The Wisconsin State League added several new members to their Hall of Fame last month, including former Green Bay Blue Ribbons pitcher Steve Kostichka, who became the 21st former Ribbons player to be inducted.
A graduate of Algoma High School, Kostichka first joined the Blue Ribbons in 1985, and pitched well enough to earn a minor league contract from the Milwaukee Brewers in 1986.
After signing with the Brewers, he split the 1987 season between Helena in the Pioneer League, and Class-A Beloit in the Midwest League, where he combined to make 36 relief appearances, going 4-0 with a 4.93 earned run average, while also recording three saves.
Kostichka appeared in a pair of games for Milwaukee’s rookie league affiliate in the AZL in 1988, but spent most of his second pro season back in Helena, where the right-hander saw action in 16 games out of the bullpen, striking out 27 batters over 34.2 innings.
He re-joined the Blue Ribbons for the 1989 season, and helped the team win three championships, including a dominant 1992 season, in which he went 9-1, while leading the WSL in strikeouts, with 79.
In Kostichka’s eight seasons with Green Bay, he racked up 37 wins with just 7 losses, and tossed 31 complete games over 51 starts, finishing with 299 strikeouts over 348 innings and a career ERA of 3.05.
