Lily native Dale Solberg named SDABA's Man of the Year
MITCHELL — Lily native and 1980 Bristol High School graduate Dale Solberg recently received the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Association's 2022 Man of the Year Award.
This lifetime achievement award is named in memory of long-time baseball promoter and player Ralph Macy of Rapid City. It is awarded to a person who has given of themselves for the betterment of amateur baseball in South Dakota.
The award was presented during the SDABA's 90th state tournament earlier this month in Mitchell.
"It's just a culmination of 42 years of playing and managing," said Solberg. "It's something to share with all the great teammates, coaches and managers I've had through the years. It's not just me, as you know."
Solberg played VFW Teener and American Legion baseball in Webster from 1975-80 and also played college baseball at Northern State University in Aberdeen.
In 1980, he started his amateur career with Clark and continues to serve as player-manager for Dell Rapids PBR. In 1984, Solberg was selected as a pick-up player by the Claremont Honkers who went on to win the state title by defeating Aberdeen Wendy-Coke. He was named the tourney's most valuable player.
Solberg has pitched and/or played in 13 state championship games and played on 10 state championship teams. Nine of the championships came as a member of Dell Rapids PBR. He is the only player to pitch for 10 state championship teams in South Dakota amateur baseball history.
Inducted into the South Dakota Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, Solberg also received the Mark Mehlhaf Memorial Award in 2012. This a state amateur baseball award for ‘Comeback Player of the Year’ that recognizes players coming back
from various injuries.
Solberg has also spent the last few summers serving as the manager of Dell Rapids PBR. He took over the duties out of respect for for the squad's longtime manager, teammate and friend Jay Bentz, who is battling Alzheimer's, He wants to keep the PBR tradition going.
This article originally appeared on Watertown Public Opinion: Bristol grad honored for his 42-year involvement in amateur baseball.
