Tom Niehaus
2025 Hall of Fame Inductee
Richmond, MN
Richmond, MN
Tom was born in Richmond in 1954 and developed a love for baseball playing countless pickup games in his neighborhood while growing up. He played two years of VFW baseball and three years of legion baseball in Cold Spring and Richmond. Tom played football and baseball at Cold Spring Rocori High School where he was an All-Conference pitcher.
He began his amateur baseball career for the Richmond Royals as an eighth grader in 1968 and participated in his first state amateur tournament as a draftee for Lake Henry two years later. In all, Tom played 15 seasons for Richmond as a right-handed pitcher and outfielder. He won over 100 games on the mound and was a reliable hitter for his career, participating in three state tournaments as a player. In 1991, he became a coach for the Royals and continued in that role for 23 seasons, helping to lead them to six more state tournament appearances including a second-place finish in 1998.
Tom served on the Richmond Baseball Board from 2008-2024 where he was instrumental in many projects including new fencing, concession stand, press box, grass infield, sprinkler system and scoreboard. He planted numerous trees around the park and assisted in field maintenance for years. Tom was also heavily involved in the construction of two Little League fields in Richmond. He was Richmond’s legion coach for five years and a Little League coach for another five in the 1980s. Tom oversaw the ordering of supplies for the youth softball, baseball and legion teams for many years and was active in organizing baseball day camps for kids. He and his wife have collected Richmond memorabilia for over 45 years and, in 2025, opened a museum called the Richmond Historical Collective.
Tom served on the City of Richmond Planning Commission from 2003-2013 and was Vice Chairman the final four of those years. He has been a volunteer for River Lake Days since 1990 and helped with the gun and meat raffle for the Royals from 2006-2013. He was a parent volunteer for Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School in the 1980s and 90s and a Cub/Boy Scout volunteer in the 1980s. He has been a life-long member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Richmond and is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters. He and his wife sponsored an international godchild for 30 years.
Tom has been married to his wife, Terry, since 1975 and have three children and seven grandchildren.
He began his amateur baseball career for the Richmond Royals as an eighth grader in 1968 and participated in his first state amateur tournament as a draftee for Lake Henry two years later. In all, Tom played 15 seasons for Richmond as a right-handed pitcher and outfielder. He won over 100 games on the mound and was a reliable hitter for his career, participating in three state tournaments as a player. In 1991, he became a coach for the Royals and continued in that role for 23 seasons, helping to lead them to six more state tournament appearances including a second-place finish in 1998.
Tom served on the Richmond Baseball Board from 2008-2024 where he was instrumental in many projects including new fencing, concession stand, press box, grass infield, sprinkler system and scoreboard. He planted numerous trees around the park and assisted in field maintenance for years. Tom was also heavily involved in the construction of two Little League fields in Richmond. He was Richmond’s legion coach for five years and a Little League coach for another five in the 1980s. Tom oversaw the ordering of supplies for the youth softball, baseball and legion teams for many years and was active in organizing baseball day camps for kids. He and his wife have collected Richmond memorabilia for over 45 years and, in 2025, opened a museum called the Richmond Historical Collective.
Tom served on the City of Richmond Planning Commission from 2003-2013 and was Vice Chairman the final four of those years. He has been a volunteer for River Lake Days since 1990 and helped with the gun and meat raffle for the Royals from 2006-2013. He was a parent volunteer for Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School in the 1980s and 90s and a Cub/Boy Scout volunteer in the 1980s. He has been a life-long member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Richmond and is a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters. He and his wife sponsored an international godchild for 30 years.
Tom has been married to his wife, Terry, since 1975 and have three children and seven grandchildren.