Dwight Walvante
2021 Hall of Fame Inductee
Ashby, MN
Ashby, MN
Dwight’s love for baseball began on the playgrounds in his hometown of Dalton, Minnesota. In
1969, he started playing pee wees and midgets in Ashby, seven miles down the road. He went
on to play shortstop at Ashby High School and later joined the Ashby A’s amateur team. Dwight
played in over 500 games in his 29 years with the A’s, primarily as a first baseman and their
cleanup hitter. He hit .325 for his career with over 90 home runs and could always be counted
on in the clutch. He played in many League All Star games and managed for four years. He
helped Ashby qualify for the State Amateur Tournament in 1987 and 1998.
After Dwight retired from baseball in 2004 at the age of 47, he turned his attention to Ashby
Ballpark. He prepared the field before each game and ran the concession stand for ten years.
He has mowed the infield and edged the base paths for many years. In 2015, he ran a skid steer
as part of a group of volunteers who helped lay a grass infield in the Ashby Ballpark, with
irrigation throughout. Dwight continues to maintain the infield and irrigation system. He has
been a youth baseball coach at the junior high and Babe Ruth levels and has had the pleasure of
coaching his twin nephews in recent years. Dwight currently volunteers as the head coach of
the Ashby Legion Team and is an assistant coach for Ashby High School.
Dwight was an EMT and fireman in Ashby for 13 years and has been a Minnesota firearms
instructor for the past 20 years. Dwight is on the Ashby Legacy Board Community Team working on various projects for senior citizens and youth. He helps enhance the Ashby Senior Citizen Center with building improvements while also maintaining the Ashby skating rink for area youth and helped build a new basketball court with a skid steer. Dwight was Grant County Sheriff for 22 years and has also helped the City of Ashby as a volunteer snowplow operator for 25 years.
Dwight has been supported throughout his amateur baseball career by his wife, Wendy, and his two children, Jennifer and Brandon along with five grandchildren.
1969, he started playing pee wees and midgets in Ashby, seven miles down the road. He went
on to play shortstop at Ashby High School and later joined the Ashby A’s amateur team. Dwight
played in over 500 games in his 29 years with the A’s, primarily as a first baseman and their
cleanup hitter. He hit .325 for his career with over 90 home runs and could always be counted
on in the clutch. He played in many League All Star games and managed for four years. He
helped Ashby qualify for the State Amateur Tournament in 1987 and 1998.
After Dwight retired from baseball in 2004 at the age of 47, he turned his attention to Ashby
Ballpark. He prepared the field before each game and ran the concession stand for ten years.
He has mowed the infield and edged the base paths for many years. In 2015, he ran a skid steer
as part of a group of volunteers who helped lay a grass infield in the Ashby Ballpark, with
irrigation throughout. Dwight continues to maintain the infield and irrigation system. He has
been a youth baseball coach at the junior high and Babe Ruth levels and has had the pleasure of
coaching his twin nephews in recent years. Dwight currently volunteers as the head coach of
the Ashby Legion Team and is an assistant coach for Ashby High School.
Dwight was an EMT and fireman in Ashby for 13 years and has been a Minnesota firearms
instructor for the past 20 years. Dwight is on the Ashby Legacy Board Community Team working on various projects for senior citizens and youth. He helps enhance the Ashby Senior Citizen Center with building improvements while also maintaining the Ashby skating rink for area youth and helped build a new basketball court with a skid steer. Dwight was Grant County Sheriff for 22 years and has also helped the City of Ashby as a volunteer snowplow operator for 25 years.
Dwight has been supported throughout his amateur baseball career by his wife, Wendy, and his two children, Jennifer and Brandon along with five grandchildren.