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Theodore H. Reich, Chairman of the Little League Baseball International Board of Directors, presents a commemorative plaque to John W. "Jack" Lundy. |
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – After more than six decades of hands-on involvement with Little League Baseball, John W. "Jack" Lundy is retiring from the Little League Baseball International Board of Directors, it was announced today (Dec. 20, 2000) by Stephen D. Keener, President and Chief Executive Officer of Little League Baseball, Incorporated.
Mr. Lundy is the only living person who has remained involved with Little League since its founding in 1939 here. As owner (until 1974) of Lundy Lumber (now Lundy Construction), Mr. Lundy was one of the first three sponsors of Little League teams in 1939.
"I know I am speaking for the entire board when I say that Jack Lundy will be missed," Theodore H. Reich, Chairman of the Little League Baseball International Board of Directors, said. "We have always depended on his advice and counsel."
Mr. Lundy’s retirement became official at the board’s annual meeting on Nov. 10 where he was presented with a plaque commemorating his service.
"Quite simply, there is nobody like John Lundy in the world," Mr. Keener said. "He is the only one who has been with Little League since the very beginning. He has always been there for the children of Little League, and we all owe him a debt we can never hope to repay. Little League has benefited immeasurably from its relationship with the Lundy family."
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John W.
"Jack" Lundy, |
One of the major facilities at Little League Baseball International Headquarters in Williamsport, the John W. Lundy Little League Conference Center, is named for Mr. Lundy, who began his tenure as a volunteer member of the Little League Baseball International Board of Directors in 1981. Since 1939 however, Lundy Lumber has been a sponsor of Little League teams in the Williamsport area every year. As such, Lundy Lumber is the oldest Little League sponsor in the world.
"It’s been an honor for me to be a part of the Little League International Board," Mr. Lundy said. "But that doesn’t mean the end of it. Even though I am retiring from the board, I will always support Little League."
John Lundy’s relationship with Little League began in the spring of 1939 when Little League’s late founder, Carl E. Stotz, scoured the Williamsport area for team sponsors. But the Depression-era economy made it difficult for most businesses to commit to funding the fledgling organization.
After securing the first two sponsors (Lycoming Dairy and Jumbo Pretzel), Mr. Stotz asked his employer – John Lundy – for help.
"He didn’t want to ask his employer – which was me," Mr. Lundy said. "Finally he ran out of steam, and economically he needed three sponsors. So he asked us and we went along with him. He needed money because he promised the kids that he would buy them uniforms like the big league players.
"I saw the first game ever played, when Lundy beat Lycoming Dairy. It wasn’t a very big crowd because most people there were just families of the players. But it got very popular after that."
Little League Baseball is the world’s largest organized youth sports program, with nearly 2.9 million children and more than 1 million volunteers in every U.S. state. Little League is also played on six continents and more than 100 countries.
For more information contact:
Lance Van Auken, Director of Media Relations and Communications
Little League Baseball International Headquarters
(570) 326-1921
Media E-mail: media@littleleague.org;
WEB Site: http://www.littleleague.org
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