Inducted 2012. Highlight of his 1979 Season was a Three-Homer Game.
The Tappe family has been synonymous with baseball since twins El and Mel Tappe played baseball at Quincy High School in the 1940s, and it was Mel’s son, Tony, who kept the family name in the spotlight thanks to his work on the baseball diamond.
Tappe, a 1980 graduate, batted .548 with five home runs and 20 runs batted in during his junior season when the Raiders posted a 10-7 record. The highlight of his season was a three-homer game in which he drove in seven runs to help QND romp past Beardstown 13-6 on May 9, 1979. He was named the Raiders’ best offensive player and most valuable player.
Tappe helped the Raiders post a 14-9 record during his senior season. He was the team captain and was named the best defensive player. He then played briefly for the Chicago Cubs’ affiliate in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League in the summer of 1980.
Tappe joined his father and uncle at Tappe’s Sporting Goods in the fall of 1980. He and his brother, Tim, took over the business until it closed in 2003. Tony then worked in sales at Ted’s Shirt Shack until he died on Jan. 4, 2012.
He is survived by his wife, Kathy, and their sons, Andy (Class of 2000) and Alex (Class of 2003). They both followed in their father’s footsteps and played baseball at Quincy Notre Dame.
We wish Tony could be here tonight to personally thank the QND Hall of Fame committee for this honor. Tony would want to recognize Jim Wosman and Steve Spanich, two coaches who had a big influence in his life. He shared many stories with us about his QND baseball days. He had a great appreciation for QND and truly valued the friendships and memories he made over the years. — Kathy, Andy and Alex Tappe