Biber, Frank
| Frank Biber – (1997) |
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Sometimes it takes an unmistakable winner to overcome the disheartening setback Frank Biber encountered in World War II. He lost a leg, a tragedy that for a lesser individual might have spelled nothing but a life of self-pity.
Athletics? Forget it.
Only Biber wasn’t just your ordinary victim of the great war. He became what his close friends to this day still like to describe as “…a winner who surrounded himself with winners.”
Born 81 years ago in Moon Run, Pa., Biber’s parents moved to Lorain when he was a 5-year-old. He attended Lorain High School. While his wartime injury may have curtailed his ambitions to pursue a career as an athlete, he still managed to take to the woods, often in West Virginia, with his hunting dogs, especially when hunting coons. Frank’s favorite hunting story involves coon hunting, only this one stands out because he shared a day in the woods with Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter.
Biber turned his love for sports in a positive direction by becoming what his teams affectionately called “Mr. Deep Pockets.” He was the founder, sponsor—under the widely recognized banner Frank’s Rec—and frequent financial backer of what is still considered today to be one of Lorain’s most successful athletic programs ever.
While fastpitch softball was perhaps his first and foremost passion, Biber also was a strong supporter of bowling and basketball teams carrying the Frank’s Rec logo dating back to the early 1950’s. One of his most notable trademarks was his unselfish financial assistance when his teams traveled to all parts of the United States. They never had to worry about car rental, hotel rooms, food, etc.
He comes from a family of some athletic reknown. His brother, Paul Biber Sr., was a 1993 Lorain Sports Hall of Fame inductee as a football and basketball standout. Another brother, “Knuckles” Biber, was a top boxer and two nephews, Paul and Pat Biber, and a niece, Diana, were outstanding high school and college athletes.
His fastpitch softball teams, however, achieved some of the greatest accomplishments, most of them with Ed Ramirez as team manager. Among their greatest moments were three state men’s titles and one national banner. The list under the Frank’s Rec banner reads as follows:
—Five national A.S.A. (Amateur Softball Association) appearances.
—19 national A.S.A. tournament victories in 28 games for a .679 national tournament winning percentage.
Among his top national A.S.A. tournament finishes, Frank’s Rec:
—1994, finished as Class B national runner-up in Dallas, Tex.
—1993, won the national Class A championship in Minot, South Dakota.
—1991, finished among the top 10 (ninth place) in the Class B tournament in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
In state A.S.A. competition, Frank’s Rec captured three state titles, two in Class A in 1985-86 and the Class C crown in 1993. Other state tournament finishes includes:
—Class A runner-up in 1987 and 1992.
—Class A third place in 1984.
—Class A fourth place in 1982.
—Class A regional runner-up in 1992.
—Class A regional third place finish in 1994.
—Class B regional championship in 1991.
Frank’s Rec left its indelible mark in the Lorain city fastpitch competition, as well, winning city fastpitch softball championships in 1981, ’82, ’84, ’85, ’87 and ’88, the last year for city fastpitch league competition.
When the 1994 national All-American fastpitch softball team was announced, Biber had seven members of his Frank’s Rec team receiving first team recognition: Jim Robinson, Nandi Cruz, Michael Tully, Chris Matejcik, Duane Wales, Mike Gasaway and Steve Skolnicki.
Five players from Frank’s Rec made the 1993 All-America first team: Cruz, Skolnicki, Wales, Rich Strong and Peter Brodka.
His teams competed in Canada and throughout the United States in California, North Dakota, New Mexico, Texas and Utah.
