Blue Ribbons honor four greats into the Hall of Fame

GREEN BAY – Joannes Stadium filled with nostalgia and anticipation Wednesday evening as the Green Bay Blue Ribbons welcomed former players and fans for their annual Alumni Night and induction of four new members into the Green Bay Baseball Hall of Fame.

Almost immediately, the familiar scent of hot dogs, beer and freshly cut grass filled the air, punctuated by the crack of a bat during pregame batting practice. Alumni wandered the concourse, sharing stories about long-ago games under these very lights. As the sun started to dip behind the grandstand, President Ken Leo welcomed the crowd and introduced this year’s inductees: Paul Wilmet, Steve Wilmet, Brien “Whitey” Yost and Tony Freeman.

Paul Wilmet: From Joannes to the Major Leagues—and back

A De Pere High School product, Paul Wilmet first put on a Blue Ribbons cap in 1980 and earned the Wisconsin State League’s Pitcher of the Year award that summer. After stints in the Major League with the Mets, Cardinals, Pirates, Rangers and Cubs systems, he debuted for the Texas Rangers on July 25, 1989, and famously helped set the franchise’s single-game strikeout record when he notched the 18th K in the ninth inning of that record breaking game.

In his acceptance speech, Wilmet recalled the stadium’s “cigar smell, beer smell and cut grass smell” from his earliest days as a teenager in the press box. He thanked manager Denny Ruh for giving him his first shot in Green Bay and laughed about learning to “pitch on life’s terms” between summer jobs. Returning to Joannes in 1991 after his pro career, Wilmet reclaimed Pitcher of the Year honors—this time with the Green Bay Billy’s—in 1998, cementing his local legend.

Steve Wilmet: Starting a tradition that still stands

Born in 1947 and a standout at St. Norbert College, left-hander Steve Wilmet was twice drafted by the Oakland Athletics before the Dodgers selected him in the third round of the 1969 draft. He posted a 3.21 ERA in the Dodgers’ farm system before returning home for the Blue Ribbons’ inaugural 1970 season. As one of Joannes Stadium’s first arms, he anchored the pitching staff through the team’s rise to prominence.

In his remarks, Wilmet shared a memorable near-disaster when his two-year-old daughter fell between the grandstand seats, thankfully emerging only with a broken arm. He also reminisced about road trips fueled by his sponsor’s quarter-barrel keg “strapped to the bus wheel” and thanked his wife, Sharon, for enduring decades of spring training departures and long summer nights. He closed by applauding the resurrection of the Blue Ribbons franchise and those who keep Joannes Stadium alive.

Brien “Whitey” Yost: From biggest fan to greatest successes

Growing up in Ashwaubenon, Brien Yost devoured weekly Press Gazette box scores long before he ever pitched for the Blue Ribbons. After starring at UW-Stout, he joined Green Bay in 1977 and spent six seasons in royal blue, winning four league championships. His finest campaign came in 1980, when he posted a 2.30 ERA, tied for the league lead in wins and helped carry the Ribbons to the title.

Yost’s speech unfolded like a baseball novel. He described his jitters as a 19-year-old facing the veterans he’d idolized since age 12. One left-handed hitter simply instructed him to “throw strikes,” then tattooed lasers to both gaps and bombs over the fence—his “welcome to the Blue Ribbons” moment. Yost thanked his wife, Julie, for her loving support from 1973 onward and credited a surprise phone call from teammate Larry Brick for sealing his Hall of Fame fate as Brick told him “You’re going. You’re going to the hall.” He paid final tribute to Denny Ruh, calling the chance to play for him “an honor and privilege.”

Tony Freeman: Architect of the modern Ribbons

While the first three inductees dazzled on the mound, Tony Freeman reshaped baseball in Green Bay off the field. Elected team president in December 2018, he led the franchise’s relocation from De Pere back to Joannes Stadium in 2019 and played a pivotal role in bringing the Wisconsin State Tournament to town. During the 2020 pandemic, Freeman devised safety protocols that kept baseball alive at Joannes when most venues went dark.

Freeman’s son spoke on his behalf, recalling childhood summers at De Pere and Joannes and a house guest from Japan who played for the Dodgers. He described his father’s unwavering devotion to the Blue Ribbons and his relish for the east-side crowds. Though Freeman’s retirement to South Carolina was hard on the team, his leadership endures every time the stadium lights flicker on.

Following the stirring speeches and plaque unveilings, all former Blue Ribbons, Green Bay Dodgers, Billy’s and Sultans alumni took the field for recognition in the middle of the third inning. Then, under the historic lights of Joannes, the modern-day Ribbons took the field, charged by the legacy of those honored and ready to defend their homestand against the Sheboygan A’s. Alumni Night once again proved that in Green Bay, baseball is more than a game—it’s a timeless community tradition.