Honoring the legends behind Lennox Legion Baseball: American Legion Post 174 to induct first baseball Hall of Fame Class

The Lennox Brethorst-Burma American Legion Post 174 will be celebrating the men who built and sustained the summer Legion Baseball program at a Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on June 27. These first time inductees will be celebrated for their decades of sacrifice and commitment to youth in the area.

Mike Poppens, Earl Van Ningen, Larry Bendt, Arlin Rops, John Kirchner and the 1953 Team are all being inducted later this month. 

For one coach, supporter, and fan, now seems like the perfect time to honor those who have walked before him. 

“I have been coaching and supporting the team in one way shape or form since 1990. When I think back on all the memories I had playing and coaching, these men are the first ones that came to mind, and to honor them now only seems fitting as their sacrifices never went unnoticed,” said Johnny Mike Kirchner.

Thinking back to when his own father coached, Johnny Mike learned the value of pulling a team together from his father, John, as the team was almost abandoned. 

“In the late 80’s the program was on the brink of going away, but my father, who was a long-time commander of the American Legion and the Athletic Officer fought as hard as he could to keep it going because he knew of the potential Legion Baseball had,” he said.

Kirchner feels Lennox American Legion Baseball has a storied past that reflected well on the town. 

“People like these five men are the steady hands that made the teams survive. For years they didn’t have a dog in the fight or even a kid in the program, but they showed up and kept pushing teams through. Long time Commander Earl Van Ningen who was also the State Commander for a one year term voted on by all the members through the state of South Dakota was so passionate about baseball he was appointed to the American Legion Athletic Commission which oversees the baseball and was the chairman of that when Lennox won the Championship trophy in 1993,” Kirchner said.

Van Ningen, who passed away in February of 1998, was described as a dedicated leader, state officer, and lifelong advocate of the Lennox American Legion Post 174 and its youth baseball programs. Active within the organization for decades, he served as State Legion Membership Chairman during the 1970s before seeking the position of State Legion Commander in 1981. His passion for youth athletics and Legion Baseball helped shape the program for generations of players. Following his passing, the Lennox community established a $1,000 Grand Slam memorial donation in his honor to directly support the growth of youth baseball and softball facilities in town.

“A lot of small towns struggle today to field a team year in and year out, but Lennox doesn’t have that problem because of these people. They made sure this program kept going because, much like anything else, once you lose it, it’s really hard to get it back,” Kirchner continued.

Having won state titles in 1953, 1993 and 2019, Lennox Legion Baseball has enjoyed success across multiple generations, and Kirchner sees many parallels between those championship teams despite the decades separating them.

“Players like Marvin ‘Mike’ Poppens are legends to this day when it comes to Legion ball. He was the player of the year for the state of South Dakota in 1953 leading his team to the championship. A true lover of the game, Poppens went on to pitch for two years with a minor league baseball team in Florida from 1955 to 1957 before an injury shortened his career,” Kirchner said. 

Poppens, who passed away in October of 2014, was an avid sports fan from an early age and excelled in both baseball and basketball while attending Lennox High School. In addition to earning the State American Legion Junior Player of the Year award as a pitcher in 1953, he was a standout basketball player, competing all four years of high school and averaging more than 25 points per game. His athletic accomplishments and love of competition left a lasting legacy in the Lennox community.

Good players were led by good coaches, and coach Larry Bendt was no exception. 

“Coaches like Larry Bendt made a lifelong impact on every player that ever walked out on the field. He coached the teams when the only options were to play the big teams from Sioux Falls or Yankton. Through his successful coaching and encouragement, Bendt got them to a state tournament in the 80’s and for a town of our size, that was just completely unheard of,” Kirchner said.

Bendt spent countless summers mentoring young athletes and helping establish a competitive baseball tradition in Lennox. His commitment to player development and team success left a lasting impression on generations of Legion Baseball players.

Another member of the inaugural Hall of Fame class, Johnny Mike’s father, John Kirchner, also spent countless summers mentoring youth athletes. John’s dedication helped ensure Legion Baseball remained a fixture in Lennox for generations. His influence extended far beyond wins and losses as he guided generations of players while advocating for the program’s continued success. His commitment during some of the program’s most challenging years helped ensure Lennox Legion Baseball remained a viable opportunity for area youth.

Dedicating his talents on and off the field, long time contributor Arlin Rops spent over 40 years on the Lennox Baseball fields. Rops, who passed away in October of 2021, dedicated more than four decades of service to the Legion Baseball program. During the 1980s he served as the Post Athletic Officer, helping guide and support the organization through years of growth. Known for his attention to detail and willingness to do whatever was needed, Rops became one of the program’s most trusted volunteers.

“Arlin’s meticulous nature was evident when he presented the baseball finance report during Legion meetings. He could account for every penny spent and earned during the summer season. Arlin also embraced the job of Head Groundskeeper for three State B Legion Baseball Tournaments held in Lennox in 1997, 2010, and 2019. For five days he was at the ballpark, four games a day, reworking the field in between each game, which was a 30-40 minute process. He was there rain or shine, even the year we lost a whole day to the rain. Arlin found every sump pump he could find in Lincoln County and had them out on the baseball field sucking the water off,” Kirchner recalled.

His dedication extended far beyond finances. When the State Legion required each tournament site to designate a head groundskeeper beginning in 1997, Rops was the obvious choice. He served as Head Groundskeeper for the State B Legion Baseball Tournaments hosted in Lennox in 1997, 2010 and 2019, helping ensure the fields were in top condition for players and fans alike.

The 1953 Lennox Legion Baseball team remains one of the most celebrated squads in community history, standing out for the odds it overcame in assembling a championship roster. In addition to capturing the State B Legion Championship, the team accomplished an even rarer feat by defeating Class A champion Aberdeen to claim the overall South Dakota Legion Baseball State Championship. Led by standout pitcher Marvin “Mike” Poppens, the team overcame long odds during an era when roster rules required clubs to be comprised of players from a single class and age grouping. Their championship run established a standard of excellence that continued to inspire Lennox Legion Baseball teams for decades to come.

“Poppens and his team drift back to everyone’s mind when they think of old school legion baseball because at the time the rules stated that teams needed to be a one year and one class team, so the odds of putting together the winning team were just incredible,” Kirchner said.

Keeping the team alive has had its struggles, but each year, the team thinks back to 1953 when the championships were won. 

“Legion baseball without a doubt still has the same heart and soul it had in 1953 that it does today because of the people who are being inducted. They are the people who encouraged all of the youth, who not only made a good product, but they made great players,” he said.

In 2019 Lennox hosted the state tournament, winning in their home park since for the first time since 1993 was a moment Kirchner will always remember. 

“It was a Tuesday afternoon and there were probably 500 people in Lennox, it was a sight not a lot of us are ever going to forget, but when I think back to it now, I think of the kids running around cheering, and it has dawned on me that those are the kids that will now be playing Legion ball this year,” Kirchner said. 

Thankful for the community standing behind them, the Legion Baseball program is now stronger than ever. 

“The community standing behind us is what makes legion ball work as long as it has. They always show up. They show up to watch the kids, they help raise money, they all always do what they can to help, this is how it’s supposed to be, this is how you believe in the good of the world again. This team takes more than just the community of Lennox, it takes community members from Chancellor, Worthing, and Tea to come together and play like one team because without all of us coming together, some kids may not get to play, and no one wants that,” he said.

For those closest to the Lennox American Legion Baseball program, the heart of the story is local. It lives in the crowds that fill the park, the volunteers who raise money, the parents who wash uniforms late at night, and the community members who make sure every generation gets its chance to play. 

“At the end of the day, the real MVP of Legion baseball is the community of Lennox for letting us be here and supporting us along the way,” he said. “The community standing behind us is what makes Legion ball work as long as it has.”

Together, the six inductees represent more than a century of combined service, leadership and excellence that helped build Lennox American Legion Baseball into one of the state’s most respected small-town programs.

The Lennox American Legion Post #174 will be honoring the first class of Legion Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees on Saturday, June 27 between games of a Legion doubleheader against Irene and Garretson. If inclement weather, the ceremony will take place at the Legion Hall. Legion members, their families, and the general public are all invited to attend. 

“We are looking forward to seeing anyone that can make it to the induction because I know the families sacrificed a lot for the teams they served. These men have been truly humbled that they are going to be honored in this way and I want everyone to be able to look back and think about all the times they played ball and who was there to help them through it,” Kirchner said.

Still reflecting on the proper way to represent the first inductees, Kirchner is planning plaques to be hung in the American Legion. 

“We want something meaningful in writing on the wall of the American Legion so 40 years from now when people walk in, they say, ‘Wow, I remember that guy,’” he said. “The most rewarding part has been letting these inductees know they haven’t been forgotten.”