Ray Castenholz, like his Muskegon ancestors (an early local baseball park was called Castenholz Park), was an influential force in promoting and preserving the sport of baseball in the Port City. One of the founders of the Greater Muskegon Little League, Castenholz served as president of the organization from 1952 through 1959.
A three-time All-State end on the gridiron at Muskegon High School, Castenholz also established a Greater Muskegon track record of 53.4 seconds in the 440-yard dash in 1912. On the baseball diamond, Castenholz also excelled. A catcher for a variety of teams, he was once considered a major league prospect. However, he shunned the spotlight to attend Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University). After college he returned home to the family’s 80-acre fruit farm.
A skilled golfer and an excellent bowler, Castenholz’s interest in sports remained strong through the years. During his free time, he helped develop an improved statistical rating system that utilized “average performance” charts for ranking college football teams. Many of the features of the system are still in use today.