Miami Legend Ron Fraser Among Inaugural College Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees

April 26, 2006

Inductee Bios in PDF Format
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College Baseball Foundation Release in PDF Format
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Former Miami Head Coach Ron Fraser is one of 10 collegiate baseball legends who will be inducted into the new College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Texas, the Collegiate Baseball Foundation announced today. Fraser will be joined by former Miami student-athlete and assistant coach, and former LSU head coach Skip Bertman, among others.

In addition to Fraser and Bertman, the Class of 2006 includes coaching legends Bobby Winkles of Arizona State, Cliff Gustafson of Texas and Rod Dedeaux of USC. Former student-athletes Bob Horner of Arizona State, Robin Ventura of Oklahoma State, Dave Winfield of Minnesota, Will Clark of Mississippi State and Brooks Kieschnick of Texas were also inducted.

Known in most circles as “The Wizard of College Baseball,” Fraser led UM to NCAA national titles in 1982 and 1985 and compiled a record of 1,271-438-9 (.747) from 1962-92. Fraser was a 26-time coach of the year and helped UM to a NCAA-record 20 consecutive playoff appearances, a streak that is still going at 33. Miami went to eight College World Series in that time and Fraser’s uniform No. 1 was retired at UM on April 24, 1993. He also coached prominently on the international front and was the first Team USA coach in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.

“Coach Fraser took (Miami) from a program that had never won to national championships,” current Miami head coach Jim Morris said at Wednesday’s practice. “But (Fraser) did more. When I say `more,’ I mean a lot more because he won national titles here.”

In addition to his coaching prowess, Fraser is perhaps the greatest innovator in college baseball history. Fraser was a pioneer of on-field promotions and turning baseball games into events as well as competitions. Among his plethora of contributions, Fraser also campaigned for the first collegiate baseball games ever to be televised live, a three-game series against USC in Coral Gables on ESPN in the 1981 season.

“In my mind, Coach Fraser put college baseball on the map, nationally,” Morris said. “He was the first guy to do promotions, marketing, East Coast against West Coast, first television game. He was the first to do everything and he was very, very innovative. That’s why he’s the Wizard of College Baseball.”

Bertman, whose uniform No. 15 is retired at UM, was a catcher for the Hurricanes from 1958-60, and was an assistant coach under Fraser from 1975-83. Bertman then went on to become head coach at Louisiana State University and lead the Tigers to five national titles. He is now the athletics director at LSU. In addition, he coached 11 seasons at Miami Beach High School, directing the Hi Tides to a state championship and two runner up finishes. He was named Florida’s Coach of the Year on three occasions.

“When I think of Skip, I always think of him as a Miami guy,” Morris said. “You here his name a lot here from all the Miami Beach High School guys talking about him. They played for him, or they knew him.

“I remember him as a great coach here at Miami. Just as important, I think he was the hottest coach in the `90s at LSU. He put that program on the map and did a tremendous job.”

Fraser, Bertman and former Hurricane pitcher Neal Heaton were on an elite list comprised of 22 former players, 12 coaches and 12 veteran candidates that was pared down by an 80-member Hall of Fame Voting Committee for induction through two rounds of elimination votes.

Fraser and Bertman will be officially enshrined during a two-day celebration of college baseball in July in Lubbock. The 10 inductees will attend and be recognized at the third annual Brooks Wallace College Baseball Player of the Year Award dinner at the United Spirit Arena, on the campus of Texas Tech University on July 3.

On July 4 the Inductees will participate in the annual 4th on Broadway Parade, and will be accessible to attendees during a `Fan Fest’ following the event. The coaches and players will then make their official acceptance speeches, which will be televised by Fox Sports Network, as well as the Fox College Sports Networks (Atlantic, Central and Pacific).