He was everyone’s buddy at Dos Pueblos Little League and in the Goleta sports community.
Rick “Buddy” Wolin, a fixture at the DPLL baseball fields for decades and an icon in Goleta youth sports, died last week after a short battle with cancer. He was 70.
Wolin, a fiercely independent former resident of nearby Devereux, which provides services and support for adults with disabilities, was a devout supporter of every DPLL team and served the organization as an assistant coach for several teams and as a member of the DPLL’s board of directors.
More than anything, he was an inspiration to everyone.
“They should name the DPLL baseball fields after him,” Gary Coulson said in an email to Noozhawk. Coulson coached with Wolin.
For years, Wolin rode his bike to the Little League fields and was always there to offer a coaching tip and encouragement.
On Opening Day, he would give a speech and send the players off with his spirited “Eat ’Em Up” cheer.
“He was an icon in Goleta sports for the past 50 years,” Coulson added. “He was known by all who have ever been to a youth sports game in the area.”
Wolin also attended sporting events at Dos Pueblos High School and UC Santa Barbara.
Coulson said he first met Wolin at a UCSB men’s basketball game in 1973 at Robertson Gym.
“He never missed a Gaucho game of any sport,” Coulson recalled. “He later coached multiple youth sports and, most of all, every year he has fired up DPLL baseball fans with an inspirational baseball cheer on opening day.
“Buddy was DPLL baseball and all it has represented over the years. He will be missed. Any child who grew up in Goleta knew Buddy and how he influenced their lives in some way.”
Jami Brunner Stetler, a former league president and board member, described Wolin as “a legend.”
“Buddy’s love of the game and the DPLL kids became one in the same over the 40-plus years relationship,” she said. “He was a legend. He became a good luck charm to many of the All-Star teams.
“Everyone knew him and his famous ‘Eat ’em up, eat ’em up, rah, rah, rah!’ His enthusiasm and energy will be greatly missed.”
Dan Rohde, who coached DPLL’s 9-10 All-Stars to a state championship in 2006, credited Wolin as being a difference maker in the run to the title in Temple City. He missed the first game, which ended in a loss, but got a ride to the remaining games and the team went 6-0.
“Winning the state championship has never been done like that before … or since,” he told Noozhawk’s Randy Weiss in a 2015 story. “And Buddy will be always remembered for making the difference.”
Wolin was honored by the City of Goleta for his work with the DP Little League, with Mayor Paula Perotte presenting him with a Certificate of Recognition.
Wolin thanked the City Council and called the recognition an honor and a blessing.
“Coach Buddy is a Goleta legend,” Dr. Dan Brennan, former league president and board member, told Weiss in a 2015 story. “I vividly remember him when I was a Little Leaguer in the early 1980s. Now I have the pleasure of knowing him as a fellow coach and board member.”
Wolin arrived in Goleta from Chicago in 1964. He has a brother, Jeff, and sister-in-law Robin, two nieces and a few great nieces and nephews who still live in the Chicago area.
Video by Josh Levien, a former Dos Pueblos Little League player, who played on several teams where Buddy was an assistant coach. Levien’s video won the award for Best Short at the SBCC film competition. Now 36, Levien worked in the music industry (UMG, Decca, and Island Records) before starting his own management company.
Wolin made friends with several DPLL families and made sure to stay in touch with them.
He celebrated his 60th and 70th birthdays at the home of Stan Soto. After his 60th, he asked Soto if he could celebrate his 70th there, too.
“For the next 10 years, he reminded Stan about his 70th,” Donna Demeter laughed. “That was Buddy. He did not forget. He actually had all his friends’ phone numbers memorized.”
And he wasn’t shy about calling them.
“Buddy was very persistent, especially if he wanted to get ahold of you,” Demeter said. “He would call up to 20 times in one sitting, hoping to get you. He had a standing phone call with many of us to check in.”
She said Wolin called Sheri Davis every night. The two had been friends for at least 20 years, and Demeter said Davis had him over for dinner every Sunday.
Rohde said Wolin’s life would make for a great movie.
“The 40 years that I have known him, I think the proudest he has been is when he was able to live on his own,” he said. “Coming here at 13 years old and living at Devereux all those years, he finally earned his indepenence.
“With his mental handicap it always amazed me how well he did living on his own with no family here. He had lots of help and love from this wonderful community.”
Darlene Craviotto’s son, Josh Levien, made a short film about Wolin, simply called “Buddy.”
Levien, now 36, played on several DPLL teams where Wolin served as an assistant coach. He made the film while attending SBCC and it was honored as the Best Short in the school’s film competition.
Craviotto said her family also became part of Buddy’s extended family.
“We used to have Rick come over for Passover for several years, when the kids were younger, and then, Rick got busy with his coaching, and he met so many other families,” she said. “Everyone loved Rick — all of Goleta became his family. The last time we called him to invite him over to celebrate a Jewish holiday he was already ‘booked’ and going to another family for dinner. You snooze, you lose with Buddy. He was a popular guy!”
Wolin was a huge fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In the spring and summer months, he carried his transistor radio to listen to the games, static and all.
But it was Dos Pueblos Little League baseball that ruled his world.
“It’s where most of us began our lives with the blessing of Buddy,” Demeter sad. “He was a very good coach and was so positive about everything at Little League.
“Buddy always started our season with a speech and then his song to get our season going. Buddy loved all of us as much as we all loved him. He felt a lot of love since his health declined back in late 2019, when he was diagnosed with cancer.
“I can’t even begin to express how much Buddy is going to be — and is already — missed by our Goleta community.”
— Noozhawk sports editor Barry Punzal can be reached at bpunzal@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk Sports on Twitter: @NoozhawkSports. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.