MITCHELL — Dan Sabers commitment to South Dakota amateur baseball is being recognized this year. 

Sabers is receiving the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association “Man of the Year” award, also known as the Ralph Macy Lifetime Achievement Award. The award dates back to 1982 and recognizes individuals for contributions to South Dakota amateur baseball. 

“It meant a lot,” Sabers said about the honor. “I have dedicated a lot of my life, especially before 40 to baseball, and it’s an humbling honor.”

A Salem native, Sabers developed a love for baseball as a kid, riding his bike five miles into town from the family farm for Little League practice. Then came American Legion baseball, followed by amateur ball and now his role as president of the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association Hall of Fame. 

Sabers, 67, played 17 years of amateur baseball and was part of perhaps the state’s most improbable amateur baseball championship.

In 1982, Sabers and his nephew, Randy Sabers, organized an amateur baseball team in Salem. The town did not have an amateur team in 1981, and won the Class B state championship during its inaugural season.

“I say it’s the worst team in amateur baseball to ever win the state tournament,” Sabers said. “But we were all about 25 and just coming up.”

Salem’s average was 23-years old, it had three teenagers in the lineup, eight members had never played in the state tournament and manager Randy Sabers was only 19-years old. 

“We got a team together and we were picking them up from all over,” Dan Sabers said. “We only had two pitchers and were playing a lot of games and they were throwing a lot.”

The Salem Cubs, who finished 11-7 in the competitive Cornbelt League, knocked off some perennial powers in the state tournament. They beat Chamberlain (10-8), Selby (7-6), Freeman (15-9), Renner (4-3) and Harrisburg (13-10) in their five games at Cadwell Park in Mitchell.

Against Renner in the semifinals, Salem scored two runs in the ninth inning for the one-run win. Renner, which is now a Class A power, was gunning for its seventh state championship. 

In the title game, Salem faced off against Cornbelt League rival Harrisburg, a team that beat Salem 11-1 during the regular season. 

Salem’s Scott Larson, Randy Weber, Brian Stahl and Alan Karel were all-tourney selections. Stahl, who hurled two wins and batted .417 in the tourney, was named MVP. 

“We had a lot of really good players later in years,” Sabers said. “We didn’t know they were that good at that time.”

It was Salem’s first state championship since it won back-to-back titles in 1964 and ‘65. The Cubs haven’t won the state title since.   

“It was a special year and it will be something I always remember,” Sabers said.

Sabers later managed the 1987 Montrose amateur team to its first state tourney berth in 37 years. He organized and managed an “Over 30” baseball team that won a national championship in Phoenix, Arizona. 

He was later president of the Cornbelt League for 10 years and served as the District 4 commissioner for six years. He’s been on the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame committee for 19 years, including the past 14 years as president. 

“The Class of ‘24 will be this Saturday night,” Sabers said. “I still run the banquet and I am the president of that. So it’s fun to stay involved.”

A Mitchell resident, Sabers remains involved with the Salem baseball community and has been instrumental in assisting with the town’s many baseball park renovations. He was selected to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at the 2024 Class B American Legion baseball tournament in Salem. He will be honored during Friday's state tournament. 

A regular at the Class B state amateur baseball tournament, Sabers said his favorite part of baseball is still going to the games and still gets the same feeling as his playing days. 

“It’s still in your blood,” Sabers said. “You watch the good games or the big crowds and you get goosebumps.”