By Randy Whitehouse,Staff Writer

Fate played an important role in the baseball lives of Bill Reynolds and Robert Miller. Now it has brought them together as inductees into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.

Reynolds, a former University of Maine star from Poland, and Miller, whose career playing, coaching and umpiring spanned more than 30 years, are two of 11 members who will enter the Hall at its annual induction ceremony on July 31 in Portland.

They join a star-studded class that includes Portland ace Mike D’Andrea, USM All-American Vincent DeGifico, Cony star and umpiring mainstay Ed Ochmanski, Maxine Simmons, the first woman to be inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, and Reynolds’ former roommate at Maine, Mike Bordick.

“I guess I’ve won the trifecta,” said Reynolds, who is already a member of the Auburn-Lewiston and University of Maine sports halls of fame. “This kind of completes it. It’s always nice when someone appreciated what you did.”

Reynolds was a four-sport star at Edward Little who drew interest from the L.A. Dodgers out of high school. Instead, he signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Maine and became a starter for legendary head coach John Winkin as a freshman.

He helped lead the University of Maine to three NCAA Regional and College World Series appearances in 1983, 84 and 86. A two-time all-conference player, he was also named to the College World Series All-Tournament Team in 1986.

“They were all great,” Reynolds said of his College World Series experiences. “The first one, you were just glad to be there. As you go along, you realize it’s nice to be there but you expect a little more.

“By my senior year, I could have cared less about the festivities and the hoopla,” he added. “We were just there to win the tournament.”

The Oakland A’s drafted Reynolds in the 19th round following his senior year. Bordick also signed with the A’s that summer and the roommates played together for their Single-A affiliate in Medford, Ore.

Reynolds’ career was cut short by injuries. A torn ligament in his wrist his third year in pro ball spelled the end of his career. He acknowledges things might have been different if he had signed out of high school, but he has no regrets.

“It’s an experience that I wouldn’t change for the world,” he said. “The friendships you take away with you are priceless.”

After his playing career, Reynolds, now 41, played in an over-30 league and did some coaching “but it just wasn’t the same,” he said. He continues to do occasional clinics and makes himself available for some individual instruction, but most of his time is spent working as a utility arborist for Lucas Tree and with his wife, Pam, and two daughters.

Miller, 65, played town team baseball for the Chi-Liv Townies, Farmington Flyers and Turner. and was an Andy Valley League Board umpire for 32 years.

Hockey was the Providence, RI native’s first sport of choice, however, and he initially came to Maine to tend goal for Colby College. After starting a handful of games, however, he was replaced by another goalie who would later become an All-American, so he decided to transfer to the University of Maine at Farmington mid-year.

Miller played baseball all four years at UMF, starting out mostly as a catcher before meeting Roland Ouellette.

“He told me about this guy Elroy Face (who pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 50s and 60s) and he said Roy Face has got this ball and if you grip it just like this and throw it just like this, that thing kind of dips and dives like this,” he said.

Mixing the forkball Ouellette taught him with a good curve, Miller never lost a start for Farmington and went on to have an outstanding career as both a catcher and pitcher for Chi-Liv.

“I had some wonderful, wonderful years playing baseball at Farmington and for Chi-Liv,” said Miller, a former Livermore Falls middle school principal. “What meant the most to me was playing the game of baseball and playing the game right, and we had a bunch of people from Livermore Falls, Jay and Chisholm that played the game right.”

Miller played for more than 30 years. His last coach was his son, Rob, and his biggest thrill as a player came when he caught a one-hitter Rob tossed against West Paris.

Miller’s coaching career spanned all levels – AYS, Little League, Babe Ruth and Livermore Falls High School. He also coached varsity football and skiing at LFHS, leading the Andies to three state ski championships in the late 70s. These days, though, he is busy teaching the fifth grade at Livermore Falls Elementary, deejaying on the side and watching his grandchildren, including Zach and Kelsey Frechette of Mt. Blue, play sports.

“There were a lot of changes in my life,” he said, “but there was always baseball.”