By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

The 1972 Ironton Class AA state championship celebrate its 50th anniversary last summer. And as the new baseball season approaches, the team is celebrating the current Ironton baseball team.

Sponsors donated money for last year’s reunion and the players from that team made a promise that if there was any money left, it would be given as a one-time scholarship to a deserving student/athlete for their college education.

Former Ironton and current Mount Vernon Nazarene University pitcher Jake Sloan was selected as the recipient and awarded more than $1,000 toward his education.

“There isn’t a more deserving person than Jake Sloan,” said Travis Wylie who coached Sloan at Ironton. “He wasn’t just a good player, he was a quality person off the field and in the classroom. He was a leader who showed other players and students the right way to do things.”

Sloan is a pre-med student at Mount Nazarene.

Sponsors for the Ironton 50-year Reunion were:

Hurley Insurance, Allyn’s Jewelers, Preferred Fitness, Chris and Patti Gleichauf, T.J. Parnell, Rick Boykin, Bob Bayert, Frances Roberts Barlow, Dr. Burton and Leona Payne, Steve and Ann Harvey, Joe Geletka, Jim and Julie Payne, Jim Tordiff, Hal and Terri Spears, Gary Belcher, Patty Wade, Ray Restaurant, McCauley Furniture and Central Hardware and Furniture.

“It’s unique that a lot of the sponsors were sponsors for Ironton back when we won’t state or they were fans who followed the team. Ironton has always supported the youth of the community,” said Jim Tordiff who was the starting second baseman for the 1972 championship team.