Frank Cembellin served a lifetime in Babe Ruth, city
commisions
It’s been nearly 30 years since Frank Cembellin left Hollister
to settle in Brookings, Ore. But that doesn’t mean the 83-year-old
founding father of Hollister Babe Ruth baseball has been
forgotten.
Frank Cembellin served a lifetime in Babe Ruth, city commisions
It’s been nearly 30 years since Frank Cembellin left Hollister to settle in Brookings, Ore. But that doesn’t mean the 83-year-old founding father of Hollister Babe Ruth baseball has been forgotten.
Just recently the local league that Cembellin helped create in 1957 marked its 50th anniversary celebration by nominating Cembellin to the International Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame Committee for his 46 years of “dedication and commitment” to youth baseball.
“I’m excited and honored,” said Cembellin, from his home this past week. “Myself and Fred Marentis helped start it. I remember when we first started it there were very few kids. There weren’t as many kids in those days.”
Although Cembellin struggles a bit to remember exact dates and times, it’s hard to forget what he meant to Hollister youth baseball.
As a carpenter and general contractor by trade, Cembellin was instrumental in building the three youth ball fields in 1953-1954 that sit on the 37 acres of donated land that is now known as Veteran’s Memorial Park. Two years later he would build the Babe Ruth Field as well as construct its concession stands, dugouts, announcing stands and barbecue pits.
On April 24, 1957 the first Babe Ruth Baseball charter in the city was signed. In the following years, Cembellin would serve as a coach for the first decade. He also served two years as the league’s president.
“It’s important to know that it’s easy for a parent to be involved when their kids are involved. But even when we were all out of it (playing sports), he stayed involved,” said Mike Cembellin, Frank’s oldest son of four children. “He didn’t neglect any of us either, but he stayed with it because he loved it and enjoyed it. He just loved working with kids.”
From 1970 through his retirement in 2002, Cembellin continued to serve Babe Ruth baseball in numerous administrative capacities. In the 1970s, he was named tournament director for a number of state tournaments. In 1973, he was the District 3 area director, district director in 1975 and the District 2 commissioner in 1976.
From 1978 through 1988 he served as the assistant state commissioner of Babe Ruth baseball and in 1986 the organization honored him by creating the Frank Cembellin MVP Award, which is presented annually to the outstanding player in the state tournament.
In 2002, he was honored again as a presenter of the Babe Ruth World Series plaque to the winning team from Kentucky.
After moving to Oregon in the late 1970s, Cembellin continued to dedicate his time to youth baseball.
“His heart is always in Hollister,” Mike said. “We lived at 825 Seventh Street. My dad built that house. I remember it was real difficult for him to get rid of it. He didn’t want to part with it and he wanted to keep it in the family. He offered to sign the deed over to any one of us kids under the condition that we agreed to live in it. It’s where all of us were born and raised, but none of us were able at the time to take him up on the offer.”
In addition to his long stint with Babe Ruth, Cembellin worked full-time as a general contractor and land developer in Hollister. He is responsible for building more than a dozen homes in the city’s Sunnyslope area, many of which are on Cembellin Drive – the street he dedicated after his own father.
Cembellin also served 3.5 years in the United States Marine Corp in World War II where he achieved the rank of sergeant while fighting in the South Pacific.
After returning from the war, he married San Benito High School physical education teacher Gladys “Glo” Elliott in 1949. He would soon become heavily involved in community affairs serving on many commissions, civic projects and youth activity committees.
In 1950 he served on the committee for the new city courthouse. Cembellin also served for five years on the Hollister Planning Commission. He served two years as president of the San Benito High School PTA as well as the high school’s booster club. Cembellin was also on the Board of Directors for the city’s Pop Warner football program from 1970-73. He is also a 50-plus year life member of the Hollister Elks Club and a charter/life member of the Hollister VFW.
Cembellin was also instrumental in the establishment of the Hollister City and County Recreation Commissions.
Cembellin’s generosity and helpfulness were also seen in his relationship with Hollister’s Charlie Root. Root, a former pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, was best known for having pitched the infamous homerun shot that Babe Ruth hit in the 1932 World Series. When Root passed away, Cembellin helped organize the Charlie Root Memorial Fund Golf Tournament, which is now held annually. All proceeds from that tournament benefit local youth activities, including Babe Ruth programs throughout the county.
Today, he and his wife are finally taking things easy and enjoying their retirement. Their home sits right on the Oregon coast just a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean.
“We’re all just really proud of him and all that he has accomplished,” Mike said. “He’s still doing pretty well and he’ll really appreciate all the recognition.”
The youth of Hollister will appreciate it, too.
