In a matter of months it will mark 40 years. Forty years since I had my first communication with Fred Handler.
It was mid-August 1981 and I had just returned to my Eldred, Pa. home after spending five weeks as an instructor at a baseball camp in Trenton, N.J.
The summer had been enjoyable, but reality was now setting in- I had no immediate employment prospects and I wasn't ready to come off the field yet.
I knew that Saint Bonaventure University had a fall baseball schedule and I thought, 'Well, just drive down to the campus and see if you can find Coach Handler and ask if he needs any help during the fall.'
Coach Handler began his career at Saint Bonaventure in 1959 and almost immediately began metaphorically wearing three hats; professor of physical education, baseball coach and assistant basketball coach.
I had just spent a large part of my summer with high school and college coaches and occasionally some major league players, some retired, some active. 1981 was a strike year in baseball so several Yankees' personnel were willing to make the hour drive from the New York City area to Trenton and speak to the campers.
The '81 strike lasted from June 12- July 31.
Bobby Murcer, Lou Piniella and Sparky Lyle were several of the players who addressed our kids, signed autographs and the pitchers even threw some soft batting practice to many of the campers.
It was a treat for me also to be around big leaguers even if it was only for two or three hours on a once or twice a week basis.
Now I was driving to Saint Bonaventure to hopefully meet Fred Handler and ask him if I could coach with him for the duration of the fall season.
Admittingly, I was more nervous about meeting Fred than my brief encounters with the major league guys.
First, I was going to ask him about being a part of his baseball program. Secondly, this was the guy who coached basketball greats Tom Stith, Fred Crawford, Bob Lanier and countless other players who thrilled area fans and packed the Olean Armory and later the Reilly Center (opened in 1966). He was an integral part of the 1968 club that went to the NCAA Tournament and the 1970 Final Four team.
Senior, Billy Butler holds the basketball in this photo with Head Coach Larry Weise on the left and Coach Handler on the right.
Lanier, a sophomore, averaged 26 points per game, Butler (22), Junior John Hayes (13) and Jim Satalin (12)
My slight case of jitters about meeting Fred were calmed temporarily when I found his Reilly Center office locked. I slipped a note under his door with a short explanation re: my hopes and left my phone number.
Many of us have left a note and/or a phone number before and never received any type of response. Coach Handler called me later that evening. We met the next day and that quickly I became his assistant coach.
I spent the entire fall season with Fred and the '81 team. I attended every practice and all the games, home and away.
It didn't take me very long to realize that Coach was one of the nicest persons I had ever met, very knowledgeable about baseball, but very wise and intelligent about a lot of subjects.
His insight, enlightenment and principles impressed me daily. I kept a journal and each night I recorded the events of the day. Some were game related strategies and observations. Other times, it may have been just a phrase or a written glimpse of his overall philosophy, not as only a baseball coach, but more importantly as a teacher.
One of Coach Handler's earlier clubs. Coach is in the second row, far left and his youngest son, Eric, is the batboy in front.
Kevin Lester is second from the left in the front row. Kevin had a role as a catcher and appeared on screen several times in the Robert Redford film, "The Natural." I met Kevin when I was scouting AAA baseball and was in Buffalo to see the Bisons. Kevin was the official scorer for the club. Buffalo was my favorite place to work-the stadium atmosphere and personnel were very friendly and my parents (living in Eldred) were less than two hours away. Kevin and I became good friends and soon developed a routine. Whenever I came in to Buffalo to work a series, we would call Coach from the stadium press box well before the opening game and chat until almost game time.
My six weeks with Coach Handler in '81 reminded me of my student teaching experience four years earlier. I attended Clarion University and one semester was devoted to student teaching, six weeks with one cooperating teacher followed by another six weeks with a different instructor.
I guess Jekyll and Hyde might describe those three months.
My first cooperating teacher was outstanding. Not only did he know his subject area well and was very well-respected by his students and the entire faculty, but he clearly understood the best methods that would allow me to learn and get the most out of my experience. It was very clear that he felt a sincere responsibility to help me become a good teacher.
He allowed me to progress slowly and build confidence in my teaching approach. Each day, I learned something that would later prove valuable to me in the classroom or eventually, even on the baseball field.
The teacher who I worked with during the second half of my student teaching semester. Well, let's just say it was a train wreck. No guidance, no advice, no conversations about how to improve........ Enough said.
Fred Handler worked with me like my first cooperating teacher did. I had experience instructing a lot of players before, ages 8-18, but never in a college atmosphere. Also, I was just a few years older than some of the players.
Coach allowed me to take a gradual and eventually a very active role with the club. He clearly loved baseball and clearly loved teaching. Sliding that note under his door was unquestionably a turning point, not only in my baseball quest, but in my life.
The only thing I didn't understand for a while was Coach's fascination with the Cubs and the Bears, especially in Bonas' geographical location where the Yankees were so popular. On the Pennsylvania side, the Pirates had a large fan base.
Fred Handler was born and raised in Chicago. He received a bachelor's degree from Saint Joseph's (Indiana) and later a masters in physical education from Indiana University in 1958.
NOTE: Coach's oldest daughter, Lisa, also graduated from St. Joseph's and now lives in Milwaukee.
He later received a master's degree in history from Saint Bonaventure in 1974.
Coach was quoted in an interview, "I just like history. When I came to St. Bonaventure I was always borrowing books from the history department.
Professors Marron and Amato suggested I take a few courses. I liked it and ended up studying for the degree."
Fred and Anita Handler were married in 1956. Anita grew up in Norristown, Pa. She received a nursing degree from Ohio State University.
As the family states, "she definitely ran the house in Allegany."
She taught nursing at BOCES in Olean and also taught full time at St. Marys in Olean. Later, she was a busy substitute teacher.
Anita was also the first women's basketball coach in Saint Bonaventure University history (1960-61).
Fred and Anita have five children; the oldest, Fritz attended Valparaiso University and now lives in Barrington, Illinois.
Fritz, Sam, Fred and Gus Handler.
NOTE- Gus Handler was a three year starter at center for the University of Colorado football team (2011-2013). Sam Handler was a wide receiver at UCLA who was hampered by a knee injury most of his career (2012-2014)
NOTE- The story is too long and too detailed to be written here, but I can guarantee if you'd like to read a piece about a truly unusual human interest/athletic/daring and resolute event, look up Sam's "one man stand" vs. arch rival USC. You'll enjoy it.
All of Fred and Anita's children attended Olean Bishop Walsh High School. The boys were all multiple-sport athletes. Fritz was a '76 graduate, Kurt ('79) and Eric ('82)
Bishop Walsh returning veterans-1978.
Top row, left to right-#50 Kurt Handler, Mike Hesse, Dave Margeson, Carl Monkhouse, Jeff Kaduc, Jerry Ash, Mike Malick, Ed McGuire Jr. and Coach Ed McGuire.
Bottom row, left to right, Chris Quinlan, Tom Butler, Jim Ryan, Bill Clark, Paul Klaczynski, Richard Bean and John Klaczynski.
Kurt attended Ohio Northern University where he played four years of football. He now lives in Atlanta.
We mentioned the middle child, Lisa, earlier-one year younger than Kurt. She was followed by Eric, who attended Gettysburg College and now lives in New Rochelle, N.Y. Eric is three years younger than Lisa.
The youngest child is Kirsten, four years younger than Eric. She resides in Cleveland and attended Mt. Union College (Ohio)
Eric's previous experience as a bat boy for one of his father's early SBU baseball teams may have helped him secure his current job as Vice President of Communications at the YES Network in New York City.
Gus and Eric Handler with Eric's son at Yankee Stadium
As a senior at Bishop Walsh, Eric was a member of the 1982 Cattaraugus County Baseball All- Star team .
Cattaraugus County All-Stars- left to right: Bill Earle (Cattaraugus), Frank Van Sickle (Portville), Eric Handler, Mike Barrett (Allegany), John Ferrara (Salamanca), Steve Beattie (Salamanca), John Gostomski (Little Valley), John Denison (Pioneer) and Coach of the Year, Little Valley's, Pete Stokes. The Gowanda players; Clabeaux, Seneca and Lavalle are missing from the photo.
Coach Handler's 68-69 Frosh team. That's Vic Thomas, Bruce Miller (Fillmore) and Matt Gantt from left to right in the back row. Tom Baldwin is far right in the back and Paul Hoffman standing between Baldwin and Coach Handler. Mike Davis is second from right (elbows on knees) sitting.
Four of these players were on the Final Four team.
NOTE- Mike Davis was my business education teacher during my senior year of high school (1973) at Otto-Eldred HS (Eldred, Pa). Mike also coached junior high basketball at the school.
Some Handler family members and friends outside Fred's favorite stadium.
Many younger collegiate sports fans may not realize that freshmen were not eligible for any sport until 1968, when the NCAA permitted them to compete in all sports, but basketball and football.
Four years later, with the institution of Title IX, that rule changed and all freshmen became eligible for competition during the 1972-1973.
Bob Lanier's freshman year with Coach Handler, 1966-67. How many of these 12 players can you name?
Second row, left to right- Jim Satalin, Fran Satalin, John McCleod, Ed Ahearn and manager Artie Roberts
Coach Handler and Head Coach Larry Weise are seated on the top row.
Beginning in 1960, Fred was now teaching physical education, coaching baseball and was the assistant basketball coach- a job that included advance scouting plus coaching the freshman squad.
Beginning in 1960, Fred was now teaching physical education, coaching baseball and was the assistant basketball coach- a job that included advance scouting plus coaching the freshman squad.
All of those great Saint Bonaventure basketball players that many fans still remember from 1960-1970 had at least one thing in common- their first college coach was Fred Handler.
My fall season with Fred and the Bonnies' baseball team ended in mid-October and a week later I moved to central Florida.
The area was growing so quickly I was able to find a teaching and coaching position in the Osceola County School District. A few days before the end of the school year I received a letter from Coach Handler.
Coach stated that he was resigning from his head coaching position and that he had recommended me for the position.
I drove home and interviewed with Athletic Director, Larry Weise, and a few days later:
I spent three years as the head coach and it was a memorable time for me. I enjoyed the community and the university immensely.
I was able to work and learn from some outstanding people plus Coach was still there as a professor and his door was always open for me. I think I wore out the chair in front of his desk, seemingly daily stopping in with at least one question or looking for advice from a man who had spent 22 years directing the baseball program.
My first year captains: kneeling- Rob Leahy and Al Miano with Eric Stenzel and Bob Dinunzio standing behind them.
Year One, looking down the bench-left to right: Tim Burns, Jim Mauro, Bill Lawley, Mike Choma and Steve Bunch
We had a very good fall season in in year 3. We hosted the first St Bonaventure Fall Classic with Canisius, Dominican College (N.Y.) and Niagara. We defeated Niagara and then Canisius in the finals. This end-of-the year article mentions pitchers Matt Veno and Butch Greco, Chris McNinch (Wellsville) and Tim Butler. We had 11 players hit .300 or better; Bill O'Meara, Joe Pinter, Mike Schaefer, Bill Lawley, John Holdorf, Greco, Jeff Grimmer, Schaefer, Don Belch and catchers Mike Fischer and Kevin Lynch. Freshman Jim Canfield stole 17 bases.
Jeanne Stady was the athletic secretary for Larry Weise and, I think, EVERY coach in the athletic program. My office was adjoining and I saw the constant flow of coaches, players and students through her door every single day.
Jeanne began her job at Saint Bonaventure in November '61. She answered a newspaper ad which stated there was a part-time position open. I don't know if the job was ever part-time, but I'm sure it wasn't during my years on campus.
"I like being around all the players. Working with the young keeps you young," Jeanne said.
When I received my master's degree from Saint Bonaventure in 1984, Jeanne gave me an engraved plaque that read,
Congratulations
Jim Pransky
May 20, 1984
That gift has followed me, always sitting prominently on every desk I ever sat behind.
Jeannie was a wonderful person.
Anita Handler died in 2006. She and Coach had been married for 50 years.
They raised five children; Fritz, Kurt, Lisa, Eric and Kirsten. All deserve mentioning again.
I had the pleasure of meeting Fritz and Gus. Gus was still in high school and it was quite clear that he was going to be an outstanding college athlete.
Eric was a great help to me when I wrote a book about John Flaherty, a major league veteran and an ex-Yankee player, who was the baseball analyst on the YES network. He directed me through some red-tape issues that I never could have resolved alone.
Thomas Marra '80, played baseball for Coach Handler. He is a member of Saint Bonaventure University's Board of Trustees. Mr. Marra donated $900,000 to The Anniversary Campaign for St. Bonaventure.
That gift was embarked for the baseball program, enabling the renovation of the baseball field that included a new sports turf surface, new bullpens and fencing around the entire facility. Fifty-foot dugouts were added along with a new mound and home plate area.
There could never be a doubt re: the naming of the beautiful baseball complex.
Fred Handler Park at McGraw-Jennings Field was officially dedicated on September 9, 2006.
Fritz at the park that honors his father.
Coach Handler remarried in 2008. He and his wife, Arlene, reside in Fairhope, Alabama.
This August (2021), Coach Handler will be enshrined in the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame. Kevin Lester, his catcher at St. Bonas will be ushered in at the same time. A well-deserved honor for two Bonnies and two class individuals.
I've made the drive from the Midwest (either Illinois or Iowa) to the Olean/Allegany/northwestern Pa. area for almost 35 years now. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio then Erie (Pa.), Jamestown and Salamanca (N.Y.) is the eastward route.
It's always the same. Eventually, 675 miles later, the car automatically drives in to Allegany and minutes later turns right in to one of the entrances of the campus of Saint Bonaventure University.
The memories had already begun miles back. My vehicle moves very slowly, but my mind is racing as the memories flash like a television enthusiast holding the remote.
I park near the athletic fields and step out of the car and just observe what stands before me. It's changed, but then again, it hasn't.
It remains a place of beauty, peacefulness and kindness.
Fred Handler gave a 25-year-old, who aspired to a baseball career, an opportunity.
He has taught hundreds of young people- in the classroom and on the court and on the field.
Coach remains a friend to thousands and I am fortunate to be one of the many.
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