The Midcoast Sports Hall of Fame will hold its third annual induction ceremony and banquet on Saturday night, Oct. 17 at the Rockland Elks Lodge. The inductees include the late Roger Sorrent, Art Dyer, Don Palmer, Rick Mazurek, Roy Bennett, Beryl Leach, Charlie Crockett and the late Don Bowman.
Tickets are $25 and are available by calling 485-6907 or emailing midcoastsportshalloffame@hotmail.com.
Don Bowman grew up in Jefferson and was invited by Brooklyn Dodger recruiter Clyde Sukeforth of Waldoboro to attend a professional tryout camp in Brewer. In 1947, Bowman played for the Portland Pilots, an unaffiliated Class B minor league team in the old Northeast League. A powerful left hand hitter, Bowman played against Don Newcombe, collecting two hits off Newcombe, including a double.
In 1949 Bowman player briefly for the Augusta Millionaires, a semi-pro club with a Red Sox affiliation. Later signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers, Bowman was assigned to the Dodgers minor league team in Upstate New York in the US-Canada League, where he played for two seasons.
After leaving New York, Bowman played four years for the Dodgers’ in Lamesa, Texas. In the mid ’50s Bowman returned to Jefferson for good and played in the Knox-Lincoln Twilight League suiting up for Waldoboro, Warren, Thomaston and Damariscotta over the years. He helped lead Waldoboro to the league titles in 1956 and 1957.
Art Dyer coached basketball for 32 years, which included a 10-year career at Medomak Valley where he led the Panthers to 10 straight tournament appearances. His teams advanced to six Western B finals, winning four and captured State Titles in 1977 and 1980.
Dyer took over the Westbrook program, winning the 1984 Class A State Championship. Dyer who also served as an assistant coach at Division 1 Fairfield. He finished his varsity career with a 336-109 record.
