Los Gatos Weekly-Times | 0235

August 28, 2002 Los Gatos, California Since 1881

Photograph by George Sakkestad

Friends and family members of the late John Baggerly turned out on Sunday to celebrate the memory of the Los Gatos newsman. Gene Goldberg, retired director of the Los GatosSaratoga Recreation Department, was one of the special guests who eulogized 'Bags' at the event held Aug. 25 at Baggerly Field, home of the Los Gatos Little League at Blossom Hill Park. Goldberg was joined at the microphone by Jack Cody, retired Los Gatos High School teacher; Ted Fletcher, longtime Baggerly friend; Butch Cattolico, LGHS teacher and head varsity football coach; Joe Zanardi, Los Gatos Athletic Association; Randy Frey, Los Gatos Little League; and Judy Bingman, retired LGHS band director. Baggerly's youngest daughter, Gayle Shank, served as mistress of ceremonies.

Townspeople turn out to honor John Baggerly

By Dick Sparrer

The town turned out to honor one of its own on Sunday—a man many referred to as "Mr. Los Gatos"—at a special celebration of the life of John Baggerly.

Friends and family members filled the bleachers and circled the backstop area at Blossom Hill Park's Baggerly Field, the home of the Los Gatos Little League.

His youngest daughter, Gayle Baggerly Shank, toed the rubber on the baseball diamond's pitcher's mound as she announced the lineup of those who would eulogize her popular father at the memorial event.

First up was Ted Fletcher, a friend of Baggerly's since 1927, who shared stories of Baggerly's early years in Los Gatos.

He was followed to the microphone by retired Los Gatos High School teacher Jack Cody, retired Los GatosSaratoga Recreation Department director Gene Goldberg, the Los Gatos Athletic Association's Joe Zanardi and Los Gatos High teacher and head varsity football coach Butch Cattolico, who all shared touching stories of the man they called "Bags" and "Scoop."

Randy Frey, who succeeded Baggerly as the sports editor of the Los Gatos Times-Observer, shared stories of his former mentor. Then, in his role as Little League board member, Frey announced the creation of a new scholarship that will be presented to a deserving student in John Baggerly's name.

Judy Bingman, retired high school band director, shared memories of Baggerly, then introduced the Los Gatos High marching band, which played, among other selections, "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

Gayle Shank, who had announced the presence of her sisters, Jeanne Pifferini and Carolyn Shank, her younger brother, John Jr., and her mother, Barbara, wrapped up the ceremony with a reference to the baseball movie A League of Their Own.

"I'd like to think that Dad was in a league of his own in Los Gatos," she said.

Among those in attendance at the Sunday event were Los Gatos Vice Mayor Sandy Decker; former Los Gatos Times-Observer editors Mary Ann Cook (currently a columnist for the Los Gatos Weekly-Times) and Dixie Fisher; former Weekly-Times editor Dale Bryant (currently the executive editor for Silicon Valley Community Newspapers); retired LGHS assistant principals Patti Hughes and Al Simon; local architect Gary Schloh; and longtime Los Gatans Stephen Lepurin, Ron Denevi, Johnny Mesa, Jim Zanardi and Scott Downs.