Origins: How Post 383 Got Started
By Joe Blenkle / Post 383 Web Page / Aug. 1, 2008

    Our coverage of the Fair Oaks Post 383 team began in 1990. The actual Fair Oaks team fielded its first squad one year prior to that and was created by Jerry Rieger, who was baseball coach at Bella Vista High School at that time.
    "I started the Fair Oaks Post 383 team in 1989," said Rieger. "Mr. Frank Young was my general manager. We used old Boston Red Sox uniform (1969) pants. A college friend was a coach in their organization and got them for me at no cost. We put on a crab feed in January of 1989 to raise money for umpires ($1200).  Baseballs somehow (sic) got donated by Bella Vista High School.  Mr. Young and I ran the team for two years, 1989-90. I left for Cordova High School as a full time teacher in the fall of 1990. Don Barney took the varsity baseball job at BV for the 1991 season and inherited the legion team."
    Even after all these years, Rieger still has information from the 1989 team. He sent us the final stats from the 1989 team. "The stats were compiled by Jim Converse's father, who did a great job as our stat man." said Rieger.
    Converse, of course, was one of the great pitchers to come out of Casa Roble Fundamental High School and was on the original Post 383 team. He was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1990, moving up to the big league club in 1993. Click HERE for the 1989 stats.