Dale 'Lumber' Lindmeier
2025 Hall of Fame Inductee
Springfield, MN
Springfield, MN
Dale's love for baseball began in Springfield at the age of six while playing catch in the backyard with his brother, Wayne. He played his first organized baseball in 5th grade for Springfield Little League and later played Jr. Bi-County, Bi-County, high school, and legion baseball. He played all positions except catcher but was primarily known as a tough right-handed pitcher who also hit .324 for his high school career.
After graduating high school in 1974, Dale went on to play amateur baseball for the Springfield Tigers for nine seasons from 1974-1982. In 1994, he became the assistant coach for the Tigers and took over as manager the following year. He managed the Tigers for six seasons with his daughters splitting time as bat girls. During this time, he led the Tigers to four consecutive state tournament appearances, including a third-place finish in 1998. Later, he coached his youngest daughter's summer softball teams for five years.
Dale was a member of the Springfield Baseball Association for 29 years where he put in countless hours on various ballpark projects. He served as president for more than a dozen of those years where he was instrumental in the Renew Riverside Park Project. This endeavor helped land the 2020 state amateur tournament for the first time in 52 years. The project included a new scoreboard, refurbished dugouts, press box, bullpens, fencing and fresh paint on the grandstand. It also included new netting and a new concession stand built as part of a beautiful plaza above the first base dugout. He oversaw the concession stand for years and thoroughly enjoyed the banter with other baseball fans while always extending a friendly handshake and a kind word.
Dale was a member of the Springfield Public School Board for eight years. He won the Spirit of Springfield Award for community involvement and promotion of the city in 2020. He has been a radio broadcaster of high school sports for over 28 years and been the exclusive voice of Springfield sports for the last 15. He is a life-long member of St. Raphael Catholic Church in Springfield where he has been an usher for over 40 years while serving on various church boards.
Dale’s wife, Barb, has been his biggest supporter through the years along with his three daughters, Lindsey, Amber, and Courtney. They have always been there to cheer him on and will now help Dale pass on his love of baseball to six beautiful grandchildren.
After graduating high school in 1974, Dale went on to play amateur baseball for the Springfield Tigers for nine seasons from 1974-1982. In 1994, he became the assistant coach for the Tigers and took over as manager the following year. He managed the Tigers for six seasons with his daughters splitting time as bat girls. During this time, he led the Tigers to four consecutive state tournament appearances, including a third-place finish in 1998. Later, he coached his youngest daughter's summer softball teams for five years.
Dale was a member of the Springfield Baseball Association for 29 years where he put in countless hours on various ballpark projects. He served as president for more than a dozen of those years where he was instrumental in the Renew Riverside Park Project. This endeavor helped land the 2020 state amateur tournament for the first time in 52 years. The project included a new scoreboard, refurbished dugouts, press box, bullpens, fencing and fresh paint on the grandstand. It also included new netting and a new concession stand built as part of a beautiful plaza above the first base dugout. He oversaw the concession stand for years and thoroughly enjoyed the banter with other baseball fans while always extending a friendly handshake and a kind word.
Dale was a member of the Springfield Public School Board for eight years. He won the Spirit of Springfield Award for community involvement and promotion of the city in 2020. He has been a radio broadcaster of high school sports for over 28 years and been the exclusive voice of Springfield sports for the last 15. He is a life-long member of St. Raphael Catholic Church in Springfield where he has been an usher for over 40 years while serving on various church boards.
Dale’s wife, Barb, has been his biggest supporter through the years along with his three daughters, Lindsey, Amber, and Courtney. They have always been there to cheer him on and will now help Dale pass on his love of baseball to six beautiful grandchildren.