Former Seymour Baseball Coach Bob Kelo. Photo courtesy of Sean Patrick Bowley/GameTime CT
SEYMOUR — Baseball Coach Bobby Kelo was a legend in the Naugatuck Valley and, even in death, the tough guy with a heart of gold has scored a forever place in Valley baseball history.
Thanks to a request made by his dear and longtime friend, former Seymour High School Head Football Coach Paul ‘Spooney’ Sponheimer, the home field dugout at French Memorial Park will be named after Kelo.
The Board of Selectmen this week unanimously approved the request, which Sponheimer said is a fitting tribute to his loyal friend and longtime dedicated coach, teacher and mentor.
Kelo, 60, passed away unexpectedly July, 19 2020 of natural causes at his home in Florida.
Sponheimer said Kelo’s mom Jackie and sister Debbie, who live in Virginia, asked him to make the request on the family’s behalf.
“This is great news and so well-deserved,” Sponheimer said. “Bobby gave so much to the kids in this community, and not just on the baseball field, but in the classroom, after school, helping kids prep for the SATs and beyond. He was a dear friend and always loyal and this is a great and lasting tribute to him.”
First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis said a dedication ceremony would be held sometime in the near future.
Another one of Kelo’s longtime friends, Anne Lynch, in a letter to the selectmen, advocated for anything baseball-related at French Park to bear Kelo’s name.
“Coach, as most people referred to him by, was a teacher at Seymour High School for years, but where he spent most of his time was at French Park,” Lynch wrote in her letter. “His love for the game and his players ran deep. Coach gave a lot of his time to the Seymour community, so I hope we can honor him at French Park, a place that he was truly happy at.”
Kelo, a 1978 graduate of SHS, enjoyed a remarkable, 32-year career as a math teacher and coach at SHS. As head Wildcats’ baseball coach, Kelo earned an impressive record of 438 – 239, which included six league championships, 23 playoff appearances, 11 semi-final appearances, six finals and a state championship in 2007.
Kelo was twice named New Haven Register Coach of the Year, and once named Connecticut Post Coach of the Year. Many of his players went on to play baseball in college.
In 2018, Kelo was inducted into Seymour High School’s Sport Hall of Fame. He retired from coaching varsity baseball in 2015, after his 30th season coaching the Wildcats. Kelo also served as an assistant football coach by Sponheimer’s side for 29 years until Sponheimer himself retired in 2008.
State Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R‑105th, a former Wildcats’ athletic trainer and SHS Class of ’86 graduate, was thrilled to hear of the honor being bestowed on Kelo.
“Bob Kelo has touched so many lives, not just on the baseball diamond, but on the gridiron and in the classroom,” Klarides-Ditria said in a text message. “He’s done so much for his players it’s only fitting the home field dugout be named after such a great man and coach.”
