RICHMOND, Ind. – The Richmond Roosters continue to leave a legacy in the Frontier League.
This summer the spotlight shines on Richmond again as the club’s Director of Baseball Operations and manager John Cate along with former player Keith Habig will be inducted into the Frontier League Hall of Fame at Don McBride Stadium on July 29 at 1 p.m.
“John Cate was the true architect behind the great Richmond Rooster teams and players,” said Bill Lee, who is the Commissioner Emeritus for the Frontier League.
“His passion for the Roosters and the league was evident to everyone in the league” Lee added. “The league is honored to induct him into the Hall of Fame.”
Formed prior to the 1995 season, the organization was involved with the professional independent league until 2005.
“It’s a great honor,” Cate said. “It’s not just about one person in my mind – (Richmond Mayor) Roger Cornett, Bob Van Pelt, Scott Porter and (Indiana State Senator) Allen Paul. That’s the group that met with Bill Lee to get it going.”
Being honored as a Special Contributor, Cate was part of the ownership group.
He is the second non-player for the Roosters to be inducted. Richmond co-owner and league vice-president Duke Ward was enshrined in 2018.
“This is about all of the people on the ground floor like Gary Kitchel, Tom Cooper and Scott Brumfiel,” said Cate, who has the field at McBride named after him.
Cate served as the manager of the club from 1996-2000 with a pair of post-season appearances. In his role as the Director of Baseball Operations in 2001-02, the Roosters won back-to-back Frontier League championships.
With Cate being honored by the Frontier League, he can add it to the list of accomplishments that include being inducted into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2018, he was part of the inaugural class of the Richmond High School Coaches Hall of Fame.
During his years as the head baseball coach of the Red Devils (1986-1995, 2007-08), they won a dozen sectionals, eight regionals, two semi-states reaching the Final Four in 1993 and 1995. Cate was also the head coach at Earlham College in 2007-08.
Batting Crown
Habig’s .353 average was good enough for the 1997 Frontier League batting title as he added nine homers and 51 RBI in his first season with the Roosters.
“Keith Habig was one of the first shortstops in the league to hit for both average and power,” Lee said. “His consistency at the plate and in the field was a major contribution to the success of the Roosters in his two seasons.”
The shortstop is the fourth player from the 1997 Roosters to be inducted in the Frontier League’s shrine joining Morgan Burkhart, Fran Riordan and Steve Ruckman.
“Being able to enter, the Hall of Fame is a huge honor and going in with my manager John Cate is an added bonus,” Habig said.
In early 1998, Habig spent some time with the Michigan Battle Cats (Class A) in the Boston Red Sox organization before coming back to the Roosters.
“I’m very thankful to have been given the opportunity to play in Richmond by Coach Cate and Jim Coughman,” Habig said. “I had a great time playing and meeting new friends the two years I was there from my first host family, Bill and Debbie Ninde, to my eventual living arrangement with Doc and Carolyn Glock.”
“There are some wonderful people in Richmond, and it was a pleasure playing in front of the fans,” Habig added. “Hosting the Frontier League All-Star Game in 1997 was one of the highlights of my two years there.”
Upon his return to Richmond, Habig batted .356 and drove in 89 runs, while surpassing the league record for homers in a season with 25, which was one better than Burkhart’s mark in 1997. However, Burkhart went on to win the triple crown that summer with 36 homers, 98 RBI and a .404 batting average.
Habig finished his career in the Northern League with the St. Paul Saints in 1999. He currently works as a police officer for a school district in Las Vegas.
Richmond Rosters in the Frontier League Hall of Fame
2014
Morgan Burkhart (1995-98)
Fran Riordan (1997-98, 2002-02)
2015
Bobby Chandler (2000)
2016
Matt Schweizer (2000-05)
2017
Pete Pirman (2003)
2018
Duke Ward (1995-2005)
2021
Jared Howton (2005)
Joe Pass (1996-98)
2022
Steve Ruckman (1995, 1997)
2023
John Cate (1995-2005)
Keith Habig (1997-98)