Bleser Park Baseball Field Renamed for Mike Mannino

After 35 years of volunteering as a coach, Major/Minor League Director, board member, umpire and Past-President of the Avon Lake Youth Baseball Federation, Mike Mannino was honored in a big way.

Between this year's Major/Minor All-Star Weekend games on June 23, member of the ALYBF, including players, board members and Mannino’s family and friend gathered to honor Mannino's for his contribution and to rename Bleser Park's baseball field “Mike Mannino Field.” 

Former broadcaster, Board of Education member and ALYBF trustee emceed the event which concluded with Mannino throwing out a first pitch after the field was renamed. Mannino said he will continue to volunteer with the program, hopefully for many more years.

Jantz said when preparing for the ceremony he thought about what the back of Mannino’s baseball card would say.

“It would say, ‘Michael J. Mannino, 5’9”, 155 pounds at his fighting weight, he bats right, he throws right,’” Jantz said of the Brooklyn-born Mannino. “In Brooklyn, when you go home with Mike, not one calls him Mike—they call him Mickey.”

Jantz said that years ago Mannino made one of his dreams come true, coaching a youth baseball team and having an impact on his son, other players and families he has come into contact with.

“Mike gave me the opportunity to make memories,” Jantz said. “I’ve been blessed by Mike Mannino.”

Former Recreation Director Jim Votruba provided a humorous take on the complaints he received regarding Mannino’s hard work and that Mannino taking the extra step to hold practices for his team gave him an unfair advantage.

Jon Leonard, president of the ALYBF, said Mannino’s legacy was that “every youth that he ever encountered was somehow better than when he met them,” Leonard said. “Mike has had a positive impact on every child he’s ever met.”

Also speaking were Mannino’s daughter, Allison Doyle and Mayor Greg Zilka, who read a proclamation that read in part that baseball, being .

Worked diligently to manage and help shape the ALYBF it into a very successful youth sports program for our community.

Mannino was also honored by the ALYBF Board of Directors with the Iron Horse Award for Lifetime Achievement, named after Lou Gehrig, who did not miss a day of work in 14 years. Leonard also read a proclamation that the field would be forever known as Mike Mannino Field, followed by a ceremonial first pitch by Mannino on the newly named field.

Plenty of Mannino’s family was on hand to help him celebrate including his 92-year-old father Frank,  his two step-daughters, Rebecca and Allison, and the seven now-men he fostered who call him “dad.”

Mannino also spent 20 years on the Avon Lake Board of Education and has spent 36 years at Lubrizol, including his current position as the Director of Human Resources.