1949 baseball champions reunite
Duce Morgan
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Sports
The 1948 and 1949 Charger baseball teams returned to the college last weekend to be recognized as one of the greatest teams to grace Hillsdale College's fields. Players from as far away as Florida gathered last weekend to reunite with old teammates and share memories.
This team won 14 games, surrendering only three. They garnered the college's first ever MIAA championship in 1948, then did so again in 1949. The team averaged nearly 10 runs per game, while giving up an average of only four. They even defeated Fort Sheridan, a service team regarded by many as one of the best in the country at the time.
Eight members of the team went on to sign contracts with professional teams. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians all signed at least one player from the 1948 Charger team. Doug Minor, a scout for the Chicago White Sox, was quoted at the time saying he had never seen so many talented baseball players on one team.
The team was not only unique in its excellence on the field but off the field as well. Every branch of the military was represented by a Charger baseball player, though the exact the number of players who served in the military is unknown. A survey conducted by centerfielder Terry Thomas reveals that roughly 70 percent served before or after college graduation.
Twenty-two players received either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Nine received their master's and earned a doctorate degree. Collectively, the team held more than 22 positions in coaching and education.
Coach Mike Lude went on to have a successful career in collegiate athletics. After leaving Hillsdale in 1951, he coached baseball and football at the University of Maine. He was later the assistant football coach at University of Delaware. In 1962 he became head of the Colorado State football team. From 1970 to 1976 he served as the athletic director at Kent State.
In April 1976 he became the athletic director at The University of Washington. He held this position for 15 years. His career in the NCAA finally came to an end in 1994 when he retired from his position as athletic director at Auburn University.
On Oct. 9, 2005, he was inducted into the Hillsdale Athletic Hall of Fame.
Throughout all of his experience in coaching and being an athletic director at some of the country's largest schools, Lude remembered the 1948 Chargers baseball team with a particular fondness.
"This was one fantastic group of guys," he said. "They were excellent athletes, great team players. A real pleasure to coach and they were superior competitors. And we won."
Throughout the weekend the team was taken on a tour of the campus - which many stated had changed significantly since their time at the college - and at half time of Saturday's football game they were honored at midfield.
This team won 14 games, surrendering only three. They garnered the college's first ever MIAA championship in 1948, then did so again in 1949. The team averaged nearly 10 runs per game, while giving up an average of only four. They even defeated Fort Sheridan, a service team regarded by many as one of the best in the country at the time.
Eight members of the team went on to sign contracts with professional teams. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians all signed at least one player from the 1948 Charger team. Doug Minor, a scout for the Chicago White Sox, was quoted at the time saying he had never seen so many talented baseball players on one team.
The team was not only unique in its excellence on the field but off the field as well. Every branch of the military was represented by a Charger baseball player, though the exact the number of players who served in the military is unknown. A survey conducted by centerfielder Terry Thomas reveals that roughly 70 percent served before or after college graduation.
Twenty-two players received either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. Nine received their master's and earned a doctorate degree. Collectively, the team held more than 22 positions in coaching and education.
Coach Mike Lude went on to have a successful career in collegiate athletics. After leaving Hillsdale in 1951, he coached baseball and football at the University of Maine. He was later the assistant football coach at University of Delaware. In 1962 he became head of the Colorado State football team. From 1970 to 1976 he served as the athletic director at Kent State.
In April 1976 he became the athletic director at The University of Washington. He held this position for 15 years. His career in the NCAA finally came to an end in 1994 when he retired from his position as athletic director at Auburn University.
On Oct. 9, 2005, he was inducted into the Hillsdale Athletic Hall of Fame.
Throughout all of his experience in coaching and being an athletic director at some of the country's largest schools, Lude remembered the 1948 Chargers baseball team with a particular fondness.
"This was one fantastic group of guys," he said. "They were excellent athletes, great team players. A real pleasure to coach and they were superior competitors. And we won."
Throughout the weekend the team was taken on a tour of the campus - which many stated had changed significantly since their time at the college - and at half time of Saturday's football game they were honored at midfield.
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