years and led the conference in batting his junior year with a .347 average. After graduation, Doug had the opportunity to try out with the Milwaukee Brewers but decided to take a job as a teacher and coach at Estelline High School and start his family.
Doug then spent the remainder of his 35-year baseball career playing amateur baseball with the Milbank Firechiefs. He also had stints with other teams such as Ortonville, Estelline, Montrose, and Lake Norden. He also managed his teams for 20 of those years. His career is not only a testimony to excellence, but longevity and grit. A hitter with a .411 lifetime batting average at the age of 53, competing against players half his age, he batted .412.
Some of the family’s most cherished moments happened at the baseball field. Doug’s sons, Chris and Gregg, both went through the ranks with the Milbank baseball programs as well. “There were many times when there were only 2-3 days in a month we were NOT at the ball field,” added Peg.
Doug played in an astonishing 32 state amateur tournaments batting .481. His regular season average was .411 with 203 home runs. In 1981, Doug unloaded two grand slam home runs in the same game against Lake Preston. “He took himself out of the game after those two,” mentioned Doug’s oldest son, Chris. “The concession stand gave a free pizza for a grand slam, so he was going to get two. My brother, Gregg, and I ran the bases like we normally did after the game was over, and by the time we got to the concessions, the pizza was all gone.”
In 1983, Doug collected three hits in a single inning to tie a state all-time record, and in 1984, he banged out six hits in one game. In 1988, Doug had the go-ahead home run for Dell Rapids in the semi-finals of the state tournament (he was picked up by Dells after Montrose did not make the state tournament that year). “I remember he was mad that he wasn’t playing,” noted Chris. “But they put him in to pinch hit in the 8th inning. I think they were down 1 and he hit a two-run homer.”
Later in his career he began competing in Arizona at the Men’s Senior Baseball World Series. He played on an all-star team from South Dakota that won national titles in 1992 and 1993, all while continuing to play for the Firechiefs. All three of Doug’s kids were able to go watch him play in Arizona over those years.
Doug was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1997. Despite that, he continued to play and wouldn’t give it up. “Dad ‘retired’ in 2000, but wasn’t ready to hang it up yet,” noted Ginny. “We should have known! As long as he was able to physically handle it, he was going to play.” And that was an understatement.
Besides baseball, Doug’s greatest joys were his children and grandchildren. A dream of his came true late in his career with both his sons, Chris and Gregg, played on the Firechiefs team together. “A highlight of his career was when all three of us were on base at the same time,” mentioned Chris. “It was in Lake Norden. Dad was on 2nd and Gregg was on 1st. I was not playing well leading up to that game, but I finally got a hit that would have at least been a double. Dad should have scored, maybe even Gregg too. But Dad stopped on 3rd so that all three of us could be on base together.”
In 2000, Doug hit a walk-off grand slam against Aberdeen. “We were down 3-0 in the bottom of the 7th (we were playing a double header, so we only played 7 innings),” explained Chris. “I walked the load the bases. The wind was blowing straight in very hard. His first strike was a long foul ball down the left field line. Scott Wiese was coaching first, and I said to him, ‘I know what he’s trying to do.’ On the next pitch, he hit a grand slam. It was a huge hit given how hard the wind was blowing.”
Chris also relishes a memory from a home game with Robbinsdale, MN, who was coached by Charlie Ross, Milbank native and a good friend of Doug’s. “There was a cocky kid pitching. He started arguing with the umpire. Dad told him to be quiet and get back up on the mound and pitch,” said Chris. “The kid started lipping off to dad. Charlie went out to the mound and said, ‘you don’t know who you’re talking to, get back on the mound and throw.’ When dad came up next, he ripped a double off the kid who was very embarrassed that an old guy hit a hard one off him.”
“It’s fairly rare to watch your grandpa play baseball, but that is something I got to do over and over,” recalls Doug’s oldest grandchild, Tayla (Schulte) Waddell. “From the time I could walk, I remember watching grandpa play ball. Although I never paid attention to the actual game, the endless trips to the concession stands, playing at the nearby playground, and hanging in the dugout are some of my fondest memories. I would get so excited when they announced ‘up to bat, #3, Doug Dohrer’ over the loud speaker. I would often yell ‘that’s my grandpa!’ I was able to travel to Arizona and watch him play in the Over 50 Men’s World Series. I was also able to see him be inducted into the Hall of Fame. I am so honored to be his granddaughter.”
Chris went on to play amateurs for Montrose in 2001 and 2002. He recalls a time when his team came to Milbank to take on the Firechiefs. “In the second game of the double header, I was the starting pitcher. Dad’s first at bat, I didn’t even come close to throwing him a strike. My teammates stacked the crap on me like crazy. His next at bat, I threw the first pitch right down the middle and of course he about took my head off with a line drive. So, he was officially 1-1 against me with a walk.”
Doug eventually retired at the end of the 2002 season. He was then inducted into the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003. He was the third Milbank player to be inducted, joining two former Firechief standouts, Hank and Julian Bue.
Doug’s health then began to fail. He became unsteady on his feet, and his memory was being affected. “Dad was invited to play in the Old Timers game at the state amateur tournament one year and I took him down there,” noted Chris. “Before the game, the guys were taking batting practice in the cage. Dad stepped in and started ripping the ball even though he was quite unsteady. Don Greenfield from Clark came walking up and said to me, ‘I don’t even need to look at who’s hitting in the cage – it’s Doug Dohrer. The sound when he hits the ball is just different than anyone else.’”
Chris continued, “Even as he was ending his career, he was one of our best hitters. At the end, he wouldn’t start in the games, he just managed. Late in the game, if we were down a run or two, I would BEG him to pinch hit for someone, anyone. Most of the time he wouldn’t. He thought it was more important that the younger guys got the opportunity.”
Doug was a man of few words. He let his character shine through with his performance on the field. “Dad didn’t tell us he loved us very often. He gave us side hugs. Despite that, we knew without doubt that he loved us, and we meant everything to him,” expressed Ginny. Tayla added, “my absolute favorite thing about Firechief games was when the game was over, grandpa would let me come out on the field and I would beg him to ‘run the pillows.’ He’d always make sure to make a few laps around the bases with me before he’d go take off all his gear.”
“The memory I hold closest to my heart is taking HIM to ‘run the pillows’ when he was no longer physically able to,” Tayla added. “I would push him in his wheelchair around the bases, and we would celebrate when he made it home. His disease stole his ability to communicate, but the smile on his face was worth a thousand words. When his time here was done, I am certain God greeted him with ‘up to bat, #3, Doug Dohrer. Well done good and faithful servant.’ I have no doubt he’s still ‘running the pillows’ in heaven.”
Doug’s has left a long legacy of sports enthusiasts behind. All 7 of his grandchildren were high school and college athletes. His grandchildren are Ginny’s children, Tayla Waddell, Madi Bowsher, and Hallie Schulte; Chris’s children, Jonah, Micah, and Emma Dohrer; and Gregg’s son, Mickale Dohrer. Doug met just one of his great-grandchildren (Kailur Waddell) when he was wheelchair bound and unable to fully communicate. Doug passed away on February 13, 2018. His other great-grandchildren whom he never got to meet include Maddox, Aurora, and Jerzey Waddell and Bergyn and Holland Bowsher. Doug’s baseball legacy is still continuing today as Maddox now sports the #3 uniform!
Submitted Photos: Doug with— Top- Ginny, Second-Peg, Third- Chris, Fourth- Gregg.
Staff
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