Kerwin Spencer

Larry Gerwick

Sumner Newscow report — The Kansas Babe Ruth Leagues, Inc. inducted two new members on Saturday, September 26 at Derby.  The two honorees were Kerwin Spencer of Wellington and Larry Gerwick of Mulvane. 

Kerwin Spencer

For any organization to be successful, it must have individuals who give selflessly, believe in the organization’s goals, and are dedicated to achieving them.  Those characteristics have been demonstrated by Kerwin since he joined Kansas Babe Ruth Baseball.

Spencer’s involvement began as a player for the Oxford team in the Wellington Babe Ruth League from 1969 to 1972.   He was an assistant coach for that team from 1975 through 1978, when his father, Alfred, was the coach and his brothers, Brent and Brian, were players.

In 1995, Spencer began coaching again when his sons, Mitch and Drew, were playing.  He organized and coached the first 13-year-old Prep team in Wellington and led them to finish as first runner-up in the first-ever District 3 Tournament for that age division.  In his coaching career, Kerwin coached in all age divisions, led his teams to many State Tournaments, and coached a 16-18 team that advanced to the Midwest Plains Regional Tournament.

In 2006, Spencer was named Assistant District 3 Commissioner and held that position until 2010, when he became District 3 Commissioner.  In 2013, he was appointed as an Assistant State Commissioner, initially for 14-year-olds, and has since worked with various age divisions.  He has served on the tournament task force for several State and Regional Tournaments and has coached or managed three Classic teams. 

In Spencer’s terms:

“I believe that the Kansas Babe Ruth program is a great place to learn how to deal with both success and adversity in life, and that we can provide opportunities for success, while teaching that we can be respectful of others, no matter if we have won or lost.  Having an opportunity to play your best is more important than having to be the best player.  Baseball provides an opportunity to learn about being responsible yourself while being able to rely on others to do their job as well.”

Spencer has officiated for years in high school and middle school basketball and football, and college football.  In his community, Spencer has served as Sumner County Assistant County Attorney, County Attorney, City Prosecutor and City Attorney for Oxford, City Prosecutor for Wellington and City Attorney for South Haven.  He also served as the Wellington School Board attorney for 10 years. 

Spencer and his wife Shelley live in Wellington.  Shelley taught Middle School English in Wellington and Oxford and coached Middle School tennis for several years.  Their son, Mitch, lives in Mission, KS and is engaged to Rita Summers.  Drew and his wife, Laura, live in Spring Hill and have two children, Harrison and Camden.

Kansas Babe Ruth Hall of Fame is reserved for individuals who display great personal strength, honesty, integrity, tireless devotion, enthusiasm, a love for the game, and who put the interest of others first.  For these reasons, it is with immense pride and pleasure that Kansas Babe Ruth Leagues awards the coveted Kansas Babe Ruth Hall of Fame Award to one of our own.  Honoring men and women for their service in the Kansas Babe Ruth Leagues, the Kansas Babe Ruth Hall of Fame now includes the name of Kerwin Spencer.

Larry Gerwick

“Participants in youth sports need to have fun and enjoy the sport that they are playing.”  Those are the words of Larry Gerwick and are the goals for every player who plays Kansas Babe Ruth Baseball.  If Larry were running a tournament, he would make sure players, coaches and fans all had fun and were creating memories that would endure for years.  Fans and players got to know Larry, and several became longtime friends.

Gerwick began his Babe Ruth career as a coach, leading Mulvane teams from 1988-1995.  He not only coached but also umpired from 1986-2002.  His administrative skills were utilized when he served as Assistant District Commissioner from 1990 until 2001, then became Assistant State Commissioner for the 13-year-old Division in 2001. He held that position until he retired in 2025.

At the local level, he served as the Mulvane town representative in the South-Central Babe Ruth League, which included several towns in the Mulvane area.   He was elected as president of that league in 1995 and served in that position until 2003.  During his tenure as head of that league, his objective was to ensure that all teams and towns played by the same rules. 

He served as Tournament Director for a District Tournament in Mulvane in 2000, coached a State Tournament team in Lyons in 1995, was a coach on the first Classic team in 1999 at McPherson, and managed the Classic V, XI, and XVI teams. He also served on the task force for a Midwest Plains Regional Tournament for 13-year-old players in Liberal in 2014.

Gerwick kept busy in his community of Mulvane, where he was a member of the Mulvane Optimist Club for 39 years and served as their president in 1992-’93.  He also was a member of the Community Dinner Board.  He was employed at the Mulvane Dillons Store for 39-1/2 years before retiring in 2017. 

Gerwick and his wife Patty still reside in Mulvane.  Patty retired as City Clerk in 2015 after working for the City for 35 years.   They have two children; Chad and his wife McKenzie live in Andover and have three children, Maellie, Finley, and Graelee; Jennifer and her husband Shawn Worley make their home in Wellington and have three children, Hunter, Kira, and Gannon.  

 The Kansas Babe Ruth Hall of Fame is reserved for individuals who display great personal strength, honesty, integrity, tireless devotion, enthusiasm, a love for the game, and who put the interest of others first.  For these reasons, it is with immense pride and pleasure that Kansas Babe Ruth Leagues awards the coveted Kansas Babe Ruth Hall of Fame Award to one of our own.  Honoring men and women for their service in the Kansas Babe Ruth Leagues, the Kansas Babe Ruth Hall of Fame now includes the name of Larry Gerwick.

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