Schools

Greenfield High School Baseball Field to be Named After War Hero

Bob Wieland will be in town Tuesday for a short ceremony before the Greenfield Hustlin' Hawks take on the Greendale Panthers.

Greenfield High School alumni and Vietnam War veteran Bob Wieland will make a stop at Greenfield High School before embarking on a coast-to-coast bicycle charity ride across the United States.

Wieland will take part in the re-dedication of the school's new baseball field that was named in his honor in a ceremony at 4:45 p.m. June 21, prior to the Hustlin’ Hawks' game against the Greendale Panthers.

For the Greenfield NOW story on Weiland and the re-dedication, click here.

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Wieland graduated from GHS in 1964 after lettering in four sports, according to a news release. He went to the University of Wisconsin and was negotiating a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies when he decided to join the army as a combat medic.

He served in Vietnam and in June 1969, he stepped on a land mine while attempting to save a fellow soldier and lost both legs above the knees.

Find out what's happening in Greenfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After recovering from his injuries, Wieland enrolled at California State University in Los Angeles and majored in education. He later joined the Green Bay Packers as a physical trainer.

Other impressive accomplishments include walking across America on his hands; holding the world record in the bench press with a best lift of 570 pounds; and being named “One of the Six Most Amazing Americans” by People magazine in 1996.

Today, Wieland is a successful motivational speaker and preparing for his Dream Ride 3 charity. Money raised from the event will help support America’s peace officers, firefighters, wounded veterans and youth. His trips across the United States will total 9,000 miles and include community outreach programs and speaking engagements in several cities.

For more details on the Dream Ride 3 and how to make a donation, click here.

For more information about the baseball field re-dedication, call Greenfield coach Lee Kleszczynski at 414-281-6200.


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