H.S. BASEBALL: Community to celebrate Bob Thomas' career on Saturday

For the last 51 years, the Chambersburg baseball teams coached by Bob Thomas have given fans plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Saturday, the tables get turned.

The Chambersburg Baseball Boosters are inviting the public to attend a Retirement Celebration in Honor of Bob Thomas. The event – to be held at The Orchards Restaurant in Chambersburg – includes a social hour from 3 to 4 p.m. and a program from 4 to 5 p.m.

"We have four guest speakers lined up (state Sen. Richard Alloway, R-Chambersburg, Jeff Sollars, Bobby Monn and Matt Carr), and the booster club will present a gift to Bob," said Kris Suders, president of the booster club.

Suders said she is encouraging people to wear Trojan gear to "show your Trojan pride."

Bob's sons Craig and Eric Thomas have had a hand in organizing the event.

And Craig had the task of telling Bob about the celebration.

"He wasn't real keen about it when I first talked to him," Craig said, "but then he softened up a little. That's just the way he is – he doesn't want any hoopla."

There is, of course, plenty of hoopla to talk about.

Thomas coached the Trojans for 51 years, had only one losing season, won 833 games and brought home three PIAA championships.

Craig said, "My brother put together a slide show. He starting keeping an album each year starting in 1979. That was the first year they held playoffs, and Chambersburg got all the way to the state final (a 2-1 loss to State College). We don't have too much from the years before that, but we'll still have a lot of photos and things that we'll have on display."

"His sons have been very helpful in setting this whole thing up," Suders said.

Anyone interested in coming to the event should RSVP Suders by Thursday by phone (375-8064) or email (mkasuders@comcast.net).