With immense pride and warmest congratulations, the Mount Gambier and District Baseball League is celebrating Steve ‘Kuhly’ Kuhl as one of the newest inductees into the South Australian Baseball Hall of Fame.
Kuhly’s enduring dedication and heartfelt passion for the game have left a lasting impact on baseball in South Australia.
A tireless advocate for the sport, Kuhly’s years of service as a respected committee member of the SACBA reflect his unwavering commitment to the baseball community.
From his roots with the Mount Gambier Baseball League to his cherished role with the Central Baseball Club, Kuhly’s journey has been one of loyalty, leadership and love for the game.
He began his baseball career with the Mount Gambier High School and found his way to the Central Baseball Club in the last winter season of 1980.
Since that first game, Kuhly has accumulated 875 games with the club and many more at league level.
His credentials certainly are outstanding, and Steve is now worthy member of the Baseball SA Hall of Fame.
Kuhly’s citation was for continuous and passionate impact on South Australian baseball through excellent in playing, coaching and baseball administration.
He was born and bred in Mount Gambier and runs a sizeable family farm between the city and Tarpeena.
While running a farm of sheep and cattle he finds time to play baseball.
From season 1981/82 he played in Division 1 until and including season 2013/14, apart from season 2010/11 which he played in Division 2.
From 2014/15 he has played Division 3 and is still currently playing.
Over all seasons he has played predominately as a pitcher and has acquired many premierships and personal awards over the time.
“Steve joined the Central Baseball Club for the final winter season in 1980 as a 14-year-old in the Minor A competition in a team developing Under 17 junior players with a premiership in his first year,” the citation said.
“He played his first game for Centrals on May 10, 1980 and played his first Division 1 game on February 14, 1981 as a 15-year-old.
“Steve is a highly decorated player but it is his dedication to the betterment of local baseball and development of young baseballers that shines brightest. He has a real desire to see the game grow in the right fashion.
“At any time when a young player speaks to Steve for advice, not only will he respond to the player for assistance but will continue to do so to make that player a better player.
“Steve has spent 42 years on committees between SACBA, MtGDBL and Central Club. He has won 18 awards and trophies with the Mount Gambier team in the SA Country Baseball Championship, has won 34 awards and trophies in Mount Gambier League and 34 trophies playing Central Baseball Club.
“That is a total of 86 awards and trophies, and about these trophies he does not boast and show them off, he just places them in the shearing shed for his girls, the sheep to admire.
“A fierce competitor who demands the game be played in the right spirit.”
Congratulations, Kuhly your legacy continues to inspire generations to come.
This honour is so well deserved.
As an aside Charlie Pucket was also inducted in this year’s ceremony.
Charlie played Claxton Shield for South Australia in 1934, 1935 and 1936, Victoria in 1937 and Western Australia in 1938.
In those last three years he won the highest individual award in those states.
In the winter of 1947 Charlie played locally for East Gambier in a number of games before returning to Western Australia to coach.
Charlie was an outstanding pitcher in his day.
STEVE KUHL’S BASEBALL STATS
CENTRAL BASEBALL CLUB
LIFE MEMBER 1998
CLUB PRESIDENT – 6 years – 2007/08, 2008/09, 2011/12-2014/15
CLUB COMMITTEE – 8 years – 1989/90-1995/96
CLUB COACH – 5 Seasons – 1993/94-1996/97, 2015/16
JUNIOR COACH – 5 Seasons – 2006/07, 2008/09, 2012/13-2014/15
PREMIERSHIPS – 18
Division 1 – 1984/85, 1986/87, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1992/93, 1993/94, 19995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99, 2003/04, 2004/05, 208/09
Minor A – 1980
Division 3 – 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19, 2019/20
TROPHIES
Division 1 Best & Fairest – (13) – 1981/82, 1983/84, 1985/86-1987/881990/91-1993/94, 1995/96, 2000/01, 2006/07, 2009/10
Division 3 Best & Fairest – (7) – 2014/15-2019/20, 2021/22
Division 1 Batting Average – (8) – 1981/82, 1983/84, 1991/92, 1992/93, 1996/97, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2009/10
Division 2 Batting Average – (1) – 2010/11
Division 3 Batting Average – (5) – 2014/15-2016/17, 2019/20, 2021/22
MOUNT GAMBIER & DISTRICT BASEBALL LEAGUE
LIFE MEMBER 2009
COMMITTEE – 1990/91-1993/94
TROPHIES
Division 1 Best & Fairest – 1983/84, 1985/86, 1986/87, 1990/91, 1992/93, 1993/94, 1995/96, 2000/01
Division 3 Best & Fairest – 2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17, 2018/19, 2019/20, 2021/22
Division 1 Batting Average – 1983/84, 1991/92, 1996/97
Division 2 Batting Average – 2010/11
Division 3 Batting Average – 2016/17
Division 1 Runs Batted In – 1983/84, 1985/86, 1988/89, 1995/96, 1996/97, 2003/04
Division 3 Runs Batted In – 2014/15, 2016/17, 2018/19, 2020/21
Division 1 Best Junior – 1983/84
Division 1 Team of the Year – 2004/05, 2005/06, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2015/16 (Coach)
Coached the Mount Gambier Little League Team in Queensland – 2010, 2011, 2012
Represented Mount Gambier in the following championships:
VICTORIAN PROVINCIAL BASEBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS
1982 and 1983 in the junior section
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
21 Tournaments between 1984 and 2006 including six as playing coach.
Eight time All Star including three as playing coach and one as manager.
Five times Mount Gambier MVP.
Played in nine winning championships.
SACBA Committee for 14 years from 2002/03-2015/16
COMMONWEALTH BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Played in Ballarat 1989, Port Macquarie 1990 and Mount Gambier 1997.
