SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY RICHARD OSTROM AN INTERVIEW SUBMITTED THE HISTORY TO DEPARTMENT FOR PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY BY DAVID FOX ZELIENOPLE, PENNSYLVANIA NOVEMBER L994 Could you discuss the Northeastern Baseball Progran in Penneylvania? Sure the Northeastern Baseball Association is part of Northeastern School District, School District, which is now the Riverside comprised of Franklin , Marion, and North Sewickley Townships. The program started back in the early 1960's with Little League Baseballr and as the kids progressed Little League became Pony League and Colt League. I started coaching one of the original Little League teams, and the first year we won the championship game. I stayed in Little League for several years, and when my sons became of age f coached them through Little League, Ponyr Ernd Colt. fn 1978 ue formed the American Legion Team. At that point it became the Riverside School District, and that became the Riverside American Legion. f coached the American Legion for about eight years. The second year I coached I became the commissioner of the Riverside Athletic Association. I was in that position for two years. I uas also in the Riverside League and that was becoming a little bit of a problem. So after the second year of being in charge, I just rnaintained the Riverside Baseball teams because it took so much of my time. During my tenure, f vas in charge of all the baseball teamsr plus we had three Midget Football teams. So it uas almost a year round project. What that entailed was just overseeing everything. Such as overseeing operations, uniting committees, getting the field ready for baseball season, organiz|ng uniforms, 2 making sure everybody got a uniform. Uniforms had to be replaced every second year. Beyond thatr rr€ had All-Star teams that I vas responsible for setting up tournaments. We had a Women's Baseball Association, rhich was a pretty good association, which helped us. They donated money which helped our cause. We received funds from different committees to help manicure the field r put up fences, painting, and accumulating the equipment to help us in the years getting started. In taking this position did you feel that you uere doing good for the connunity b1t helping the youth ln baseball? definitely, because at that time the kids were what were important. That was our main concern. ft was really fun. A Iot of hard work. A lot of people complaining, because you can't satisfy everybody. You struggled a lot and did whatever you thought was right. It was a good time, and it was a good organization. We kept our heads above Oh water. find tine, nou that you're out of itr to go vies baseball ganea fron the youth? We11, rarely anymore. Althou9h, my youngest daughter played softball so f follosed her all the way through, My oldest granddaughter is in the program now. So I try to get to as many games as I can. Do you 3 vlev lt as Anericats past tine? That's my sport; baseball. Do you Is there anything that really attracted you to it? Only because I played from the time I was thirteen until I was eighteen. The I started coaching in Beaver Fal1s what was then what they called the Knee-high League, rhich rras a combination of the Pony and Colt Leagues. I coached for them for about three years until Northeastern started their program, So I actually coached, except for one year , for that league. You sere Conmissloner then also? Yes. Did you vier the Ken Burns special on I{QED about baseball? No. It seened to be a reird tlne becauEe of the baseball strike ln professional baseball. I rant to knor hoe you felt about the strike anong the professional teans? I realize that because unions are unionsr Etrld with management in there, therers going to be problems. f think this is getting a little carried avay, not l