Former Benedictine star athlete Hank Lehwald remembered for a life well lived
The Benedictine community suffered a big loss last month with the death of Hank Lehwald, the standout catcher on the 1961 Cadet baseball team that won the first state title in school history in any sport.
Lehwald was also a star on the Cadet football team and basketball squad. A four-year starter at BC in each sport, Lehwald was known for his toughness.
He died on March 5 at the age of 79 in Florida.
Lehwald was inducted into the Greater Savannah Hall of Fame in 2016. His friends say Lehwald was as good of a person as he was an athlete.
Charlie Russo was a teammate of Lehwald's on the 1961 BC baseball team that won the state crown and stayed close friends throughout the years. He said Lehwald was an even better football player, despite being undersized, than he was at baseball.
Russo said BC football coach Vic Mell invited Lehwald and his close friend Stan Friedman to come to the Cadets' spring practice as eighth graders, with Lehwald weighing in at about 170 pounds.
More: How Benedictine baseball team is pressing on after Carter Holton moved on to Vanderbilt
Mell asked Lehwald if he wanted to join the scrimmage and face off against the Cadets' first-team offensive line.
"Hank made tackle after tackle and could not be blocked," Russo said. "He was already a man when he arrived his freshman year and only got stronger, faster and more athletic the next three years."
More: As Benedictine plays for state baseball crown, former Cadets remember first title in 1961
Lehwald added to his legend as a senior when the Cadet football team hosted national powerhouse Miami High. Lehwald racked up 26 tackles at linebacker, and the Miami coach said he was the best high school defensive player he had ever seen, Russo recalled. Lehwald earned All-State and All-America high school honors in football as a linebacker/running back, and was the Savannah Quarterback Club's Back of the Year in 1961.
As a catcher for the Cadet baseball team, Lehwald was like the team general, said Charlie Moore, who coached the championship squad.
"He was very calming out there and took control like a catcher is supposed to do," Moore said. "And he was smart -- he always got along well with the umpires. He knew how to lead without being overbearing, and he was perfect behind the plate when Larry Patterson was pitching."
His teammate Patterson, who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians out of high school, narrowly edged Lehwald for the Ashley Dearing Award as the most versatile male high school athlete in Savannah in their senior year. Patterson died in January.
More: Larry Patterson, former Benedictine ace pitcher and Ashley Dearing Award winner, dies at 78
Lehwald had multiple scholarship offers to play football, including at the University of Florida. But he pursued a baseball career after being drafted out of high school by the Dodgers.
After his baseball days ended, he attended Georgia Military College before moving on to Georgia Southern University where he was captain of their inaugural golf team. He was drafted in the U.S. Army and chose to go to Officer Candidate School and became an officer.
After serving in the Army as a first lieutenant, he became an assistant golf pro at East Lake Country Club in Atlanta.
He became a successful investment banker -- opening his own firm in Boca Raton, Florida before retiring early.
Lehwald is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marie Lehwald of Coral Springs, FL; his two daughters, Niccole Lehwald White (Phil) of Stuart, FL and Jennifer Lehwald Parker (Sam) of Boone, North Carolina and five grandchildren.
Services have been held, Lehwald was laid to rest in Bonaventure Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made in the name of Henry Lehwald, Jr. to Benedictine Military School, 6502 Seawright Drive, Savannah, GA 31406 or to the American Heart Association, PO Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692.
"Hank was a great teammate and a loyal friend," Russo said. "We're going to miss him."
Dennis Knight covers sports for the Savannah Morning News. Contact him at Dknight@savannahnow.com. Twitter: @DennisKnightSMN
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Hank Lehwald, former star athlete at Benedictine, dies at 79
