One of the best to lace up the spikes on the Lakeshore is officially a Hall of Famer.
Shad Hintz, who had a stellar 21-year career in The Shoreland Baseball League, was officially inducted into the Shoreland League Baseball Hall of Fame during a ceremony held Saturday night at Municipal Field in Manitowoc. Hintz spoke to seehafernews.com after his induction.
“It’s an honor. I never thought when I first started playing ball that I would have played as long as I did. I’m truly blessed to have played well into my thirties, basically until I was forty. “
The ceremony was held before the first pitch of the game between The Manitowoc Bandits and Two Rivers Polar Bears.
Ironically, Hintz played for the Polar Bears from 2002 through 2018 and finished his career with the Bandits in 2023.
He was a part of seven championship teams and finished with a batting average of just under .300, accumulating over 250 hits and knocking in more than 150 runs.
Seehafer news.com asked Hintz what the key was to his longevity.
“I guess adaptability. Throughout the years, I have had to overcome numerous injuries. My strong and accurate throwing arm slowly began to decline, and I had to find ways to reinvent myself to keep having my name written on the scorecard. So, I believe my ability to adapt was key.”
Those who played with Shad call him the ultimate teammate, with his long-time manager, Chris Cisler, calling him the ultimate professional.
Although he hung it up a few years ago, would he give it another go if he could?
“I don’t see why not. I did it for a long time, so I guess if I could, I would.”
