Benefit set for Ulrich as he battles cancer

Ulrich was sparkplug

of 1978 baseball team

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- Blast from the past -- August, 1978.

"Smiley" Wiltscheck played polka music on his accordion and New Ulm baseball fans danced in the parking lot of a baseball park in Rapid City, S.D. as the New Ulm Legion team competed in the Great Plains Regional Tournament.

The big budget, hometown Rapid City team was favored to win the regional. It traveled far and wide to play many games.

No matter. This was one of the defining moments of New Ulm baseball history. The team was on fire in all aspects of its game. It banged out 70 hits in five regional games.

The Rapid City media called New Ulm hitters Jeff Schugel, Doug Palmer, Terry and Tom Steinbach "The Minnesota Lumber Company" and even "Murder's Row" as they combined for an .850 batting average.

The team was loaded. The lineup included several players that played professionally--Bob Skillings, Doug Palmer, Terry Steinbach, Tom Steinbach, Randy Ulrich, Scott Fischer, Jeff Keckeisen and Randall Stuckey.

Palmer pitched a no-hit game as New Ulm blanked Rapid City, 7-0. The media buzz was that Tom Steinbach was the hardest-throwing American Legion pitcher ever seen. The entire New Ulm team was hitting the heck out of the ball.

"Yak, yak, yak, don't look back," chanted New Ulm players and fans as they clinched a spot in the American Legion World Series in Yakima, Wash.

New Ulm coach Jim Senske was carried off the field after New Ulm topped Rapid City, 11-6, in the regional title game.

Senske rode on the shoulders of several players including center fielder-turned shortstop Randy Ulrich. New Ulm's regular shortstop, Greg Weier, left the team to play college ball after the district legion tournament.

Senske and Wyczawski decided to move Ulrich, one of their team's most versatile players, to shortstop. They didn't regret it. Ulrich dove for balls and played as hard as he could, like he always did.

It was his sense of humor in tense situations that helped keep the team loose and ready to play.

Saturday, a benefit for Ulrich, who has a rare form of cancer, will be held 5-7 p.m. at the American Legion Clubrooms in New Ulm. The event will include autograph sessions with two of New Ulm's most prolific athletes -- former Minnesota Twins catcher Terry Steinbach and professional softball pitcher Stephanie Klaviter.

Former New Ulm mayor and baseball enthusiast Carl "Red" Wyczawski helped Senske manage the 1978 New Ulm American Legion team. The 1978 season is among his all-time favorites.

The 1978 Minnesota American Legion Tournament was a bit more dramatic. New Ulm edged Atwater and former Seattle Mariner Mike Kingery 3-2 in 10 innings. New Ulm topped Kent Hrbek's Bloomington team, 12-4.

Wyczawski remembers how he and Senske oversaw the fun-loving Ulrich and the 1978 team in Rapid City.

"We kept a close watch on Ulrich and the team, trying to keep them out of trouble. We still kid each other about it. We had a lot of fun," Wyczawski said.

New Ulm lost two heart-breaking games at the American Legion World Series. They led South Houston, Texas and Corvallis, Ore. which included major leaguer Harold Reynolds, before losing slim leads late in the both games.

Senske, who has been coaching baseball in New Ulm for nearly 40 years and is among the state's winningest and most-respected baseball coaches, plans to attend the benefit. He and Ulrich go way back.

"He was a kid that was around the baseball park since he was six or seven years old as a bat boy for the high school and legion teams," Senske said. "He matured nicely as a player and started as a junior and senior. He had good athletic skills and was quite versatile, defensively and offensively. He was a good bunter and a total team player."

Senske's favorite memory of Ulrich centered on one of his coaching trademarks.

"It was one of our classic games," Senske said. "He laid down a suicide squeeze bunt in the 12th inning of a game with St. Peter and got the job done. We got to the state high school tournament," Senske said. "He was our best bunter, a fun-loving guy, always loose and chatty. When the game started, he played very hard and did a very, very good job. He would run through a wall for me. As a coach, I respect that."

Senske said he enjoyed having Ulrich and other former players return to New Ulm each fall for team reunions.

Skillings, who played next to Ulrich in the outfield, said Ulrich would always have a joke or some way to add humor when the team was down. Senske's bunting lesson was a classic example.

"Coach Senske was teaching us to bunt. Three or four guys didn't do it right, and Jim got a little frustrated," Skillings said. "Randy got up to the plate and did it wrong. Jim grabbed the bat and explained just what he wanted. Randy did it wrong again, but Jim realized he was trying to be funny. Then he did it right."

Byron Higgin, sports editor at The Journal in the mid and late '70s, made the trip to Yakima to cover the team.

"I remember Randy took on the field before the game, in awe of the whole thing. He was excited," Higgin said. "He was always a leader, yelling encouragement to teammates. He was there because he loved the game. Everybody looked up to the Steinbachs because they could do so much, but Randy was the sparkplug of those teams. He plugged everybody in. He was fun to be around."

Higgin is now the publisher of the Burnett County Sentinel in Grantsburg, Wis.

After high school, Ulrich attended Mankato State University and worked at Lloyd's Lumber in Mankato while playing for the New Ulm Brewers amateur baseball team. He worked for an irrigation supply company in Phoenix, Ariz. for five years before returning to New Ulm.

"I missed the four seasons," Ulrich said. "It's 115 degrees in August and September in the (Arizona) desert."

He was a pit boss and blackjack dealer at Jackpot Junction Casino at Morton while living in New Ulm. He moved to Bloomington when he became a purchasing manager for a supply and engineering firm.

This April, Ulrich noticed unusual colors in his body waste. A scan at the University of Minnesota turned up a nickel-sized Klatskin tumor on a bile duct connected to his liver.

The tumor and much of his liver was removed. Ulrich underwent seven weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatments at the University of Minnesota Hospital.

He credited his sisters Lori and Linda for taking him to the hospital at odd hours of the night when he became ill.

Ulrich is taking antibiotics and gets regular checkups at the University Hospital. He is upbeat considering his health challenges.

"I'm trying to get my strength back," Ulrich said.

He is currently living at his sister's lake home near Osakis. He plans to attend Saturday's benefit.

Ulrich feels fortunate to have so much support from his friends in New Ulm, including his former baseball teammate Bob Skillings, who is promoting Saturday night's benefit to help Ulrich with his medical expenses.

"Bob called me several months ago and said there were many New Ulm people that wanted to help," Ulrich said. "He really went all out on this deal. It's great to have friends like I do in New Ulm while I'm going through something like this. New Ulm has been very good to me. I've had lots of visits, cards and letters."

Ulrich's cancer bout has changed his outlook on life.

"You realize that all the houses, boats and cars don't mean that much compared to good friends," Ulrich said.

Religion is also a big part of his life. He is currently reading the book "Talking To Heaven."

"Religion has become very important to me," Ulrich said. He also plans to become more involved with a Twin Cities cancer support group.

Ulrich benefit tickets are available at Skillings Technology, TCF Bank, Mowan's Bar, the New Ulm American Legion and Lafayette Municipal Liquors.