Molnar, Edward

Edward Molnar – (1983)

 

EDWARD MOLNAR

“Mr. Sandlot Baseball of Lorain” is the monicker affectionately bestowed
upon Ed Molnar by the baseball enthusiasts in the Lorain area. When the
record is reviewed there is little doubt that Ed deserves this title and
recognition.

A good baseball player in his own right, Ed organized the Chicks Dairy
nine in 1938 and began his 20 year battle to keep Class A Baseball alive in
Lorain. Under Ed’s tutelage for 13 years, the Chicks won over 50% of the
city Class A championships and traveled to the National Amateur Baseball
Federation tournaments.

When the Class A league seemed doomed to fold, Ed went into the rural
areas and secured entrants. He personally backed Ed’s Indians, whose
uniforms he garnered from the Cleveland Indians.

After winning with Lorain Glass during 1953 and 1954, Ed finally settled
with the National Tube team in 1955 and city championships followed.
Finally, after a repeat city title in 1957, Ed took his team to Flint, Michigan
for the NABF tournament. There, in the final days of summer, all of Lorain’s
and Ed’s dreams reached fruition as the team annexed the NABF title.

The following year Ed retired from Class A baseball and Class A baseball
retired from Lorain. Unable to withstand the call, he returned in 1963 and
managed the Youth Center Class D nine to the State Championship. City-
State-National titles, the last chapter seemed written. However, Ed con-
tinued his attention to the youth of Lorain as a scout for the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers.

During his 27 years of scouting he organized and worked at try-out camps
in many areas. His tireless efforts focused attention on Lorain area pros-
pects such as Dick Tomanek, Steve Bailey, Red Krupp, Don Mitroff, Del
Bastock, Bill Fazekas, Doug Swartz and others too numerous to mention.