SS Ken Mills(Veterans Committee)
"Thank you, I appreciate the call." Ken Mills said calmly as tears streamed down his face yesterday. The 66 year old had given up on making the HBL Hall of Fame years ago but with the newly formed veterans committee Mills and other long forgotten Heroes of the Heartland Baseball League's early days now have a renewed hope for enshrinement. Mills will be the first "Pioneer" enshrined but certainly not the last.
"I knew I was good but I also knew my career was short," explained the former Cedar Rapids and Springfield shortstop. "Injuries were starting to take a toll on me and I decided my quality of life in my later years was more important than a few more years on the diamond or a few more dollars in the bank." While most will sacrifice everything for one more at bat or one more pitch Mills hung'em up at the ripe old age of 33 following two subpar and injury filled seasons.
"There will be controversy" HBL Commissioner Herb DeSpain said upon making the announcement. "His career was short compared to everyone else in the Hall but the Veterans Committee is here to acknowledge those who helped to get the HBL started and Ken Mills certainly fills that role." "If you saw him play then you would know he deserves to this," said Pasta Davis who was one of three members of the first HBL HOF class back in 1993 and a member of the veterans committee. "He was one of the best and when he retired it was not only a huge shock to us all but a huge loss to our game."
Mills was 25 years old when the HBL started but he was already mature as a baseball player. His first five seasons he used raw talent but it wasn't until he turned 30 that he really started to study the game and that is when he developed into an elite hitter winning consecutive South Batting Titles in '83 & '84 before the injuries robbed him of his abilities. "The best fielding SS I have ever seen," said another member of the veterans committee Colin Reese. "And I've seen them all!" Mills earned six consecutive Best Fielder Awards from the start of the HBL in 1978 until 1983. He also made seven consecutive HBL All-Star teams from 1978 through 1984. He led the league in runs once, hits once, and doubles once during his career. He was the leader on a Cedar Rapids team that won 79 games and claimed the very first Heartland Series Championship in 1978 where he hit .321 during the seven game series.
Davis added "Five more seasons on either side of his career and there is absolutely no controversy. The committee will not get them all right, but we got this one right."
