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When the Brooklyn Dodgers sent Don Hall to Estherville to pitch for their farm team, the Morrell Pride Red Sox, little did they know the legacy they would leave to a prairie town more than 1,200 miles from the cavernous, teaming boroughs of New York City.

Hall's son, Michael, is finding himself on the mound as well. This Hall leads Avera Holy Family Health as new president and CEO, effective Nov. 9. Estherville residents will undoubtedly be familiar with at least one of Hall's immediate family members living in the area - his mother, Marty Hall, retired real estate agent, and brother Pat Hall, instructor with the Iowa Lakes Community College aviation program.

Michael Hall's Estherville roots go back to his infancy when his family moved to Estherville. After his father's baseball career, the elder Hall was service manager at the Ford garage before taking over the marine and small engine program at Iowa Lakes Community College in Emmetsburg in addition to serving as baseball coach his last 10 years at the college.

Michael graduated from Estherville High School and Iowa Lakes Community College where he was both a baseball and basketball standout for what were then the Iowa Lakes Wolves. He graduated with an accounting degree and went on to graduate from Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., with a degree in biology and business administration. He later received his degree in mortuary science from Worsham College in Chicago in addition to doing postgraduate work in business.

Hall served as a long-term care administrator in three states. His tenure in that field included supervising eight long-term care facilities in North Dakota and Wisconsin for HMU Management of Minneapolis, Minn.

He than served as vice president of operations at Dickinson County Memorial Hospital in Spirit Lake for eight years. Most recently he was CEO of Winner Regional Health Care in Winner, S.D., overseeing both the hospital and long-term care operations.

Hall began his duties at Avera Nov. 9.

As one of his first orders of business, Hall wants to restore OB services at Avera after the departure of Dr. Dean Moews nearly two years ago. "We need to get back in the OB business," Hall said.

Toward that end, Hall has slated Dr. Shannon Remington to come to Avera as an OB practitioner next Sept. 6. Another OB doctor is expected in 2011.

Hall sees professional care with a personal touch as an Avera Holy Family trademark.

"Having friends and family take care of you" is the Avera Holy Family Health advantage, Hall said. "Hopefully we're giving that personal care and friendliness.

Hall's wife, Robbie, has 25 years of experience teaching at the elementary level and holds a master's in elementary education.

The Halls' daughter, Megan, will graduate in May with a pharmacy degree from the University of Iowa and their other daughter, Amanda, is completing her master's in occupational therapy from the University of South Dakota at Vermillion. Their son, Johnathan, is in his second year of college in Minneapolis.

"It's great to be back in Estherville," Hall said. "I know a lot more people than I thought. We've had a very warm reception from everyone we've talked to."

Hall succeeds Bill Bumgarner, who took a position as Spencer Community Hospital CEO.