Eastside Old-Timers 71st annual reunion

The East Side Old Timers will induct six people into the Hall of Fame. Athletes who grew up on the Eastside are selected for their achievement in sports throughout their lifetime. The following will be recipients of the award:

Dan Roff

Youth Sports Opportunities - I grew-up in NE Minneapolis and played youth sports through the MPLS Park Board and NE Catholic School Co-op, NERO. I played Football, Basketball, Wrestling, Tumbling, and Baseball. I was lucky enough to be part of City Championships 2 in youth football, 3-time city champ in wrestling. I played with Nero baseball in Spring starting in 5th grade. In 7th grade, Ted Schullo put together a NE Traveling Team and played in the summer through High School. We took 3rd in the VFW state Tournament in our sophomore year, beating Kent Hrbek’s team in the section final.

High School - Played Varsity FB, WR, and BB all three years, and was lucky enough to be part of 2 City FB Team Champions, 2-time City Champs in Wrestling, and 2-time champs in Baseball. As a three-sport athlete, I was all conference - 2 times in FB, 3 in WR, and 1in BB

High School Highlights - Senior year, voted by MPLS Football Coaches - MPLS FB Player of the Year. and chosen to play in the North - South All-star Football game. WCCO All-state, The Wrestling Team was the Twin City and Region Champions. In Baseball, MPLS and Twin City Champs, beating Cretin-Durham Hall.

College Athletics - Augsburg College - Football - I was a 4-year starter at running back.

My Senior year, Co-captain and All-conference. I held the most rushing touchdowns in Augsburg Football History and held it from the Fall of 1981- 2010. I graduated at Augsburg in ‘82 and was named the Senior Honor Male Athlete Award. In 2009, inducted into the Augsburg College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Post College -

1983-1984 MPLS middle schools as an English Teacher and coach

1985-1999 Edison English and Physical Education

2001-2006 Edison Athletic Director/One year as Vice-Principal

Years Coaching at Edison - Badminton 3, Cheerleader Director - 2

Football 14, Wrestling 13, Track & Field 15

I retired after 15 years from Fridley High School as Director of Activities/Vice Principal.

Family - Julie and I have been married for 43 years, raised 3 children, Ben, Andy and Abby. We have four grandchildren. We have lived in Plymouth for 33 years.

Tim Johnson

Tim grew up in Northeast Minneapolis playing hockey at Windom Park, boxing at Margaret Barry House, and baseball for Falldin American Legion Post 555 under legendary coach Si Gomez through the seventh grade. He later joined the Northeast Corkers under coach Gene Palm, helping lead the team to an undefeated 25-0 season before returning to Falldin to play several more years under Dave Gomez.

At Edison High School, Tim was a three-sport athlete, competing in football under coach Guil Parsons, hockey under coach Mike Doyle and baseball under Pete Guzy. He also played American Legion and Navy Marine baseball for coach Joe Hanzlik and was a member of the 1970 Minneapolis District Championship baseball team.

After graduation, Tim continued his baseball career in the Metro Collegiate League for three seasons, spent part of a season with the University of Minnesota baseball program, and earned a professional tryout with the Cincinnati Reds.

Tim’s greatest legacy may be his commitment to serving the game. Tim became a football official with the Minneapolis Officials Association and dedicated more than 20 years to officiating high school and collegiate football. His career included seven Minnesota State High School League sectional playoff assignments, including a sectional championship game, along with collegiate contests in the Minnesota Junior College Conference, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), the North Central Conference, and the Big Ten Conference. He also served as a baseball umpire for American Legion and summer high school baseball. Among the highlights of his officiating career was the opportunity to work alongside Hall of Fame officials Bruce Wojack and Bozo Wincek.

Tim’s passion for sports has always centered on developing young athletes. He coached football and baseball throughout Northeast Minneapolis, coached Northeast Babe Ruth baseball alongside Teddy Schullo, spent several seasons coaching traveling youth hockey, and had the privilege of coaching his own sons in both hockey and baseball.

Tim became an accomplished golfer, reaching a 3-handicap. In 2004, he captained Cedar Creek’s 24-man golf team to a runner-up finish in the Minnesota State Team Championship.

Today, Tim resides in Brooklyn Park with his wife Marcia of 51 years. They have three sons and seven grandchildren.

Duane Van Vickle

I began my athletic career playing park board baseball and football for Falldin American Legion post 555. We won a number of baseball and football championships during that time.

I attended Edison High School where I played baseball and football for one year. I did not play my junior or senior years because I needed to enter the work world. After graduation I entered the Marine Corp and was later awarded a purple heart for action in Vietnam.

As an adult, I played softball and broomball for over 30 years. In broomball, I was a member of several elite indoor leagues for over 15 years.

I was fortunate to coach at all levels of youth hockey for 15 years. A highlight was coaching the Edison Youth Bantam hockey team to a third-place finish in the 1987 State Tournament. I also had the honor of being the District 7 hockey representative for five years. I also coached baseball and football over four years for Falldin, Windom Park and Waite Park.

I was involved with the Edison Hockey Boosters, running the pull tab fundraiser for ten years. I was also on the planning committee for the new hockey rink addition at Parade Ice Garden.

I worked at Northwestern Bell telephone and its successors for 43 years. I’m currently a golf ranger at Columbia golf course. Married to wife Patty for 55 years. We raised two sons, Wesley and Scott. Both sons are graduates of Edison High School and they participated in football, hockey, baseball and golf. We are still living in the same NE house now for 53 years.

Our son Wes and his wife Sara have given us a beautiful granddaughter “Shelby” who we watch Irish line dance every chance we get.

Majalisa Jaede Maley

I began my athletic path at Luxton Park playing Soccer, Basketball, Baseball and Track. 

Because Title IX had not fully taken effect, I played on the boys’ teams until the 5th grade.

I attended Marshall-University High School and participated in basketball, golf, swimming, track and field and volleyball during my six years at MU.  I earned 14 letters. 

I briefly held the 500-yard freestyle swimming record when I was in 8th grade.  I was selected captain of the golf team both my junior and senior years, and of the basketball team my senior year.  I was an All-Conference selection six times (two each in basketball, golf and volleyball).

In my junior year I, with my teammates Elaine Eiland, Julie Johnson, and Melissa Hamilton qualified for the State Track Meet in the 4x400 Meter Relay.  We finished in 4th place.  I had the low net score for the golf team both my junior and senior year.  I qualified for the State Meet in golf my senior year but could not participate due to knee surgery.  

I was honored with the Athena Award, which is the best senior female athlete in each of the schools in the Twin Cities area.  Because Marshall-University closed at the end of the 1981-82 school year, I was the last award winner from Marshall-University High School.

After graduating I attended the University of Chicago on an academic scholarship. (I graduated MU with a 3.98 GPA.)  I played basketball and volleyball for two years, ending my collegiate career with knee reconstruction surgery. 

After graduating from college, I continued to be athletically active.  I coached youth basketball and soccer. I participated in two golf leagues and a triathlon. I served on the Columbus (Ohio) East Soccer Association Board from 2001-2010. My son Tommy and I are avid sports fans and love to watch the game…just about any game.

Lee Mesna

Lee began his athletic career at three years old by climbing over the fence his dad was building to keep him in the yard. At Van Cleve Park Lee competed in baseball and football alongside hall of famers John Wold “Fritz” and Wayne Nelson. Tim Smith along with the Booths, Jockettys and Formicos were all in the mix. His first coach Jack Fecht and Nordeaster Don Mezzenga later became teaching colleagues at Blake School.

Lee played football, basketball, and baseball at Marshall High School earning many academic and athletic awards including almost winning the city basketball scoring title missing by one point. Coached by Don Sovell, Dewayne Dietz, Joe Jocketty, and others, he earned All City in basketball.

Lee played football, basketball, and baseball all four years at St. Olaf College, the first athlete in over 20 years to do so, earning letters, captaincy, and most valuable player honors. Lee was voted top student athlete his senior year while double majoring in English and Physical Education and beginning a family with high school sweetheart Tucky Kingsley. Lee was inducted into the St. Olaf Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. Lee is one of only two three-sport athletes to be inducted.

Lee then went on to Springfield College in Massachusetts for graduate school where he acquired lifetime teaching skills, one of which was teaching driver training to Spanish speaking nuns accompanied by back seat interpreters. Picture that for a moment!

Lee then became a teacher and coach at Blake School earning championships in the 70’s. Lee introduced “lifetime sports” such as fencing, canoeing, rock climbing, bicycling, and scuba diving into the regular academic physical education curriculum at Blake. Many field trips to Taylor’s Falls (rock climbing), Crow River (canoeing), and Florida Keys for scuba adventures followed.

After teaching, Lee has kept busy as a remodeler and cabinet maker, still actively working in Minnesota and Florida. Since turning 80 Lee is thinking of retiring, he thinks maybe at 85. Lee's family, wife Tucky, daughters Marit and Karin, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren are all threatening to take his ladders away if he doesn’t retire soon. Lee and Tucky spend the winter in Naples, Florida and the summer at their cabin in Crosslake, Minnesota.

Kevin “Yogi” Hanzlik

Kevin “Yogi” Hanzlik grew up in Lower Northeast Minneapolis as part of a powerhouse athletic family, and from an early age, sports—especially baseball—were at the center of his life.

Yogi began playing baseball and basketball at Bottineau Park for the Northeast Boosters before continuing with North Side American Legion Post 230, where he had the unique opportunity to be coached by his father, Joe Hanzlik Sr.

At Edison High School, Yogi was a five-time letter winner and earned All-City honors in both baseball and basketball. He was selected to the WCCO Weekly All-State basketball team three times, but baseball was where he truly made his mark. As Edison’s standout catcher, Yogi helped lead the team to the 1972 city championship with a 9–1 record. His rocket arm, quick bat, toughness, and baseball IQ caught the attention of professional scouts, and in 1972, he was drafted by his hometown Minnesota Twins.

Yogi ultimately chose a different path, attending St. Cloud State University, where he played baseball for four years, served as team captain his senior year, and earned his degree in Education. He continued playing with the Park National League Warriors from 1979–86.

Yogi, an excellent golfer, has also spent many happy summers on the golf course, often alongside his wife Jeanne.

That love of sports carried naturally into his professional life. Yogi spent 36 years teaching middle school English, including 33 years at Rosemount Middle School, while also coaching baseball, volleyball, basketball and even soccer. More important than wins and losses were the generations of young people he had the opportunity to teach, coach, challenge, encourage—and undoubtedly entertain with one of his many stories. And anyone who knows Yogi knows there are a lot of stories. Bottineau Park, baseball, golf, old teammates, former students—no friend or foe is safe once Yogi starts reaching into the archives. He has always had a gift for turning a memory into a story and a story into something that leaves everyone around him smiling.

Away from the field and classroom, Yogi built the accomplishment he is perhaps proudest of: his family. He and his wife, Jeanne, raised four daughters—Kaitlin, Kylie, Cassidy, and Quinn.

Today, Yogi is Grandpa to nine grandchildren—two girls and seven boys, all under nine years old. They keep him busy, laughing, and certain that retirement bears very little resemblance to slowing down.

But his legacy extends far beyond statistics, championships, or even being drafted by the Minnesota Twins. It lives in the teammates who remember what it was like to play beside him, the athletes he coached, the students he taught, the friends who have heard his stories countless times and still laugh, and the family that remains at the center of it all.