Mike and Mark Rademacher, Paul Davison inducted into Grand Ledge Baseball Hall of Fame

GRAND LEDGE, Mich. (WILX) - In some way, shape or form, Grand Ledge co-head baseball coach Mike Rademacher has been involved in the Comets program

45 years to be exact, he admits, clenching his teeth.

All the years later, Rademacher was recognized on Saturday between Grand Ledge’s doubleheader with Portland, has he joined his brother Mark and Paul Davison as the three newest inductees in the Grand Ledge Baseball Hall of Fame.

“It’s very much an honor to be to be selected. To be honored like this is beyond words,” Mike Rademacher said. “I have never been in it for the lime light. It’s always been a team. I’m not used to having everybody try to pat me on the back.”

Trio of Comet Hall of Famers hold decades of baseball experience. — Trio of Comet Hall of Famers hold decades of baseball experience.(WILX)

Mark Rademacher is a Grand Ledge guy through and through, but dedicated 36 years of his life to doing an admirable job leading the Pewamo-Westphalia baseball program.

Following that, he was instrumental in leading and teaching the Grand Ledge youth baseball programs around the area.

Mark and his brother have always been baseball junkies, so going into the Hall with him made Saturday even more special.

Trio of Comet Hall of Famers hold decades of baseball experience. — Trio of Comet Hall of Famers hold decades of baseball experience.(WILX)

“We’re a year apart so we did a lot of stuff together. We taught each other how to field ground balls on our yard, we threw baseballs against the old cinder block pump house,” Mark Rademacher said. “We threw fly balls off the barn roof and caught them as they’re coming down. So we share a lot of memories with baseball.”

Davison is largely viewed as one of the all-time players to ever put on a Comets hat, as he played outfield for the legendary coach Pat O’Keefe.

He also carved out an impressive coaching career, leading the Grand Ledge Traveling Pony League team to a Cold World Series appearance back in 2014.

Trio of Comet Hall of Famers hold decades of baseball experience. — Trio of Comet Hall of Famers hold decades of baseball experience.(WILX)

Davison knows what comes with coaching, both the good and the bad.

Saturday’s induction was a satisfying feeling of all the years of hard work and sacrifice.

“A lot of times with coaching, you don’t necessarily get a lot of compliments along the way and this is a very nice compliment,” Davison said. “I went in with a couple of guys that were very well deserving and for me to be in that class and to be inducted by Coach O’Keefe, it was a great moment in my life.”

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