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Little League suffers big loss with the passing of Coach Buddy

NEWS-PRESS FILE PHOTOS

The late Rick “Buddy” Wolin, a developmentally challenged coach, makes like Superman and shouts “Up, Up, and Away!” to fire up a Dos Pueblos Little League team during a game in 2004.

By MARK PATTON NEWS-PRESS SENIOR WRITER

The Dos Pueblos Little League has lost its best buddy.

Rick “Buddy” Wolin, a special-needs graduate of Devereaux School and the face of Goleta’s youth baseball league for the last four decades, passed away on Saturday after a bout with cancer. He was 70.

“My heart is broken … and heaven is happy,” said Donna Demeter, one of the many Little League moms who took Wolin under their wing. “He affected my life in such a positive way.”

Wolin helped coach and support countless DPLL teams over the years. He’d ring in each season by leading a cheer during the Opening Day ceremonies. The Little Leaguers would finish it off each time with a resounding shout of “Charge!”

The kids nicknamed him “Buddy” because that’s what he always called them.

“I have a lot of great buddies here,” Wolin said after one Opening Day ceremony. “They come to learn and they come to have fun.

“I do this because I love kids so much. I’m going to keep doing it for as long as I can. Baseball keeps me young.”

Wolin’s relationship with the DP Little League began during the early 1980s when he’d ride his bike from Devereaux to watch the games. He eventually volunteered to coach.

“He kept coming back, and as the years went by, a lot of the moms started taking care of him,” said Dan Rohde, who coached four sons in the DPLL. “His family lived back in Chicago, so a lot of our families invited him to dinner … We’d have him over once a month.

“It kind of progressed into him becoming more involved with the league … becoming an honorary coach.”

Everybody in the Goleta Valley soon got to know Buddy.

“As the years went by, he built and kept relationships,” long-time coach Ralph Randall said. “He rarely forgot anybody who ever played or coached there.

“It always amazed me how well the young kids, as well as the teenagers, related to him.”

Buddy became the good-luck charm for Rohde’s All-Stars in 2006 when they won the State Little League Championship for 9- and 10-year-olds.

“He showed up when we all met to take my motorhome to our first game in Temple City,” Rohde said. “I told him, ‘Buddy, you can’t go. We’ve got all these kids to deal with.’ …And he started crying.

“As I was loading up the kids, he kept saying, ‘Why was I born like this? Why was I born like this?’ I was glad to be wearing sunglasses because I had tears in my eyes, too, watching Buddy wave goodbye to us.”

The team lost its State Tournament opener

Rick “Buddy” Wolin is rewarded with a hug after Sammy Wilkinson borrowed his glove to make an inning-ending catch during a Dos Pueblos Little League game.

to Rancho San Diego. The kids admonished Rohde afterward, saying, “You should’ve brought Buddy! You should’ve brought Buddy!”

“The kids loved having him around so much because he was always so positive with them,” he said. “They really fed off that.”

And Buddy made sure he was there for them the rest of the tournament. While the team stayed overnight in a motel, he kept hitching rides to Temple City with various parents to watch the next six games. Rohde’s all-stars won each one.

“I’m not a superstitious guy,” he said, “but I remember looking over my shoulder as we warmed up for the championship game, thinking, ‘He’d better pop out of one of these cars pretty soon.’

“Sure enough, he eventually did, and we beat Upland, 4-0. I’m pretty certain he brought some sort of magic to these kids.”

Wolin had standing dinner dates with several DP Little League families. He dined with the family of Troy and Cheri Davis nearly every Sunday for the last 15 years.

“I’m not sure if it started when Garrett was playing YFL football when he was 8, or when Ryan was playing on DP Little League’s 9-and10 all-stars,” Cheri said. “Buddy was involved with a lot of teams.

“But there are like eight families that have been looking after Buddy, having him over for dinner, taking him to the store or to pay his rent.”

They included families like the Demeters, the Coffeys, the Tedeschi’s, the Cravens, the Bakers, and the Sotos.

The O’Donnell family remained close to Wolin even after they moved to Westlake.

“They’d pick him up and take him to their house for a night or two,” Demeter said. “He spent Thanksgiving with them the last couple of years, and Christmas with us for the last 10.”

Wolin kept a positive attitude even after he was hospitalized with cancer.

“He never complained, never wanted people to know he was in pain,” Demeter said. “I’d ask him how he was doing and he’d say, ‘Oh, hanging in there … How about you?’

“He even threw out the first pitch at Opening Day this year. He had to get out of his wheelchair to do it. It was pretty emotional.”

Wolin was eventually placed at the Californian, a nursing and rehabilitation center in downtown Santa Barbara. The COVID-19 pandemic left him unable to receive visitors.

“We could only talk to him through the window, and he’d want to give everybody a hug,” Davis said. “That was the real hard part.

“But his Little League families arranged a car caravan with signs, and the personnel there moved him to a window so he could see it. It was a pretty good turnout, too. That was

Assistant coach Rick “Buddy” Wolin shouts encouragement to his Dos Pueblos Little League team during a game in 2004.

pretty special.”

Buddy’s brother, Jeff Wolin, also arranged to have Dodger manager Dave Roberts and star player Justin Turner give him a phone call of encouragement.

“He was a huge Dodger fan,” Davis said. “I heard they talked with him for about 20 minutes. I’m sure that was a dream come true for Buddy.”

Her three children — Ryan, Garrett, and daughter Cherise Elizabeth — made one last trip to Wolin’s window just before he died.

“He had a special place in all our hearts — it meant a lot to me that we were able to say our goodbyes,” Cheri said. “Ryan wrote on Facebook that, ‘We lost the most positive, kind, caring, purest and loving human on planet earth,’ and I thought that was the perfect way to describe Buddy.”

Meredith O’Donnell put it another way, recalling a phrase that Buddy liked to use.

“We have to go back,” he’d say, “because I left my heart.”

It will remain there now, kept in good care in hundreds of Goleta homes.

email: mpatton@newspress.com

‘Open your windows at night, take cold showers’

HEAT

Continued from Page A1

Santa Ynez Valley have been designated with excessive heat warnings by the NWS, and the Santa Ynez Valley with a heat advisory. These designations are expected to remain through Thursday, according to NWS meteorologist Lisa Phillips.

Santa Barbara Airport is forecasted to be somewhat cooler than either the inland areas or the city of Santa Barbara, with high temperatures in the mid 80s through Thursday, and in the low 80s on Monday. Low temperatures at the airport will likely be in the low to mid 60s.

Beyond drinking plenty of water and going near the coastal areas to cool off, Ms. Phillips gave a few recommendations for their homes. La Stella, Trout power Angels to victory

Tommy La Stella hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim a 7-6 win over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night at Angel Stadium.

La Stella’s second home run of the season came with one out off Giants closer Trevor Gott.

Mike Trout also belted his 10th home run of local residents trying to beat the heat in

the season in the third inning for the Angels, who broke a four-game losing streak.

Mike Yastrzemski finished 2-for-5 with a tworun double in the sixth for San Francisco. His double gave the Giants a 6-5 lead. Brandon Belt also homered and drove in a pair of runs for San Francisco, which has lost five straight.

In Los Angeles, the Dodgers won a slugfest against the Seattle Mariners, 11-9.

Mookie Betts and Corey Seager proved to be a potent combination at the top of the order for L.A., as both homered and combined for five runs batted in. Seager finished 2-for-4 with three RBIS, while Betts was 2-for-5 with a pair of runs batted in.

The Dodgers improved to 17-7 with their sixth straight win. L.A. has the best record in the National League.

VILLARREAL, José G.

José G. Villarreal, longtime resident of Santa Barbara, passed away August 11, 2020. José came to Santa Barbara, CA from Chihuahua, Chih., Mexico. He is preceded in death by: his parents, Hesiquio Villarreal González and Petra Guerrero de Villarreal; his siblings, Carmen Villarreal Vda. de Castaño, Andrés Villarreal Guerrero, Luis Villarreal Guerrero, Elena Villarreal de Garza, and Chuy Villarreal Guerrero; seven half-brothers and sisters; his first wife, Juanita Gutierrez de Villarreal; his second wife, Sharon Kay Villarreal; and beloved daughter, Helen Elizabeth Villarreal Kozik (Chris).

José is survived and will be forever missed by his beloved children, Joe Villarreal (Cecilia), Sharon Marie Villarreal, Richard Louis Villarreal (Ana), and Alice Jennine Villarreal Redit (Wayne); his precious grandchildren, Elizabeth Maribel Villarreal, Chloe Marie Redit, and Sarah Ivy Redit; countless nieces and nephews; and numerous lifelong friends.

José had some formal education, including accounting school. He was an avid reader and seeker of knowledge. He came to California as a young man, with no possessions or family. He taught himself English by reading newspapers and with any extra money he made washing dishes and other odd jobs, he enrolled in English classes. He worked his way up the ladder to become chef of the Coral Casino of the Santa Barbara Biltmore under his mentor, the renowned Chef de Cuisine, Jacques La Borgne. He worked there 25 years and was honored for his dedication and precision, before accepting the position of Executive Chef at La Cumbre Golf and Country Club, where he provided excellent service for the next 25 years. Guests and co-workers alike took notice of his leadership and hospitality. José often worked 12 to 16 hour days, splitting his shifts in order to attend his five children’s school and sports activities. His dedication to his work was exemplified by the fact that he rarely took a day off work.

Among José’s proudest moments was his becoming a naturalized U.S citizen in 1968, alongside his dear sister-in-law, Lucy Gutierrez Ortiz but he always remained proud of his Mexican heritage. Once a citizen, he never missed voting in any election and became informed and involved in his community. He supported workers’ rights and in his later life, was able to more actively participate in his community. He attended community information meetings, particularly those affecting the Eastside of SB and advocated for immigrants’ rights. José was a long-time member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish as well as the Knights of Columbus. He was proud to participate in the SBPD “ridealong” program and was mentioned a few times in the SB News-Press for his efforts to improve the local community. He was especially happy when volunteering with “Food from the Heart,” where he met many friends, like Grover Barnes. José was honored to have known Mr. Barnes, who was 100 years young. He always had a few minutes to talk while delivering meals to those in need. José was also proud to have met the wonderful chef there, Robin Monroe, who always referred to him as “Mr. José.”

As a youth, José was a talented athlete. He played baseball and basketball and trained as an amateur boxer. He also for a time was being groomed to become a bullfighter. José passed on his passion for sports to his children, all of whom played sports in high school. José was known as the “walking encyclopedia” of boxing. He was proud to be a loyal Dodger fan. He attended many games and took his children when he could. He enjoyed watching and answering the questions on “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune.” Though he did not acknowledge it, his wealth of vocabulary, and knowledge of world events, politics, and history was noted by his family and friends. He loved watching classic movies, especially westerns.

After working for more than fifty years and raising five children, José was finally able to spend some time on himself. He was never happier than when his siblings would come to visit him from Chihuahua, or he would visit them. He enjoyed the occasional lunch with his friends. He prided himself on the care of his plants and many fruit trees, and loved to watch the birds take baths in his garden. His most treasured times were those spent with family. He doted on his three grandchildren and loved to spoil each of them. He will be remembered for instilling in his children and grandchildren his Catholic faith in God, the value of a dollar, gratitude for family, and a strong work ethic.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, a Rosary is not permitted. Funeral Mass will be at 10 am Fri., Aug. 21 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church followed by Interment at Calvary Cemetery in Santa Barbara. Face coverings are required. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in José’s name to Food from the Heart in Santa Barbara.

The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday, August 21, 2020, at 10:00 am, followed immediately by the Interment service at Calvary Cemetery. Face coverings are required at all services. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in José’s memory to Food from the Heart, 909 N La Cumbre Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. Arrangements entrusted to Pueblo del Rey Funeral Services.

Obituary notices are published daily in the Santa Barbara News-Press and also appear on our website www.newspress.com

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LOCAL FIVE-DAY FORECAST

TODAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Mostly sunny

INLAND 109 64 COASTAL 83 66

Mostly sunny

INLAND 108 63 COASTAL 82 63

Mostly sunny

INLAND 102 60 COASTAL 82 61

Partly sunny and pleasant INLAND 103 60 COASTAL 78 63

Pismo Beach 85/63

Shown is today's weather. Temperatures are today's highs and tonight's lows.

Guadalupe 82/61

Vandenberg 76/59 Santa Maria 89/62

Los Alamos 99/66 New Cuyama 111/72

Lompoc Buellton 97/64 Solvang 105/67 80/58 SANTA BARBARA

AIR QUALITY KEY Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2020 Gaviota Source: airnow.gov 83/65 Goleta 85/65 83/66 Carpinteria 82/65

ALMANAC Good Moderate Unhealthy for SG Unhealthy Very Unhealthy Not Available MARINE FORECAST SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL Ventura 80/66

Santa Barbara through 6 p.m. yesterday Wind from the west at 4-8 knots today. Wind waves TEMPERATURE 1-3 feet with a south swell 1-3 feet at 15-second High/low 82/62 intervals. Visibility clear. Normal high/low 74/58 POINT ARENA TO POINT PINOS Record high 85 in 1992 Wind from the southwest at 3-6 knots today. Wind Record low 51 in 1978 waves 1-3 feet with a south swell 3-5 feet at 12-secPRECIPITATION 24 hours through 6 p.m. yest. 0.00” Month to date (normal) Trace (0.07”) Season to date (normal) 11.57” (17.63”) ond intervals. Visibility clear. Wind from the southwest at 3-6 knots today. Wind waves 1-3 feet with a south swell 3-5 feet at 12-second intervals. Visibility clear. POINT CONCEPTION TO MEXICO

LOCAL TEMPS TIDES Today Wed. SANTA BARBARA HARBOR TIDES City Hi/Lo/W Hi/Lo/W Date Time High Time Low

Cuyama 111/72/s 108/65/s Aug. 18 10:34 a.m. 4.3’ 4:11 a.m. -0.8’ Goleta 85/65/s 84/62/s 9:43 p.m. 6.6’ 3:30 p.m. 2.0’ Lompoc 83/62/s 87/59/s Aug. 19 11:07 a.m. 4.5’ 4:46 a.m. -0.8’ Pismo Beach 85/63/s 88/59/s 10:27 p.m. 6.5’ 4:16 p.m. 1.7’ Santa Maria 89/62/s 90/59/s Aug. 20 11:42 a.m. 4.8’ 5:21 a.m. -0.6’ Santa Ynez 109/64/s 108/63/s 11:13 p.m. 6.1’ 5:07 p.m. 1.5’ Vandenberg 76/59/s 77/57/s Ventura 80/66/s 79/65/s LAKE LEVELS STATE CITIES At Lake Cachuma’s maximum level at the point AT BRADBURY DAM, LAKE CACHUMA Bakersfield 108/80/s 107/72/s at which water starts spilling over the dam holds Barstow 113/83/pc 112/81/s 188,030 acre-feet. An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, Big Bear 83/49/pc 81/50/s equivalent to the amount of water consumed annuBishop 106/64/t 104/61/pc ally by 10 people in an urban environment. Catalina 92/77/s 90/74/s Concord 104/67/s 96/62/s Escondido 100/70/s 97/69/s Eureka 64/53/c 63/54/pc Fresno 110/81/s 107/71/s Los Angeles 99/73/s 98/70/s Mammoth Lakes 85/50/t 85/50/pc Storage 146,018 acre-ft. Elevation 736.25 ft. Evaporation (past 24 hours) 64.9 acre-ft. Infl ow 57.3 acre-ft. State infl ow 0.0 acre-ft. Storage change from yest. +0 acre-ft. Modesto 107/76/s 102/65/s Report from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation