Safe at home: Dan Lehman dedicated nearly four decades to grooming his 'passion'
Lehman’s continual care for the baseball and softball fields at Hiland High School led to the new ball diamond behind the school being named in his honor.
After 30 years of serving as the head groundskeeper, Lehman stepped down this year.
In celebration of his retirement, Hiland coach Tom Gibson and the Hawks presented him with some special moments during Dan Lehman Night Saturday, April 19 between games of a double-header with Dalton.
“This has been my home away from home,” said Lehman of the fields at Hiland High School.
With a large contingent of former Hiland players celebrating the occasion with him, Lehman received several gifts from the team, including Cleveland Indians tickets and a beautiful bench donated by Little Cottage Co.
But more importantly, Lehman’s entire extended family was on hand, including his son Fred, who now lives in Texas, and was on that very first Hiland baseball team when Lehman began his career at Hiland.
“On behalf of the Lehman family, I really want to thank everyone for coming out for this,” said Fred Lehman to the many former Hawks who were in attendance. “He really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know you guys and to talk with you guys. It meant the world to him, and it kept him young.”
In addition to the former players and family, there was yet one more surprise in store for Lehman.
In the 1970s, Lehman developed a unique relationship with the Cleveland Indians organization. As the manager of Der Dutchman Restaurant, Lehman became a clubhouse favorite for players like Andy Thornton, Boog Powell and Duane Kiper, as he continually gave their spirits a lift by bringing homemade pies to the stadium for the players.
“I would take a couple pies up there. A couple hundred,” joked Lehman. “I did that because I loved the Indians and I loved the players.”
Those trips allowed him to develop a close relationship with Indians clubhouse manager Cy Buynak, who managed the Tribe clubhouse for 45 years before retiring in 2006.
Buynak and his wife Mary flew in from Arizona, a huge but very pleasant surprise for Lehman.
“That was a complete surprise,” said Lehman of the Buynaks’ visit. The Lehman family was actually at Farmstead Restaurant being seated to eat, and Lehman wondered why there were too many table settings. “I haven’t seen them for about eight years.”
Enter the Buynaks, setting off a long and joyful trip down memory lane.
Lehman would stay with the Buynaks when he worked with the Indians in spring training in Tuscon, Ariz.
“We had a lot of great times and made some wonderful memories,” said Cy Buynak. “It’s been a special relationship and we wanted to be here for this for Dan and the family.”
Lehman, who often joked that the fields were his second family, said that even though he is recognized as the caretaker of the fields, with Lehman Field in particular getting rave reviews from visiting teams from all over Ohio, he could not have done it without plenty of help.
“I owe so many people a thank you for helping me and supporting me over the years,” said Lehman of his time at Hiland. “Mainly my wife, because she put up with me being here for thousands of hours while she was at home working in the flower beds.”
As the ceremony wound down, Gibson had one last request for Lehman, asking him to drag the field one last time before the second game versus Dalton.
Lehman quickly agreed.
After all, at Lehman Field, he always felt safe at home.