APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY MAY 1, 2024

The Pete and Ann Hall Memorial Baseball Scholarship recognizes the outstanding contributions of Ridge baseball players on the field and off the field.

Please click the green button to download the scholarship application forms.

Teacher

If you had to describe Pete and Ann Hall in one word, “teacher” would be the most appropriate. Whether it was in the classroom, on the ball field, or through a community organization, Pete and Ann Hall were both teachers in every sense of the word. Through the many ways they imparted their knowledge and wisdom to others, they positively impacted countless lives. It’s probably no surprise that Pete and Ann Hall met while teaching, at Somerville High School in 1965.

Ann Hall’s teaching career spanned over 30 years. She held various special education and English positions throughout schools in Somerset County. Ann had deep faith and was very active within Liberty Corner Presbyterian Church, holding various positions, big and small, from church usher to Deacon. She was always there to lend a helping hand. Her faith in God led to the manner in which she taught those around her, doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Ann was an extremely caring and understanding person, always focused on the needs of others. The daughter of Scottish immigrants who settled in North Plainfield, she never took anything in life for granted. Hard work, generosity and caring towards others, strong faith, and the importance of education – these were all pillars of Ann’s incredible teaching attributes. Ironically, Ann was not much of a sports fan, which also illustrates how she put others’ interests before her own. It’s hard to fathom how many soccer, basketball, football, and baseball games Ann attended to support Pete and sons Alan and Ian.

The basis of Pete’s teaching legacy began on the playing field. A three-sport star athlete at Bound Brook High School, Pete continued his storied baseball career at Rutgers University. As a Scarlet Knight third baseman, he earned All-American honors in 1961 and 1962. He is still 10th on the Rutgers career batting average list at .384. Pete was then offered a contract by the New York Yankees organization, where he played for three years in Greensboro, NC, Idaho Falls, ID and York, PA where he reached the AA level, actually finishing out his career as a member of the Washington Senators organization in 1964. Following his professional baseball career, Pete turned to education and high school athletics. After teaching in Somerville, he began his 30-year teaching career at Ridge HS where he held positions in Science and Physical education. He also served as the RHS athletic director at the end of his career.

He also began his legendary coaching career, where he built the Ridge Red Devils into a perennial baseball powerhouse. In the 1980s his teams averaged 20 wins per season. For his athle

But it was the impact of his teaching of “life skills” to countless people in the classroom and the ball field that may have been his greatest accomplishment. Pete had a casual, non-threatening yet authoritative way of connecting with his players, and forged lifelong relationships with many of them. One of his former players, a team captain on his 1987 state championship team put it this way: “He didn’t just teach us how to be baseball players, he taught us how to be men.” Years after leaving Ridge High School, many continued to seek his counsel and guidance. Pete never turned anyone away.tic accomplishments, Pete was inducted into the Bound Brook HS Hall of Fame, Rutgers Olympic Hall of Fame, Ridge High School Hall of Fame, and NJ Interscholastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Those who had the opportunity to know Pete and Ann Hall were better for knowing them – they had the wonderful attribute of seeming to connect with everyone they met. Teachers in every sense of the word, the Ridge baseball family, the Bernards Township community, and countless others have benefitted from their influence.

Application FAQs

Who is eligible to apply for the scholarship?
Any Ridge High School senior who will graduate with his class and will attend either a technical school, 2 year college, or 4 year college/university in beginning in the fall after his senior year and who has been a member of the Ridge High School Baseball team for 2 or more years is eligible to apply for the scholarship. Family members of the Pete and Ann Hall Scholarship Selection Committee and the Ridge High School coaching staff are not eligible to apply. In order for the applicant to be considered, all documents must be received by the application deadline.

When is the deadline to apply for the scholarship ?
The application and all associated documents must be received by the Scholarship Selection Committee by midnight of May 1, 2025.

What is the amount of the scholarship?
The committee will award a one-time scholarship which is not renewable. The total scholarship amount is $1,000, which may be given to one recipient or split among recipients, at the discretion of the scholarship committee.

Is there a minimum for the GPA, test score, or community service hours?
No. There is no minimum GPA, test score, or number of community service hours. The selection committee asks for this information to get a complete picture of the applicant. We understand that each applicants will demonstrate their character and dedication in different ways. For this reason, we ask each applicant to provide information about their academic, athletic and community service achievements and work experience (achievements are listed alphabetically and are not in order of importance).

Who should I ask to write my letter of recommendation?
Please ask one of your teachers, guidance counselor, community service advisers, or work supervisors to send us a letter of recommendation. Members of the applicant’s immediate family and extended family may not serve as recommenders. Additionally, recommendation letters will not be accepted from any coaches of the Ridge baseball team or members of the Ridge Diamond Board.

Each applicant should request only one letter of recommendation letter. We want to make this as easy as possible, and we don’t want you to have to ask for a new letter of recommendation. Please let your recommender know that they can send us a copy of a letter of recommendation which was submitted to another institution.

Please have your recommender send the letter of recommendation to petehallscholarship@gmail.com.

How is the recipient of the scholarship selected?
Eligible individuals who have submitted complete application packages by the deadline will be considered for the Pete and Ann Hall Memorial Baseball Scholarship. The Pete and Ann Hall scholarship selection process requires independent readers to assess applicants based upon the following three major areas – academic achievement, community service, and sportsmanship/team play. The scholarship will select a Ridge baseball member who exhibits dedication in the classroom, in the community, and on the ball field. After the applicant submits his application package to the scholarship selection committee, the application package becomes the property of the selection committee. The submitted applications will only be shared with the other members of the scholarship selection committee and the Hall family. All applicants and applicant’s families will accept the decision of the scholarship selection committee as final.

When will the winner notified?
All applicants will be notified of the final decision via email before the results are announced. The selection committee will release the name of the winner to the Hall family, the coaching staff and Ridge administration (for the awards ceremony in June). Information about the other applicants (including their names) will not be shared with anyone outside of the selection committee. The scholarship will be presented to the recipient at the Ridge Senior Awards Ceremony and the Ridge Alumni baseball game. The date of the Ridge Alumni Game is Saturday, June 14th, 2025 at 2pm. The Ridge Senior Awards Ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17th, 2025. The recipient of the Pete and Ann Hall Memorial Baseball Scholarship should plan on attending both events.

Who is on the Scholarship Selection Committee?
The Scholarship Selection Committee is an independent committee. The members of Pete and Ann Hall Scholarship Selection Committee were chosen by the donors of the scholarship. Members of the scholarship committee were either previously involved with the Ridge High School Baseball program, have experience on scholarship selection committees, or were specifically chosen by the Hall family. However, members of the selection committee cannot have a child involved in the Ridge High School baseball program. This independent committee will have the sole responsibility to review the scholarship applications to select the winner of the scholarship. All applicants and the Ridge High School baseball families will accept the decision of the scholarship selection committee as final.

Can I send additional supplemental documents or letters or recommendation?
No, please do not send in any additional test scores, transcripts, or any other supplemental items. Please only request one letter of recommendation.

Where do I send the application and the other documents?
Please send your Application Packet electronically to petehallscholarship@gmail.com

The Application Packet should include your:

• Application Form/Questions

• Application Essay

• Activities Resume

We encourage the applicants to send in an existing activities resume rather than creating a new resume for this application.  Feel free to send in your resume which was submitted to CommonApp.org, the college packet provided to the guidance office, or from any other college application. Please send us the resume which has the most detail.

Is the scholarship based on financial need?
No. The scholarship committee does not take financial need into consideration when evaluating the applications.

What portion of donations goes to the scholarship?
100% of all donations go directly the scholarship fund. The Pete and Ann Hall Memorial Baseball Scholarship is administered by a group of volunteer parents.

Can I make a donation to the scholarship?
You may donate to the program sending a check payable to the “Ridge Diamond Club, Inc.”  Please designate the “Pete and Ann Hall Scholarship” in the memo.  Please contact us at petehallscholarship@gmail.com for additional information.  Upon receipt of your donation, you will receive a letter acknowledging your gift to the scholarship fund.

Are donations tax deductible?
Yes, all donations to the Ridge Diamond Club for the Pete and Ann Hall Scholarship are tax deductible. The Ridge Diamond Club is a registered 501(c)3.

CONTACT US

For any questions about the scholarship, please contact Jeanne Ardiff or Debbie Moldovan at petehallscholarship@gmail.com