SABR founder Cliff Kachline dies
Clifford S. Kachline, 88, of Big Canoe, GA, Lexington, IL, and Cooperstown, NY died on Monday, June 28, 2010 at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal, IL.
In addition to being one of SABR’s founding members, he was the former Historian for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY, the job from which he retired. During his long career, he was also the Public Relations Director for the North American Soccer League, Associate Editor of The Sporting News, past president of the St. Louis Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA), and a Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary. He also served as SABR’s first Executive Director (1983-85).
Clifford was known as a kind, gentle man with a passion for details. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother and a hero to his great-granddaughters. A lover of classical and early American music, he and his wife were members of the Voices of Cooperstown and the Catskill Choral Society. He gave loyal and caring support to his neighbors and his longtime friends across many communities. He was an active, enthusiastic, and well-respected ambassador for baseball and for the many organizations to which he belonged. He will be missed by many.
Clifford was born July 25, 1921 in Quakertown, PA, the son of Hiram and Florence Stump Kachline. He married Evelyn J. Bates on December 24, 1948, in St. Louis, MO. They were married for almost fifty-eight years before she died on October 17, 2006.
Surviving are: two daughters Joyce K. Thomas (Ed Schumer) of Lexington, IL and Jerelyn (Bruce) Ramo of Big Canoe, GA; four grandchildren Heather (Steve) Hollaway of Peoria, IL, Devin (Christen) Ramo of Pine Lake, GA, Chelsea (Matt) Allen of Bloomington, IL, and Brandon (Stacie) Ramo of Dallas, TX; three great-grandchildren Ava, Madelyn, and Isabel Ramo; two brothers Ernie Kachline of Columbia, SC and Tom (Myrt) Kachline of Charlotte, NC; two sisters Arlene (Bob) Loehrig of Oreland, PA and Loretta (Bill) King of Sequim, WA; sister-in-law Ina (Wally) Cordes of St. Louis, MO; and many nieces and nephews.
Cremation Rites will be accorded and a private family service will be held.
Donor-directed, tax deductible memorials may be made to the Cooperstown Rotary Foundation Inc., PO Box 993, Cooperstown, NY 13326 or to a charity of your choice in Clifford
Originally published: June 30, 2010. Last Updated: June 30, 2010.