Turks in the VBL Hall of Fame

Jim Lineweaver (2016)

Namesake of the league championship trophy… He first worked in the league as Harrisonburg’s Business Manager in 1934 and was a member of the VBL Board of Directors from 1963-1990… Along with several decades in the front office of the Harrisonburg Turks, he held various administrative roles with the league, including Public Relations Director, Executive Vice President and Executive Secretary… Still active in the league when he passed away on January 3, 1990.

Bob Wease (2016)

Played seven seasons in the Valley League, with the Harrisonburg Turks (1960, 1968), New Market Rebels (1961-63, 1967) and Shenandoah Indians (1969)… Reached the championship series in 1963 and 1968… Won eight Rockingham County League titles as a player and one as a manager… Elected to the RCBL Hall of Fame in 2013.

David Eckstein (2016)

1996 member of the Harrisonburg Turks… Played 10 seasons in the majors with five teams (Anaheim Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres)… MVP of the 2006 World Series… Also won a championship with the Angels four years earlier… MLB All-Star in 2005 and 2006… First team All-American, two-time Academic All-American, and 1996 College World Series participant with the Florida Gators… Member of the University of Florida Hall of Fame.

CHARLES “TOOTIE” GEIL (2016)

Played nine seasons in the Valley League for three different teams… Played for the Linville Patriots (1946-49), New Market Rebels (1950) and Harrisonburg Turks (1951, 1954-56)… Won three championships as a player, with the Patriots in 1948 and the Turks in 1951 and 1955… Then served as the league’s Secretary/Treasurer from 1958-64 and 1971-2000, where he is credited with making numerous improvements to the league’s financial structure.

John Radosevich (2016)

Member of the Harrisonburg Turks in 1963 and 1964, winning a VBL championship in 1964…Threw a no-hitter in the playoffs on August 15, 1964 vs. Craigsville… Named league MVP in 1964 after compiling a 16-1 record… Played three seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ minor league system… Led West Virginia University to the NCAA tournament in 1964 and 1965… Still holds his school’s records for career strikeouts (339), singleseason strikeouts (123) and single game strikeouts (22)… Elected to the WVU Hall of Fame in 2010.

Earl Shirkey (2017)

Longtime scorekeeper for the Harrisonburg Turks… Elected to the Harrisonburg High School Hall of Fame after working at their basketball scorer’s table for 51 years… Also a longtime clock operator for the James Madison basketball teams… Has volunteered over 10,000 hours at Rockingham Memorial Hospital… Taught at Asbury Methodist Church for 31 years.

Bill Burkholder (2018)

Managed the Harrisonburg Turks for three seasons, winning two VBL championships… Managed the Staunton Braves in 1964… Played one year of professional baseball and served four years as President of the VBL.

Billy Sample (2018)

Played for the Harrisonburg Turks… Played nine years in the majors with the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves… Finished his major league career with a .272 career batting average and 46 home runs… Named to the Topps All-Rookie Team in 1979 and was fifth in the American League in steals in 1983… Has worked as both a broadcaster and sportswriter since his retirement.

Juan Pierre (2019)

Played for the Harrisonburg Turks in 1997… had 13-year major league career… won World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003… was 6th in National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2000… Led the National League in hits twice, triples once, and stolen bases three times… Received votes for the MVP award in 2003 and 2004… stole 614 bases in his career, 18th all-time.

Mo Vaughn (2019)

Played for the Harrisonburg Turks in 1987… had 12-year major league career, mostly with the Boston Red Sox… was an All-Star three times, in 1995, 1996, and 1998… won the American League MVP in 1995, and also received MVP votes in five other seasons… won Silver Slugger Award in 1995… 1996 May American League Player of the Month… Player of the Week five times… Led the American League in RBIs in 1995… 111th All-Time in career home runs with 328… .523 career slugging percentage is 57th all-time.

Curt Dudley (2021)

Probably the most recognizable voice in the entire league. All who have attended a Turks game or listened to a local radio station in almost the last 40 years would recognize his professional voice… a graduate of Bridgewater College in 1983, Dudley began working for the Harrisonburg Turks in the same year. He became the Public Address Announcer in 1987, making 2021 his 34th year as the Voice of the Turks… supervises teams of interns each summer… served as the League’s media and public relations director and statistician from 1993 to 2004, helping to usher the League into the computer age…was the sports information director at Bridgewater College from 1980 to 1988, developing the foundation for what became the first full-time SID position at his alma mater. He was also a part-time announcer for Gilmore and then Verstanding Broadcasting during that same time period…Is the director of Broadcast Services Emeritus (as of June 1, 2021), a role which entailed the traditional responsibilities of a sports information director as well as developing radio programming, assisting with commercial broadcasts and ultimately employing creative ways of using new media as it evolves into multimedia…Before his current role at JMU, he was an assistant sports information director at the university from 1988-2006. He served as the primary contact for baseball, men’s cross country and indoor track and field, wrestling, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis and volleyball.  He was the secondary contact for football and men’s basketball.  He is a member of the College Sports Information Directors of America, the Virginia Sports Information Directors and the Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Although retired full-time from JMU, will remain the All-Sports Voice of the Dukes for television and online video productions.

Steve Finley (2021)

Coming from Southern Illinois University, played for the Harrisonburg Turks in 1985… played for Team USA in the Amateur World Series in 1986… was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1987… made his major league debut on April 3, 1989… played in the major leagues for 19 years, for eight different organizations… finished his career with 2,548 hits, including 449 doubles, 124 triples, 304 home runs, and 320 stolen bases… is one of only two players in history with 300 home runs, 425 doubles, 100 triples, and 300 stolen bases, joining Willie Mays… was the winner of five Gold Gloves in the outfield, was an All-Star twice (in 1997 and 2000), and received MVP votes after the 1996 and 2004 seasons… won World Series title with Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001… is 78th in career total bases with 4,157.

Rufus Heatwole (2021)

Upon his retirement in the 1930’s, he was considered the best baseball player to have come from Harrisonburg… played the sport in the Shenandoah Valley for at least 26 years and over 750 games… helped spread the popularity of baseball throughout the Valley…played for Shenandoah College (then located in Dayton, Virginia) in 1919… played for Harrisonburg in the inaugural season of the Shenandoah Valley Baseball League in 1922… played one year of pro ball in 1924… won three titles with Harrisonburg in the Valley League, along with four titles in the Bi-County Series (one with Harrisonburg, two with Dayton, and one with Weyers Cave.

Erik Kratz (2021)

From Eastern Mennonite University, Kratz played for Waynesboro in 2000 and Harrisonburg in 2001…set an NCAA Division III record for career doubles… picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 29th round of the 2002 June Amateur Draft, becoming the first (and only) player from EMU to be drafted… made his major league debut on July 17, 2010, at age 30… went on to play in the majors for parts of 11 seasons, for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Yankees, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, and Tampa Bay Rays…appeared in 332 major league games, and hit 36 doubles, 31 home runs, and drove in 105 runs… received a World Series ring for his role with the Kansas City Royals in 2015… helped the Brewers advance to the National League Championship Series in 2018 by getting five hits in eight at-bats in the Divisional Series, with a double, run scored, and two RBIs… in an iconic moment in that postseason, a group of Kratz’s college friends attended one of the Brewers’ home games, each wearing a different major league uniform that Kratz had worn in his career. He was unaware of their plan, and his meeting with them was an emotional moment… in 2019, he was named to the United States national baseball team for the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Premier 12 tournament. He batted .381/..435/.714 with two home runs and three RBI, and was named the best catcher in the tournament… was well known as an excellent mentor for young pitchers…retired at age 40 after the 2020 season.

Jesse Moneymaker (2021)

Historical accounts call him the best pitcher in the first two decades of the Valley League… playing career spanned 15 years between the years of 1921 and 1938…pitched mostly for Harrisonburg and Shenandoah… helped Harrisonburg win two titles and Shenandoah one… a left-hander who befuddled hitters with what he called his “squirrel ball”… was a consistent winner almost to the age of 40… also played in pro ball for three years…managed a semi-pro team in 1948 and 1949.

Teresa Wease (2022)

While her husband Bob is the baseball guy, Teresa Wease is considered the heart and soul of the Harrisonburg Turk franchise… operations manager for 33 years, she runs almost everything that happens at a Turks game besides the game itself… she has prepared team meals, coordinated community relations, sold advertising, sold merchandise, prepared folders for the coaching staff, hosted players, prepared the game rosters, swept the bleachers, taken out the trash, and even been the mascot… and she has done all of this with a smiling face and selfless, caring attitude. We are a better league with Teresa in it. 

Ron Hodges (2024)

Ron Hodges, played for the Turks in 1970 from Appalachian State University, was drafted by the New York Mets in 1972, and made his MLB debut in 197. Hodges played his entire MLB career with the Mets. This was Hodges forth Hall of Fame that he has been inducted in. Ron passed away November 24, 2023.

Henry “Turtle” Thomas (2024)

Thomas was the Turks Head Coach in 1981. Thomas returned to the VBL from 1983 – 1985 as the Head Coach of the Staunton Braves. After the Valley League coaching days would end, Thomas became one of the top assistant coaches in college baseball. He was in charge of recruiting at Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami, Louisiana State, and Arizona State. Florida International University hired Thomas as their Head Coach in 2007. In 1999 Miami won the NCAA College Baseball World Series. In 2000 Thomas was hired as an assistant coach at LSU. The Tigers won the 2000 NCAA College Baseball World Series. During his college career Thomas recruited 19 classes ranked in the Top 10, including four teams that were ranked number one. He would also send players to the Valley League every year while he was a college coach. After college Thomas worked for The Texas Rangers as a minor league catcher coach and as a scout.

For more information on the VBL Hall of Fame and its inductees, please visit:

valleyleaguebaseball.com/hall-of-fame.