FOWLER – City staff, community members and loved ones gathered to commemorate years of service from City Councilmember Leonard Hammer, or as many in the community lovingly know him, “Mr. Baseball.”
On April 28, the Fowler City Council chamber was a packed house for a special meeting commemorating Hammer’s impact on the city council and the wider community. After decades of stacking a near-endless community service record, Hammer has decided to step down from his role to focus on his health.
Though his time as a city council member has now concluded, a key takeaway from the evening was that Hammer’s dedication to his community is far from over.
“I really love this town, and I only want to do what’s right for this town,” said Hammer in an interview.
After the flag salute, the special meeting opened with readings of proclamations from the offices of Congressman Jim Costa and Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, city staff and the city council. Each proclamation gave background on Hammer’s extensive list of roles and achievements, and of his history within the city.
Hammer was born in San Diego in 1945. He married his wife, Britta, in 1969, and later moved to the city of Fowler in 1973 to farm peaches and grapes.
From then on, he would go on to touch nearly every corner of the community, but especially so when it came to baseball. He served as a Babe Ruth League coach and league president from 1980-1990, and was elected as the Central California state commissioner in 1994.
In 2002, Hammer was elected as the Pacific Southwest regional commissioner, and to the Babe Ruth League International Board of Directors. He’s also served at the Fowler High School Baseball Boosters snack bar, including service as the group’s president, for nearly 30 years.
Many in the community have also interacted with Hammer through his 20 years as a Cub and Boy Scout troop director, or through his 25 years as a high school baseball and football announcer which includes more than 20 years as the “Voice of the Redcats.”
At the city level, Hammer has been known for his dedication and integrity since being appointed to the Fowler City Council on Dec. 4, 2012. Outside of his duties as a council member, Hammer has also served on the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District Special City Selection Committee, the Consolidated Mosquito Abatement Board, as a Finance Committee delegate and many other roles.
After reading off some of the proclamations, Hammer’s fellow council members took time to share some of their experiences with him, and to thank him for his service.
Mayor Pro Tem Amarjeet Gill spoke first, referring to Hammer as a mentor throughout her time on the council thus far. She also commended Hammer for his perseverance in fall of 2024, when he would still participate in council meetings via Zoom despite recovering from a major surgery.
“His commitment to serving the community is beyond measurable,” said Gill in her comments. “I have never met a public servant like Mr. Hammer, a person who didn’t serve to have a title, but served because he really cared about Fowler and what’s best for Fowler.”
Councilmember Daniel Parra followed, commending Hammer for his service to the school district and school board. Parra also shared that Hammer previously coached his son, and thanked him for his time as a coach and in helping prepare the fields for play.
Councilmember Karnig Kazarian spoke next, and like Gill, he pointed to Hammer as someone who took him under his wing when he first decided to run for a seat on the council. Kazarian said that Hammer gave him advice, introduced him to people and showed him what it meant to serve the people of Fowler.
Kazarian acknowledged that he and Hammer have not always held the same stances during meetings, but said they have still always held one another in high regard.
“Public service isn’t meaningful only when it’s easy, or when everyone sees things the same way,” said Kazarian in his comments. “What I’ve always respected is your commitment to this community, and the amount of life you’ve given to them. That kind of service matters.”
Mayor Juan Mejia concluded the council comments, opening with a lighthearted recount of when Hammer personally cut him from the Babe Ruth League when he was younger. Although that may not be the news most young boys would want to hear, Mejia looks back on the experience fondly, and noted the “loving way” in which Hammer told him that his baseball days were over.
Moving on to adulthood, Mejia shared that around the time he had made the decision to run for city council, he ran into Hammer and his “Coffee Committee” at Starbucks. Although they were both running and could see one another as opponents, Mejia shared that Hammer offered him a seat that day and introduced him to his friends and colleagues.
“You’ve been an advisor, you’ve been a mentor, you’ve given me advice and you’ve offered your time,” said Mejia in his comments. “You’ve been a pillar in this community for 53 years, and I will just say that I am going to miss your presence in our council chambers.”
Later, in an interview, Hammer shared that while occasional disagreements are a common part of city governance, at the end of the day, each of his fellow council members and city staff are his neighbors — some in a literal sense.
“Don’t get me wrong, we don’t agree on everything we’re doing up here, but yet, we agree to be cordial to each other when we leave,” Hammer said. “The bottom line is, I want to do what is right for this town, and we’ll continue to do that.”
After all of the ceremonial matters, attendees celebrated Hammer’s years of service with a baseball-themed dinner of hot dogs, Cracker Jack and fresh fruit. Everyone who showed up was also given a commemorative baseball card of Hammer, with a list of some of his achievements on the back.
In a charmingly appropriate gesture, Hammer was also presented with an encased baseball signed by city staff.
As attendees chowed down and conversed with one another, many lined up to speak personally with Hammer while others took to the podium to share their kind words. Hammer’s own personal history has made his love for the community clear, but the evening’s festivities made it even clearer that the love is mutual.
