There’s a crab and prawn dinner coming this Saturday that has for nearly 50 years aided Yolo Post 77 baseball teams.

This dinner was my first introduction to Mr. Frank Eakle, who walked into The Democrat’s old offices at 711 Main St. one afternoon and handed over two free tickets to the event. I protested that I couldn’t accept because it would have been an ethical violation. Frank looked a bit peeved and said there was no obligation to report on the event, just come and have a good time.

I attended and enjoyed myself, meeting many people I knew in the community. Because I’m a reporter, I also took photographs, found out how many pounds of crab and prawns were being served and the number of people expected to attend. I wrote either a short story or an “extended” photo caption after the dinner to alleviate my conscience.

The dinner is critical for Yolo Post 77, which is the only post in the state to cover costs incurred by players.

But the dinner is also a tribute in its own way to Eakle’s diligence and drive. I’m not saying he was the primary mover and shaker behind the event, but his efforts year after year and decade after decade to promote local baseball are worthy of respect.

In 2019 it was Eakle, then serving as Post 77 general manager, who made the call to cancel the dinner because of the virus, which nationally claimed around 300,000 lives.

Eakle died at age 89 on Aug. 30, 2024. By then he had been an active member of American Legion Post 77 for 42 years, serving as commander, captain of the Pedro Team and as manager of the Youth Baseball team for 35 years.

But there’s still more Eakle’s history. He was born in Woodland, living on Kentucky Avenue. He attended Woodland High School, where he was active in student government and on the basketball and track teams.

It was said that Frank found his “true passion” when he went into the Air Force, where he became certified in Auto Pilot and Compass Systems. He served as a missile launch officer and test engineer. He completed Officer Candidate School and Communications-Electronics School. He was selected for the Minuteman Education Program where he earned his bachelor’s degree in electronics engineering. He served in the Air Force from 1953 to 1975, eventually being promoted to major. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service as a Communications Electronic Meteorological Maintenance Officer while engaged in ground operations in Vietnam in 1971.

After getting married to Geraldine Moore in 1959, the couple moved many times. They lived in New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, California, Mississippi, Kentucky, Illinois, Wyoming, Ban Me Thout, Vietnam (family was in California), Utah and finally to Woodland after he retired.

Frank then started work as a civilian at McClellan AFB in Sacramento, where he remained for 20 years. After retiring from McClellan he went to work for Interstate Oil in Woodland, staying for 21 years.

In addition to youth baseball, Frank also helped put flags in the cemetery and on Main Street for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Sept. 11, 2001. He never stopped being active.

His advice on how to age gracefully, according to his family, was “Don’t worry and don’t die.”

Eakle strived to make a difference and succeeded.

Jim Smith is the former editor of The Daily Democrat, retiring in 2021 after a 27-year career at the paper.