West Bend, WI – The West Bend Baseball Association (WBBA) will host its 2026 Diamond of Honor Banquet on Saturday, November 14, at The Columbian in West Bend.
The evening celebrates the people who make baseball work in this community: the players, coaches, volunteers, umpires, and supporters who show up year after year. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a social hour, with dinner and the program starting at 6 p.m.
“We’re bringing back our traditional event after seven long years of fundraising and rebuilding Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field,” said WBBA President Willie Mueller. “We’re excited to sit down and celebrate all the people who help make this game great here in West Bend and across Southeast Wisconsin.”
Keynote Speakers Former Milwaukee Brewers legend Greg Vaughn and Milwaukee Panthers head coach Shaun Wegner will serve as this year’s keynote speakers.
2026 West Bend Baseball Wall of Fame Class ● Prudence Pick Hway – Community leader, philanthropic leader, and former WBBA executive member ● Erik Kraemer – Former West Bend East player and assistant coach; West Bend Company/7Up player and manager; played college baseball at UW-Parkside ● Cathy Lawton – Community leader and former WBBA executive member who founded the Diamond of Honor Banquet ● Ryan Rohlinger – Former West Bend East player; played college baseball at Clarendon College and the University of Oklahoma; played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants; current youth baseball coach in the West Bend Thunder organization ● Curt Schroeder – Former West Bend East player and assistant coach; Kewaskum A’s player; played college baseball at Madison Area Technical College and the University of Nebraska Omaha.Mike Staral – Community leader, philanthropic leader, and former WBBA executive member ● Jeff Szukalski – Community leader, philanthropic leader, and former WBBA executive member ● Darrell Washburn – Head baseball coach at Kettle Moraine Lutheran; player, manager, and founder of West Bend Company/7Up Baseball; former WBBA executive member Award Recipients ● Prudence Pick Hway Philanthropic Award: Johnny Arnold ● President’s Award / Friend of Baseball: Parker Sniatynski ● George “Doc” Kraemer Awards: Adam Brechtl and Nick Uhen ● Lifetime Community Achievement Award: Kyle Krueger ● Ron Held Umpires of the Year: Todd Jahns, Gary Kalkopf, Steve Reinhardt, and Kevin Vincent
Additional awards will be announced at the banquet.
Tickets and RSVP A plated meal is included with admission: ● $75 per person, ages 19 and older ● $150 per couple ● $600 for a reserved table of eight ● $35 per person, ages 12–18 ● $20 per person, ages 12 and under
