When greats from Red Devil past descend upon Allen Community College today, sure they’ll reflect on the team’s successes through the years, discuss how to improve upon this year’s squad and catch up with long-lost friends and mentors.
But the highlights, noted Scott Vondemkamp, are the stories.
“They always get embellished a little more each year,” he laughed.
Home runs travel just a bit farther on the 10th retelling, fastballs have 5 or 10 miles per hour added on a key strikeout and — quite obviously — the laughs usually get a little bit louder as a result.
Red Devil alumni will gather this evening at the ACC Student Center for the third annual Red Devil Diamond Club Hall of Fame festivities.
Five will be inducted in this year’s class. John Masterson, college president and former baseball coach who helped lay the foundation for one of the best junior college programs in the state; Vondemkamp, one of the stars of the 1983 team that took third at the National Junior College World Series; Jeff Dinkel, who made his mark in 1981, and Jim Hess and Mike Befort, both of whom starred for Allen in the 1979 and 1980 seasons.
The banquet begins at 7 o’clock. Tickets remain on sale for $15 apiece.
VONDEMKAMP came to Allen by way of Tecumseh, where he was a crackerjack athlete in both football and basketball.
“My favorite sport depended on the season,” he recalled.
As Vondemkamp progressed through the Topeka city leagues, he became familiar with several friends and teammates who had already decided to play for the Red Devils.
It didn’t take much convincing for ACC head coach Val McLean to offer Vandemkamp a scholarship; it was nearly just as quick for him to accept.
He starred as an outfielder for Allen, “and we always expected to win,” he said.
But his fondest memories came off of the diamond, from visiting Coach McLean’s father’s farm on one road trip.
“Although I was proud of my individual accomplishments, I take more pride in the accomplishments in the 1983 team,” he said. “My teammates were great athletes and great friends. Many have been lifelong friends.”
