Hall of Famer Bobby Wease Returns to the RCBL

By Mitchell Broughton

Eight-time pennant winner and 2013 RCBL Hall of Fame inductee Bobby Wease will make his return to the County League as an assistant coach for the Broadway Bruins. The Bruins, who finished the 2019 season 14-14, look to utilize Wease’s experience and recruiting talent to put a competitive roster on the field for the shortened 2020 season.

The former player-manager started his career with the RCBL at just 13 with Linville, and after 10 years playing in the Valley Baseball League (VBL) returned to have stints with Linville, Twin County, and Grottoes. In his RCBL career, Wease claimed eight pennants and four series championships. The 1986 Manager of the Year was widely recognized for his abilities both as a player and a coach. Since 1990, Wease has owned and managed the Harrisonburg Turks of the VBL, who announced back in April that the league’s 2020 season would be cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. 

While disappointed about the cancellation of the Turk’s season, Wease is excited to come back to the RCBL and to still have baseball being played in the Shenandoah Valley. Due to the cancellations of the VBL and many other summer leagues across the region, he expects the level of play and the talent of the RCBL to be some of the best it’s ever been. Wease plans on bringing in a pitching duo from James Madison University, Matthew Kleinfelter (RHP) and Liam McDonnell (LHP) who also played for Wease on the Turks last summer. He said a lot of VBL players have been in contact with him asking to play this summer in the County League. 

Broadway is slated to open up at Buck Bowman Park against the Clover Hill on Saturday June 27 at 7:30 pm with league legend Bobby Wease in the dugout. 

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