April 2, 2004

Lincoln Glen Little League honors Joe Walter
Volunteer for 33 years wins annual award

By Carol Rosen
Editor

Joe Walter is a baseball fan. But more than that, he’s been a volunteer to the Lincoln Glen Little League (LGLL) for more than 30 years. To commemorate his gifts to countless young baseball players through the years, on March 13 the Lincoln Glen Little League awarded him the Wes Houseweart Volunteer of the Year award and dedicated the league’s ‘A’ field as the Joe Walter Field.

The audience was filled with many of his former players. One of Walter’s former players who couldn’t be there because of spring training was Dave Righetti, who is a coach for the Giants. But Righetti’s mom was there reminding people that when her son was inducted into the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, it was Walter that Righetti thanked and talked about before anyone else.

Other former players including Walter’s sons Robert and Barry, his wife Edith, his daughters, grandsons and granddaughters were there as he accepted his award and threw out the first ball of the season. His two great-grandsons, Mason Vaccaro and Cole Meusel, were suited up and ready to play.

Walter, who celebrated his 89th birthday shortly after the dedication, is a founder of the league. He began volunteering in the early 1950s as a coach for a pony-colt team. When his oldest son Robert turned 8-years-old, there was no LGLL farm division. He saw a need for an individual 8- and 9-year old league so that the kids could develop against players their own age. That was the beginning of the Lincoln Glen Farm League.

When Robert aged up to a different league, Walter stayed behind. He enjoyed working with the 8- and 9-year olds. He wanted to teach them to love learning as well as sportsmanship, teamwork and fun. His primary goal wasn’t winning, but the life lessons that would carry them through school and into a career.

Walter, who has lived in Willow Glen since 1947, has served on the LGLL board as vice president of the Farm League for much of that time. He was also a team sponsor and coach for the team from Mayfair Packing, where he worked. He even brought his youngest son Barry into help him coach. A positive coach, he even taught parents something about patience and encouragement.

“I’m speechless,” he told The Times. “These were great years in my life, but it’s a more critical stage in bringing up young people. It’s not just about playing baseball, it’s about the game of life, and baseball teaches children what they need to know about life. Baseball builds character. I got to work with these kids at a critical age group for growing. At this age they can be very receptive. I believe it’s a coach’s job to help kids grow and become responsible citizens.”

The former Little League coach termed his 33-year coaching career as a wonderful time. But it was always the kids on the team that tickled him.

“Once I had a kid out in the outfield. He was chasing butterflies. I made a catcher out of him,” and that was quite an accomplishment, Walter said. “If anyone made a mistake, they usually knew it, I didn’t need to criticize him. I took him aside and advised him what he’d done and how to do it better. It always worked.”

Until recently, Walter played softball on the Vintage Outlaws senior team. He even ran the bases for men 20 years younger. He also recently returned from spring training. In addition, Joe and his wife are volunteers with the San Jose History Park and other community-based activities. But since summer is here, he’s more likely to be found watching baseball: major, minor or, most important, farm league!