Richard Knoblauch

A standout baseball player for Reading High School during the era in which the Red Knights won 49 consecutive games in the East Penn League from 1949 to 1951. He served as MVP and captain of the baseball team in 1951 and led Reading in batting for two seasons. He was named to the Harrisburg Patriot All-Southeastern Pennsylvania High School team and was recognized as a top American Legion baseball player in Berks County. He started in the East-West Legion All-Star Game at Philadelphia’s Shibe Park and played four years for Gregg Post, contributing to three Berks Legion title teams and one state championship team. Professionally, he spent three years in the Boston Red Sox minor league system, leading the Augusta, Maine team with a .321 batting average and topping the New England League in stolen bases with 46 in 1952. After his playing career, he coached the Artisan Legion baseball team, led the City-County League in batting with a .426 average in 1959, and served as an American Softball Association umpire for 32 years. He was honored by Reading Mayor Karen Miller in 1982 for his 25 years of leadership as executive director of the Millmont Recreation Center.

Deceased