A Hall of Fame Celebration
The evening of June 5 at the Wyckoff Country Club in Holyoke gathered a crowd of baseball enthusiasts to honor a distinguished group of inductees into the Western Massachusetts Baseball Hall of Fame.
Howard Herman, a longtime sports columnist for The Eagle, received the Garry Brown Award in recognition of his extensive contributions to baseball journalism and his mentorship of younger reporters such as Steve Roulier, who praised Herman’s influence on his own career.
Former Major League Baseball player Chad Paronto, another inductee, took the podium to express gratitude for the opportunities his career afforded, especially the chance to provide for his family, while reflecting on the shared history of the region’s baseball community.
The ceremony also welcomed Bill L'Heureux, Bob Bohl, Steve McKelvey and the 2010 Amherst High State Championship team, alongside figures like Jim Masteralexis, Matt Torra, Matt Koperniak, Rylee Paronto and Connor Paronto, each of whom has left a measurable mark on the local baseball landscape.
Herman’s own baseball story began with his first memory of Opening Day 1961 in Pittsburgh, a moment that sparked a lifelong passion that saw him cover World Series championships, high school state titles and countless milestones, shaping the narrative of baseball in Western Massachusetts for decades.
The event underscored the enduring impact of these inductees, whose stories continue to inspire new generations of players, journalists and fans throughout the region.