Eastern Michigan Athletics
Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame to Induct Ron Oestrike
8/6/2019 11:20:00 AM | Baseball
Ceremony to be held Saturday, Aug. 17, at at Cooley Law School Stadium in Lansing, Mich.
More Information.
LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame will induct longtime Eastern Michigan University Head Baseball Coach Ron Oestrike along with Detroit Tigers slugger Willie Horton Saturday, Aug.17, in an in-game ceremony during the Lansing Lugnuts/Dayton Dragons game at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The inductees were determined by a vote of a special Hall of Fame committee: Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster and Michigan State University alum Joe Block, longtime Western Michigan University baseball coach Fred Decker, longtime umpire Mark Ditsworth, WLNS TV 6's Fred Heumann, Boston Red Sox broadcaster Mario Impemba, Ball State University Head Baseball Coach Rich Maloney, WILX TV 10's Tim Staudt, the MHSAA's Mark Uyl, and Detroit Tigers scout Clyde Weir.
The mission of the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame is to:
• Honor the state's baseball heroes of yesterday
• Celebrate the national pastime today
• Inspire the baseball fans and ballplayers of tomorrow
A 1954 Eastern Michigan graduate, Oestrike was the University's head baseball coach for 23 years (1965-87), directing the baseball program to unprecedented heights and leading the team to a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship in 1970, a runner-up spot in the 1976 NCAA College World Series, a fifth-place finish in the 1975 NCAA College World Series, four MAC championships, and five NCAA Regional appearances on the way to a 657-508-8 overall record.
Oestrike began his college career as a two-sport standout at EMU, lettering in both baseball and football. After graduating 1954, Oestrike went on earn a master's degree from the University of Michigan, serve a two-year tour with the U.S. Army, and become a high school football coach at Trenton High School. Oestrike returned to Eastern Michigan in 1963 and spent the next 23 years developing the Eagles baseball program into one of the very finest in the nation.
During his tenure, Oestrike coached six all-americans and 22 All-MAC First Team members. The coaching legend was also tabbed as NCAA Regional Coach of the Year ('75, '76, '78, '81) and MAC Coach of the Year ('75, '76, '78, '82) four times each throughout his career. He developed numerous future Major League Baseball players including: Bryan Clutterbuck, Glenn Gulliver, Chris Hoiles, John Martin, Bob Owchinko, Ron Rightnowar, Pat Sheridan, Bob Welch, and Mickey Weston along with long-time manager Terry Collins.
His 1970 team produced a record of 41-11 en route to a NAIA National Championship. As the program made the transition from NAIA to the NCAA, it wasted no time getting to the upper echelon of the NCAA.
In 1975, Eastern Michigan posted a 37-20-1 mark to capture a MAC championship before advancing to the College World Series for the first time in school history. One year later, Eastern Michigan built off the success to make a return trip Omaha. In arguably Eastern Michigan's all-time best season, the team went 46-16 to collect another conference championship and advance to the finals of the College World Series, finishing runner-up to national champion Arizona.
Oestrike was singled out as the NCAA National Coach of the Year in 1976 by The Sporting News and went on to become the president of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) in 1985. He was inducted into the E-Club Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979, the ABCA Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 2017.
Oestrike, who passed was in 2014, is survived by his five children, Jeffrey, Daniel, Elizabeth, Nancy and Matthew, and five grandchildren.
Horton won championships in Detroit at three different levels. In 1959, 16-year-old Horton hit a home run estimated at 450 feet at Briggs Stadium, lifting Northwestern H.S. to the Detroit Public High School title. In 1960, he led Detroit Lundquist to the national sandlot championship. After signing with the Detroit Tigers, he helped the Tigers to the 1968 World Series title, throwing out Lou Brock at the plate in Game 5 and batting .304 as the Tigers defeated the Cardinals in seven games. Horton played 1,515 of his 2,028 MLB games in Detroit, was named to four A.L. All-Star teams and collected 1,993 career hits and 325 home runs.
To purchase tickets to the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame or for more information, stop by the Cooley Law School Stadium box office at 505 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Lansing, call 517.485.4500 or visit LansingLugnuts.com.
LANSING, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame will induct longtime Eastern Michigan University Head Baseball Coach Ron Oestrike along with Detroit Tigers slugger Willie Horton Saturday, Aug.17, in an in-game ceremony during the Lansing Lugnuts/Dayton Dragons game at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The inductees were determined by a vote of a special Hall of Fame committee: Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster and Michigan State University alum Joe Block, longtime Western Michigan University baseball coach Fred Decker, longtime umpire Mark Ditsworth, WLNS TV 6's Fred Heumann, Boston Red Sox broadcaster Mario Impemba, Ball State University Head Baseball Coach Rich Maloney, WILX TV 10's Tim Staudt, the MHSAA's Mark Uyl, and Detroit Tigers scout Clyde Weir.
The mission of the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame is to:
• Honor the state's baseball heroes of yesterday
• Celebrate the national pastime today
• Inspire the baseball fans and ballplayers of tomorrow
A 1954 Eastern Michigan graduate, Oestrike was the University's head baseball coach for 23 years (1965-87), directing the baseball program to unprecedented heights and leading the team to a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship in 1970, a runner-up spot in the 1976 NCAA College World Series, a fifth-place finish in the 1975 NCAA College World Series, four MAC championships, and five NCAA Regional appearances on the way to a 657-508-8 overall record.
Oestrike began his college career as a two-sport standout at EMU, lettering in both baseball and football. After graduating 1954, Oestrike went on earn a master's degree from the University of Michigan, serve a two-year tour with the U.S. Army, and become a high school football coach at Trenton High School. Oestrike returned to Eastern Michigan in 1963 and spent the next 23 years developing the Eagles baseball program into one of the very finest in the nation.
During his tenure, Oestrike coached six all-americans and 22 All-MAC First Team members. The coaching legend was also tabbed as NCAA Regional Coach of the Year ('75, '76, '78, '81) and MAC Coach of the Year ('75, '76, '78, '82) four times each throughout his career. He developed numerous future Major League Baseball players including: Bryan Clutterbuck, Glenn Gulliver, Chris Hoiles, John Martin, Bob Owchinko, Ron Rightnowar, Pat Sheridan, Bob Welch, and Mickey Weston along with long-time manager Terry Collins.
His 1970 team produced a record of 41-11 en route to a NAIA National Championship. As the program made the transition from NAIA to the NCAA, it wasted no time getting to the upper echelon of the NCAA.
In 1975, Eastern Michigan posted a 37-20-1 mark to capture a MAC championship before advancing to the College World Series for the first time in school history. One year later, Eastern Michigan built off the success to make a return trip Omaha. In arguably Eastern Michigan's all-time best season, the team went 46-16 to collect another conference championship and advance to the finals of the College World Series, finishing runner-up to national champion Arizona.
Oestrike was singled out as the NCAA National Coach of the Year in 1976 by The Sporting News and went on to become the president of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) in 1985. He was inducted into the E-Club Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979, the ABCA Hall of Fame in 1990, and the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 2017.
Oestrike, who passed was in 2014, is survived by his five children, Jeffrey, Daniel, Elizabeth, Nancy and Matthew, and five grandchildren.
Horton won championships in Detroit at three different levels. In 1959, 16-year-old Horton hit a home run estimated at 450 feet at Briggs Stadium, lifting Northwestern H.S. to the Detroit Public High School title. In 1960, he led Detroit Lundquist to the national sandlot championship. After signing with the Detroit Tigers, he helped the Tigers to the 1968 World Series title, throwing out Lou Brock at the plate in Game 5 and batting .304 as the Tigers defeated the Cardinals in seven games. Horton played 1,515 of his 2,028 MLB games in Detroit, was named to four A.L. All-Star teams and collected 1,993 career hits and 325 home runs.
To purchase tickets to the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame or for more information, stop by the Cooley Law School Stadium box office at 505 E. Michigan Ave. in downtown Lansing, call 517.485.4500 or visit LansingLugnuts.com.
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