FRANKLIN PARK — Simply put, baseball is in Rob Fester's blood.

His grandfather, Peaches Fester, and his father, Ronald Fester, both played for years in the Eagle County League.

By the time Rob Fester was old enough to pick up a bat, he was hooked.

“I always loved the game,” he said. “I can't remember a time when it wasn't fun for me.”

Rob Fester starred on the diamond at Mars High School, Butler County Community College and Point Park College and recently wrapped up his 31st season in the Eagle County League.

The native of Valencia will be inducted into the Mars Athletic Hall of Fame, along with four others, on Sept. 7.

Fester's first taste of organized baseball came at six years old in the Mars Baseball Association.

He went on to become a standout pitcher for the high school team under head coach Jim Hoffman.

Near the end of his senior season, Fester struck out seven in a complete-game win over Monaca, giving the Planets a share of the section title along with New Brighton.

Mars won a WPIAL Class AA playoff game before falling to Leechburg 3-2 in the quarterfinals. The Planets finished 17-9 overall.

“We were on a roll and had been playing really good baseball,” Fester said. “And then, just like that, it ended. I believe the game we lost was our fourth game in four days. Our pitching was pretty tapped out at that point.”

But Fester was no where near done with baseball. He received some help from his American Legion baseball coach, Chester Marburger.

“My dad had been working in a steel mill in Glenshaw, but the place closed down,” he said. “Chester paid for me to go to (Butler County Community College) for one year. I told him I didn't know how I'd ever be able to pay him back. He said when I got to the major leagues, he wanted box seats.

“Obviously, that never happened, but it shows what kind of man Chester was. There aren't enough nice words in the dictionary to describe him. Other than my grandfather and father, he influenced me the most.”

Fester played one year at BC3 before enrolling at NAIA's Point Park College, where he became one of the school's all-time great pitchers.

By the time his collegiate career ended in 1987, Fester was tops in the Pioneers' record book in career wins and strikeouts.

What made his stay in Pittsburgh even sweeter was that team success went hand-in-hand with his triumphs on the mound.

“My junior year, we finished third in the country,” Fester said. “Then in my senior year, we began the season 49-0 and finished sixth or seventh in the country. We were very good.”

For his efforts, Fester was inducted into Point Park's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Fester began playing in the Eagle County League in 1982. Earlier this month, he helped Mars claim its third straight league title. He has been a player/manager for the team for the last eight seasons. When asked if he ever thought he'd be a participant in the league for three decades, he said, “Honestly, yes. I knew that as long as my body allowed me, I'd play.

“The Eagle County League is unique,” he added. “We have fans in Mars who come to every one of our games. I've been involved in several other leagues and they don't have that hometown feel.”

Fester has been part of 12 Eagle County championships (10 with Mars and two with the Butler Yankees). Number 13 is not out of the question.

“I'd like to come back next year as a player, but not a manager,” he said. “When you're managing, there's a lot more work involved ... making sure you have enough players and that they are at the right field, figuring out who to play every game. My wife (Michele) and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary next June. I owe her more of my time.”

Rob and Michele Fester have two children, daughter Josselyn (11) and son Alex (8).

“For the last three years, I've been an assistant coach on my son's baseball team,” said Rob Fester, who is employed by United Parcel Service, Inc. “That's been an awesome experience.”

Note: The Mars Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2012 will be honored with a dinner and ceremony at Mars Middle School Sept. 7 prior to the Planets' home football game against Derry. The inductees will also be recognized on the field 30 minutes before the 7 p.m. kickoff. A $20 ticket buys one admission to the dinner and football game. Call Tim Tyler at 724-283-0944.