RUMFORD — When John G. Kezal learned he was being inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, he felt like he just hit one out of the park.

The Rumford native was overwhelmed with joy upon hearing that he is being inducted with the class of 2012, which will be recognized on Aug. 5 at Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.

Kezal wasted no time getting the word out that he was selected for this honor. His efforts helped generate $1,500.00 worth of ticket and advertising sales.

“It has been great,” said Kezal, who led Don Douglas, head of the MBHOF committee, to believe Kezal is bringing a huge entourage from the River Valley. “Several of the guys that I played with and against are still around the area. When we bump in to each other on the street, the stories begin to flow. There was a lot of good talent through out the River Valley.”

That list of talent featured Roger Pepin, Artie Taylor, Bobby Downs, Henry Harlow, Walter Abbott, Leo Cyr, Herbie Adams, Charlie Newell, Pete McCluskey, Chick Viger and Ness Boudreau.

Kezal actually started out playing junior varsity baseball as a sophomore and junior under coach Jim Sullivan at Stephens High School after many of the athletes left school to join the service during World War II. It was during this time that Kezal became a devout follower of America’s pastime. He played organized ball in 1945 in the Oxford County League until he graduated, in 1949.

While serving in the Coast Guard (1951-54), he played the sport with Bernard Drury (Dixfield) at Fort Hallibard in Maryland. When he returned to Rumford, he played and coached full time (37-year career) through 1982.

“It was a great time playing back then,” said Kezal, who had a twinkle in his eye while recalling numerous events and personalities. “I’d come home from work, pack a lunch and off the family (wife Ann and children Pam and Steve) would go. I met a lot of great people throughout the years.”

Available records indicate that Kezal was a lifetime.342 hitter; including career-best .400-plus for the Norway team in the 1960s. The Pine Tree and Timber Leagues merged, forming three divisions with teams from Gorham and Berlin, N.H., to the Twin Cities.

“It helped provide others with a chance to play,” said Kezal, whose coaching/organizational skills became sought out. “It was during that time (Claude Belyea) coached the Rumford Rams, and the there was (abundance) of guys in (River Valley) who were interested in playing baseball, so we formed a B team and scheduled different teams.”

His commitment to baseball was always geared toward making the experience enjoyable for all. He also made sure every player was getting enough time on the diamond. He always scheduled additional games outside the league every week.

“There were numerous teams,” said Kezal, who has played on more than 75 fields in Maine and New Hampshire. “Nearly every town had a team, and we would travel all over. It became routine to schedule doubleheaders against teams because of the long distances.”

If  the opportunity arose to promote the sport, Kezal eagerly obliged, including playing the Roberts 88ers in Lisbon with hall of famers Stan Doughty and George Fergurson, plus a visit to the former Maine State Prison in Thomaston.

“I knew the guy who ran the recreation programs at the prison,” Kezal said. “He asked about playing, but he stipulated that they didn’t travel, so we needed to go there. Well, down we went and what a memorable experience.”

The field was located in a pit and the high left wall resembled the green monster at Fenway Park. The guards, equipped with rifles, encompassed the field.

“We had picked up several college kids who were home for the summer,” Kezal said. “There were basketball courts in right field, so Harris Elliot had to wear sneakers.”

Kezal served as commander of Napoleon Ouellette American Legion and organized the Post 24 baseball teams. The retired paper mill worker had 43 years of service and later devoted most of his time to coaching youngsters and umpiring baseball and softball games. He was a certified board umpire on the Central Maine Board and the Androscoggin Valley Board full time through 2000.

The civic-minded Kezal has taken on numerous civic duties. Since 2000, he has been the liaison chairman for the South Paris Veterans Home, and in July, Gov. Paul LePage appointed him a member of the Board of Trustees for the Maine Veterans’ Homes.