Nilan Bohmbach
• He played for 12 years, most of them at catcher, for teams in and around Red Wing. He played most of his career after World War II and retired in the 1950s.
• Bohmbach was known for his strength. Donnie Swanson, who was a battery mate of Bohmbach’s, recalled how Bohmbach broke some of his mom’s ribs when he hugged her upon his return from World War II. That power translated to the ball diamond: Swanson said Bohmbach hit the longest home run he ever saw and that Bohmbach threw the ball back to the mound harder than he threw it to the plate.
• He was a member of the Red Wing Amateur Baseball Association board and an original member of the Red Wing grounds crew. He remained active on the grounds crew until his death in 1994.
• Bohmbach also helped orchestrate the development and the design of the grandstand at the Red Wing Athletic Field.
• “Nilan was just a wonderful person — family man, everything,” said Swanson, adding, “To me he was kind of a teddy bear, but a big teddy bear.
“People respected him back there behind the plate.”
Don Hovde
• A three-year starter on the Red Wing High School baseball team, Hovde was an All-Big 9 selection as a junior and senior.
• Hovde coached Red Wing VFW, American Legion and B squad baseball. He also conducted youth clinics in Red Wing.
• Hovde helped to reorganize the Red Wing Aces amateur baseball team in 1971 and played with the team from 1972 to 1984. He was known for his prowess on the base paths and often led the Aces in stolen bases.
• He played errorless ball at shortstop on the 1974 state championship team. Hovde batted .429 at the 1977 state tournament and earned all-tournament honors.
• “I look back proudly that the current day Red Wing Aces startup that we put together in ‘71 has resulted in this beautiful new ballpark there in Red Wing. You have the youth programs going on,” Hovde said. “Now I don’t take credit for any of that (but) it did kind of begin with that Aces startup. And the folks that have been involved with amateur baseball in Red Wing have taken it to a very high level.”
Denny Ottem
• While he never played baseball at a high level, his passion for the game dates back to his childhood when he would listen to the Milwaukee Braves on the radio. He shared his love for the game with the community in a variety of administrative roles.
• Along with Hovde, Ottem helped reorganize the Red Wing Aces in 1971. He also was integral in the rebirth of the Red Wing Scarlets in 1983.
• He served on the Red Wing Amateur Baseball Association board from the early 1970s until the early 1990s. During that time he was key in helping Red Wing host the 1985 state tournament, raising funds and upgrading the field — including construction of the grandstand.
• Ottem served as president of the Cannon Valley League and, when reorganized, the Classic Cannon Valley League from the early 1980s until 2006.
• What was his proudest accomplishment? “The enjoyment that it brought to a lot of people,” Ottem said. “We had some good attendance and a lot of fans. It was just a lot of fun.”
Jay Tauer
• The second baseman played 22 seasons of amateur baseball for the Red Wing Aces and Scarlets. He is the Aces/Scarlets career leader in stolen bases with 261. Tauer ranks second in runs (815) and triples (16). His 1,019 career hits and 133 career doubles both rank third.
• Tauer also owns a pair of Red Wing amateur baseball season records: He collected 88 hits in 1997 and scored 82 runs in both 1990 and 1993.
• Batting leadoff, Tauer helped the Aces win state titles in 1990 and 1993. He was named to the all-tournament team both years. In the 1993 championship game, Tauer scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Miesville
• Tauer was an all-conference and all-state selection in high school.
• “He was the best second baseman that I have ever seen play amateur baseball,” said Dan Plein, Tauer’s longtime coach and manager. “However, his baseball ability was only part of what makes Jay one of the best to ever wear an Aces’ uniform.
“No one ever played the game with more heart than he did.”
If you want to go ...
The Red Wing Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Saturday at the American Legion Club, 218 W. Fourth St. The social hour is scheduled for 5 p.m. It will be followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the ceremony at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 and are available at the door or by contacting Mike Barry at (651) 301-0388.
ACES UPDATE 
