Tom Koplitz
2017 Hall of Fame Inductee
Cambridge, MN
Cambridge, MN

As a kid, Tom began playing youth baseball in Ashland, Wisconsin. His family moved to Brainerd, Minnesota, and then to Bloomington, Minnesota where Tom still holds the record for striking out 19 hitters in a 7-inning, Bloomington Athletic Association game in 1966 when he was 14. He played high school baseball for Bloomington Lincoln from 1968-1970, and then was a four-year starter at Augsburg College from 1971-1974 helping the Auggies capture the MIAC Championship in 1973. That same year he broke up Dave Winfield’s perfect game with a single when Augsburg faced the Gophers. As a senior in 1974, he was named co-captain along with fellow Minnesota Amateur Baseball Hall of Famer, Bill Nelson.
During his college summers, Tom played amateur baseball for the Savage Pacers from 1971-1974. After graduating from Augsburg and a short stint in New York, Tom moved to Cambridge and played for the Cambridge Redbirds and then the Isanti Redbirds from 1976-1991 where he was a second basemen and pitcher. He played in three state amateur tournaments in 1982, 1985 and 1991. He was also their player/manager from 1981-1989. In 2007, Tom founded the Rum River Bandits to give more players an opportunity to play amateur baseball. In all, Tom has coached and managed at every level in Cambridge from tee ball to town ball.
After college, Tom served war traumatized and wounded Vietnam veterans while working at Veterans' Administration Hospital in New York from 1974-1976. When he returned to Minnesota, he established the Special Olympics program at Cambridge State Hospital and Cambridge-Isanti Public Schools in 1976. He was named Minnesota Special Olympics Coach of the Year in 1986 and coached Team Minnesota in the 1987 and 1991 International Special Olympics Games. In 1987, he was honored by Eunice Kennedy Shriver (founder of Special Olympics) at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Tom also directed Community Partnership for 28 years that was awarded national distinction on five occasions for its creative and effective work with young people and veterans. He also conducted a youth leadership training on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska in “the work trip of a lifetime.” His Rum River Bandits Gloves for Troops Drive collected used baseball gloves and sent them to troops in Afghanistan, one of which was a player for the Rum River Bandits.
Perhaps Tom's two greatest thrills in baseball were having his wife, Julie, at his side and being able to manage their three sons Mike, Tim and Eric on the Rum River Bandits.
During his college summers, Tom played amateur baseball for the Savage Pacers from 1971-1974. After graduating from Augsburg and a short stint in New York, Tom moved to Cambridge and played for the Cambridge Redbirds and then the Isanti Redbirds from 1976-1991 where he was a second basemen and pitcher. He played in three state amateur tournaments in 1982, 1985 and 1991. He was also their player/manager from 1981-1989. In 2007, Tom founded the Rum River Bandits to give more players an opportunity to play amateur baseball. In all, Tom has coached and managed at every level in Cambridge from tee ball to town ball.
After college, Tom served war traumatized and wounded Vietnam veterans while working at Veterans' Administration Hospital in New York from 1974-1976. When he returned to Minnesota, he established the Special Olympics program at Cambridge State Hospital and Cambridge-Isanti Public Schools in 1976. He was named Minnesota Special Olympics Coach of the Year in 1986 and coached Team Minnesota in the 1987 and 1991 International Special Olympics Games. In 1987, he was honored by Eunice Kennedy Shriver (founder of Special Olympics) at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Tom also directed Community Partnership for 28 years that was awarded national distinction on five occasions for its creative and effective work with young people and veterans. He also conducted a youth leadership training on Prince of Wales Island in Alaska in “the work trip of a lifetime.” His Rum River Bandits Gloves for Troops Drive collected used baseball gloves and sent them to troops in Afghanistan, one of which was a player for the Rum River Bandits.
Perhaps Tom's two greatest thrills in baseball were having his wife, Julie, at his side and being able to manage their three sons Mike, Tim and Eric on the Rum River Bandits.