LeRoy Kuhl
2022 Hall of Fame Inductee
Hutchinson, MN
Hutchinson, MN
Lee’s love and passion for the game of baseball began as a young boy playing with his four brothers in Reading, Minnesota. His first organized baseball started with the YMCA programs in Worthington at age nine in 1966.
Lee played VFW baseball for Worthington, leading his team to a second-place finish in the 1972 State Tournament. He played shortstop at Worthington High School from 1972-1975, being named all-conference his junior and senior years. During his senior year, he helped lead the team to conference and district championships. At the end of that year, he was selected to play in the first-ever Lion’s All-Star game at Metropolitan Stadium. He also played legion baseball for three years and was a four-year starting infielder at South Dakota State University, where he had a career batting average of .299.
Lee played his first amateur ball for Worthington from 1975-1979, with two state tournament appearances, hitting over .300 each season, with one year’s batting average being a phenomenal .476.
After moving to Hutchinson in 1980, Lee played with Brownton from 1981-1985. Known as a prolific, run-producing hitter, he caught for the first time as a draftee for Arlington’s two state title teams in 1984 and 1985. When Hutchinson formed a team in 1985, Lee joined them the next year and played there until his career ended in 1995. Over Lee’s 20-year amateur playing career, he was a feared and respected middle-of-the order left-handed hitter.
Since retiring as a player, he has coached various ninth grade, VFW and legion teams, as well as the Hutchinson amateur team.
In the early 1990s, Lee was elected president of a new organization that was instrumental in bringing together different groups of people to expand the number of baseball fields in Hutchinson to allow more kids to play and improve their game.
In addition to his playing and coaching, Lee has also been a member of the Hutchinson Baseball Association and currently serves as treasurer. He can still be found spraying weeds at the ballpark, painting sheds, changing game time signs, working in the concession stand, fundraising or whatever needs to be done to benefit Hutchinson’s baseball programs.
Lee’s wife, Linda, has been a huge support to him throughout his time in baseball. Together they raised four children, Brian (Jesca), Nikki (Josh), Rodney (Amy), and Kevin (Trish), and have six grandchildren.
One of Lee’s favorite sayings is, “If you give kid a baseball, he will make great friends and great memories!
Lee played VFW baseball for Worthington, leading his team to a second-place finish in the 1972 State Tournament. He played shortstop at Worthington High School from 1972-1975, being named all-conference his junior and senior years. During his senior year, he helped lead the team to conference and district championships. At the end of that year, he was selected to play in the first-ever Lion’s All-Star game at Metropolitan Stadium. He also played legion baseball for three years and was a four-year starting infielder at South Dakota State University, where he had a career batting average of .299.
Lee played his first amateur ball for Worthington from 1975-1979, with two state tournament appearances, hitting over .300 each season, with one year’s batting average being a phenomenal .476.
After moving to Hutchinson in 1980, Lee played with Brownton from 1981-1985. Known as a prolific, run-producing hitter, he caught for the first time as a draftee for Arlington’s two state title teams in 1984 and 1985. When Hutchinson formed a team in 1985, Lee joined them the next year and played there until his career ended in 1995. Over Lee’s 20-year amateur playing career, he was a feared and respected middle-of-the order left-handed hitter.
Since retiring as a player, he has coached various ninth grade, VFW and legion teams, as well as the Hutchinson amateur team.
In the early 1990s, Lee was elected president of a new organization that was instrumental in bringing together different groups of people to expand the number of baseball fields in Hutchinson to allow more kids to play and improve their game.
In addition to his playing and coaching, Lee has also been a member of the Hutchinson Baseball Association and currently serves as treasurer. He can still be found spraying weeds at the ballpark, painting sheds, changing game time signs, working in the concession stand, fundraising or whatever needs to be done to benefit Hutchinson’s baseball programs.
Lee’s wife, Linda, has been a huge support to him throughout his time in baseball. Together they raised four children, Brian (Jesca), Nikki (Josh), Rodney (Amy), and Kevin (Trish), and have six grandchildren.
One of Lee’s favorite sayings is, “If you give kid a baseball, he will make great friends and great memories!