Read Part 1 here.
A RETURN TO BASEBALL
Now back in Manchester, and with the Grim Reaper no longer trying to cut him down in the prime of his life, Bob decided that he wanted to return to his third love (wife and kids obviously coming first) … Little League baseball.
When he inquired as to the possibility of returning to his old stomping grounds at East, he was told that all coaching positions at Stevens Park had already been filled thus bringing his career there to a melancholy conclusion.
In the 22 years he had served as the field boss of DAV, his clubs had won the league championship seven times; his All-Star teams had won the District I title three times and had been to the Eastern Regionals twice; and his DAV club had been a participant in the Sam Harris Tournament (best LL team in the city) five times, winning it once.
ON THE MOVE
Now pounding the turf for another coaching job, Bob talked to old friend and North Little League President, Tom Donnolly, who “hired” him immediately.
During the next eight years, his Merchants Motors clubs won the league title five times and the Sam Harris Tournament once.
AND AGAIN
After that eighth year, he left North and headed west…that is Manchester’s West Little League. It was here that his winning ways would continue over the next five years with his club, Fire, winning the league championship twice.
Over a span than covers 35 years, Bob Morneau has had the good fortune to coach some very talented ballplayers, two of whom, I’m proud to say, are our sons, Brant and Todd, members of the 1984 and 1987 All-Star teams respectively.
WE FINALLY MEET
That’s when I first met him and got the opportunity to work with him. While I know I caused him a few anxious moments because I was a stickler for pitch counts even back then, he always put the kids first and winning second…and, come play-off time, that’s not always easy. Too many coaches, particularly today, as evidenced by watching the recent LL World Series, use their kids (literally and figuratively) as pawns in a game that has become adult coach-versus-adult coach with the players now being the “pieces”.
Case in point…when I heard the ESPN color man relate that the coach of one of the participating teams, during a visit to the mound, had just told his star pitcher that “your country is depending on you!”, I was so angry that I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to throw up or punch the man in the head. If this young pitcher failed, his country would hold him responsible?! Are you kidding me?!!!
More than this young pitcher being to blame, this boy’s coach had failed him.
And that’s when I thought about Bob and, if it was possible, appreciated even more what he had done for me, for my sons, and for the many players that have been fortunate to have crossed his baseball coaching path in life.
A WELL-DESERVED “SPOTLIGHT”
When I asked him if he’d be willing to sit down with me so I could interview him for a story about his life for Greater Manchester Sports, a popular sports newspaper that was in circulation at the time, he was surprised…almost shocked.
He said “I’ve read about the people you’ve done stories on and I’m not in that league. There are many others that you should be interviewing ahead of me.“ This coming from a man who said that the two coaches that most influenced his coaching life, both on and off the field, were Al Lemire and Eddie Collins.
Though I’ve heard volumes about Al (all good), I never knew him, but I do know and have coached with Ed…and no finer role models could ever be chosen…as Bob’s “mold” demonstrates.
Well, Bob, you’re both right and wrong. I will be writing about some of the others you’re referring to, but you’re wrong about not belonging in that elite group.
For those who may not have known, Bob was presented the prestigious Carl Lundholm Memorial Award for Dedication to Youth Athletics at the 28th annual UnionLeader.com “The Leaders” banquet.
Bob most definitely deserves to be mentioned in that same “breath.”
HIS FINAL YEARS…ALL AT MANCHESTER LL (SOUTH)
As I said at the opening of this story, Bob was a mentor in every Little League program offered in the city. How do I know that? Bob said so himself and not only to me. The only one I wasn’t sure about was Central LL. But if Bob said he did, I believe him. All the rest of them, he DID, I’m POSITIVE.
As I also mentioned, a player’s goal is to end up where his talents are best demonstrated, where his skills are most appreciated…and, most importantly, where he’s happiest…in the Majors.
Whether the stay is short or long, a coach’s goal is the same as a players…to end up where he’s happiest and, for Bob, that was at Manchester South/Manchester (NH) Little League.
He started in 2013, in the Minors as an assistant for Knights of Columbus under manager Alan Beauchemin. The following year, the manager’s position opened for K of C. Bob got the job and remained as head coach until 2023. His success continued with his teams vying for the Majors Championship in ’15, ’16, and ’17. Guess who became his nemesis? His former “boss”, Alan, beat him every year.
Now in his middle 70s, Bob’s physical health was slowly deserting him. After 57 years of marriage, losing his best friend, wife, Pat, in the fall of 2021 sapped much of the strength he had left.
It wasn’t long, knowing he no longer had the strength to be the coach he’d always been, he stepped down, but didn’t step away. For as long as he was able, he sat on a bench beside the Minors Field and watched (and evaluated) the players.
Why? For next year’s player draft, of course! And he did that almost up until he had to be placed in a nursing home where he remained until his death on March 21st, 2025…LAST year.
One other very important activity that Bob took part in needs to be included in his “story“…
In his spare time, Bob also served as a coach in the Manchester Youth Regional Hockey Association, doing so to again be with his sons, Mike and Jimmy. He mentored MYRHA players for 12 years meandering his way through the Mites (6-8 years old), Squirts (9-10 years old), Peewees (11-12 years old), Bantams (13-14 years old), and Midgets (15-16 years old).
Because we have been fortunate to share a part of his baseball and hockey life, it would be truly fitting if his former players (and fellow coaches) would take a few minutes to think back on their days with him and send a brief personal note of thanks to his daughter, Jill. (her address is in the Addendum) who will then forward them to her brothers Mike and Jim.
All of the notes she receives will be placed in a very special notebook about a very special person who did a very special thing…dedicated his sports life to the youths of our city.
The book won’t for Bob’s kids, Mike, Jim, or Jill because they “lived” it with him. It WILL be for his grandson, Kellan, and granddaughter, Abigail Ella. They knew who “Ga” was (Yup, that’s what they called him…and he loved it!), but I’m sure they don’t know the impact he had on the lives of the athletes that played for him or the coaches that faced his ball clubs or worked alongside him.
Simply, and importantly put, its for them and the generations of the Morneau Family that follow in the hope that they will never forget him.
By the way, if you’re wondering how I could come up with the list of names of every kid that ever played for Bob that concludes his story, it was simple.
Bob had a scrapbook himself…and man, it was a beauty! It had pictures…one of EVERY baseball and EVERY hockey team that he coached from 1974 on.
It also included the names of EVERY athlete who played for him…all 457 of ’em…listed alphabetically.
Once you read the list of names, particularly if you were one of them, you’ll realize this is a very special group of ballplayers, some of whom played college ball and even a few who made it to the “Bigs”.
I’ve read through the list several times and what blows me away is that every letter listed…from A to Z was followed by the name of at least one REALLY good athlete.
Now that I think about it, Bob had another trait that’s vitally important in becoming a successful coach. When the drafts were held, he was a good judge of talent when he saw it…often before the player he selected even knew he/she possessed it!
That’s why his teams were so good. Though they worked hard, especially his All-Star clubs, they always had fun. That’s why I hope they never forget him.
Brant Menswar and Todd Menswar never will. And neither will their Dad, Ted Menswar.
From US to YOU…
“Coach, thank you for some unforgettable memories.
BTW…
We still have the scrapbooks you made for every member of the teams we played on…all 65 pages!
ADDENDUM
MANCHESTER LITTLE LEAGUE SAYS GOODBYE…
Manchester South sent him out in style (I used baseball hitting jargon) …
After he passed,
- the league, at last year’s opening Day ceremonies, recognized Bob’s Family, especially daughter, Jill (with granddaughter Abby), and brothers Mike and Jim (MLL singled!)
- the league will unveil a bench (located you know where) on opening day with a plaque on it (They hit a double!)
- the league named a Minor team after him…BOB’S TEAM (That one was a triple!)
- the league dedicated the 2025 season to Bob’s memory (Nailed it…MLL hit a Home Run!)
FROM ONE OF HIS PLAYERS – JEFF TREMBLAY – WHO BECAME A COACH
Coach — Thank you for coaching me and allowing me to coach either you for several years at East LL. You took me under your wings, especially during a tough time when I was 12, and gave me the confidence and support. You’re the reason why I became a coach, teacher and now school leader. I hope your family knows how important you are to me and so many others. Fly high, Coach.
Jeffrey Tremblay
FROM A FELLOW COACH – RON MEMOLE
Dear Bob – Words cannot express my appreciation and gratitude for the times we shared at East Little League as coaches and all that I learned from you. Your patience as a teacher and your perceptions of the game were second to none. I miss you, and I thank you for all the lives that you touched and for the footprints you left on this earth.
Ronald Memole
AND, FINALLY, FROM ONE OF HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS, MLL PRESIDENT AL BEAUCHEMIN (The “IN MEMORIUM” tribute that caused me to change my mind…)
From our President, Coach Al…
Coach Bob!
Baseball will not be the same without you.
Your passion and love for the game for the past 52 years was amazing.
The many kids that had you as a Coach are lucky to have been taught by one of the best. You coached at five sections of Manchester Little League (East, North, Southwest, West, and South) with Manchester N.H. (South) Little League being the last one.
I had coached against you across the diamond and knew who you were and shared a few hand shakes with you after All-Star games, but it wasn’t until you came to South in the early 2000’s that we became friends and baseball buddies.
We coached together and against one another in regular season and All-Stars.
We served on the board together, but most of all, we both had the same love and passion for the game and the kids that play it.
Bob you will be missed, but not forgotten.
I will forever remember our talks and disagreements or just a chat about our kids, our dogs, or just life in general.
Bob, I want to thank you for all you have done for the kids in the City of Manchester, the Little Leagues, for my Family and for being my friend, role model and baseball Dad.
Bob, I miss you already and so do the kids and Families at Manchester Little League.
Love you my friend! R.I.P. ⚾️Bob Morneau⚾️❤️⚾️
Al Beauchemin
PLEASE SEND YOUR NOTES TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:
Jill Morneau Jackson, 83 Bay Street, Manchester, NH 03104
NOW…DO THE REST OF YOU REMEMBER THESE “MEMORY CREATORS”? *
* Bob coached for a number of years after I did the first story about him. Unfortunately, the book that contained the additional pictures and names of all the athletes that played for him has been unable to be located. If your name isn’t in the above list, especially those of you who played or coached at South, it would still be appropriate for you to send a note to Jill about Bob.
A PERSONAL NOTE: When I write the story on baseball’s gradual drop in popularity, I am definitely going to focus on the program run by Manchester Little League. Of the six leagues he had coached in, it was Bob’s favorite because of the way it operated. And I think that North-Hooksett LL operates in a similar way.
After spending more than 70 years in and around baseball, looking at the program run by MLL, I can see the light brightening on Manchester’s Field of Dreams…finally!
Bob coached for a number of years after I did the first story about him. Unfortunately, the book that contained the additional pictures and names of all the athletes that played for him has been unable to be located. If your name isn’t in the above list, especially those of you who played or coached at South, it would still be appropriate for you to send a note to Jill about Bob.
A PERSONAL NOTE: When I write the story on baseball’s gradual drop in popularity, I am definitely going to focus on the program run by Manchester Little League. Of the six leagues he had coached in, it was Bob’s favorite because of the way it operated. And I think that North-Hooksett LL operates in a similar way.
After spending more than 70 years in and around baseball, looking at the program run by MLL, I can see the light brightening on Manchester’s Field of Dreams…finally!
Ted Menswar Jr. is a life-long resident of the Queen City and a retired member of the English Department of Memorial High School who has been involved in local sports for 70 years as a player, a coach, a mentor and a fan. He can be reached at tedmenswar@outlook.com