Generals induct 5 into Hall of Fame

The Waynesboro Generals introduced the first class of their newly formed Hall of Fame on Thursday night during the team’s season finale.

The first five-member class, comprised of Chris Enourato, Ryan Adams, Lawrence Nesselrodt, Jim Critzer and Kurt Davidson, was selected by the Generals’ organization to begin the new tradition.

“It’s one thing to talk about respecting your roots and it’s another to put it in action,” said Generals co-owner Jerry Carter.

The 2009 class was selected from a group that impacted the team in the last five years, leading the Generals from the trenches of the Valley League.

“We talked about the history and who was here for that remarkable turnaround over the last five years and responsible for that,” said co-owner John Leonard.

Enourato and Adams both played for the Generals for three seasons, including the Generals’ 2007 Jim Lineweaver Cup.  Davidson also played in the championship year and in 2008. He returned this season as a member of the Generals’ coaching staff.

“Waynesboro taught me how to go about winning the right way,” Davidson said. “Knowing everyone that has played here before and the teammates that I’ve played with, to get that recognition from the Generals’ organization is quite an honor.”

Nesselrodt led the Generals as the team’s manager for three seasons, collecting two

regular season championships and a Jim Lineweaver Cup.

“It’s an honor to be up there,” Enourato said. “There are a lot of great players that have come through here and to be in the same class as coach Nesselrodt is a real honor for me.”

Critzer owned the team before selling it to Jerry Carter and John Leonard early this year.

Adams said that to be in the inaugural class was an “honor” and appreciated everything Waynesboro did to help him in his future baseball career.

“The people are great the fans are great, the ownership is great, the coaches are awesome and the fans love us,” Adams said. “I feel respected here and that’s important to know the fans have your back.”

Next season the Generals will introduce another Hall of Fame class that Leonard says will go back into the team’s storied past.

“These five were picked with some suggestion form fans but mostly it was from a roundtable discussion to make sure the right people where chose for the right reason,” he said.