He was impressed with the support of the school administration and the people in and around the Rush County city.
That’s why Ulrey, who was head coach at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis in 2022 and 2023, decided to apply to be K-town’s head baseball coach.
“It reminded so much of my high school days at New Pal,” says Ulrey, a 2006 graduate of New Palestine (Ind.) High School who helped the Dragons to a state championship in 2004 and was drafted by the Chicago White Sox but went to college and later founded the Midwest Astros Baseball and Softball Academy (now 5Star Indiana) in Greenfield, Ind. He has also coached at Kankakee (Ill.) Community College. “It’s just the small town support. It’s been phenomenal.
“They see that we’re here for the right reasons. We want to have success on and off the field. They could really tell how passionate I was about coaching in general and what I’m going to bring experience-wise to Knightstown.”
Officially hired in December, Ulrey, his assistants and players hit the ground running during Christmas break.
“We started to get the guys familiar with the coaching staff, our philosophies, standards and expectations,” says Ulrey, 36. “We saw the potential this team has now and in years to come.
“The guys welcomed us in with open arms. They bought in right away with the direction we wanted to take the program moving forward.”
Ulrey’s assistants include T.J. Schooley, Zac Capps, Gavin DeBerry, Aaron Rork and Tyler Burton.
Schooley, who leads outfielders, and Capps, who guides infielders, were at Warren Central with Ulrey. DeBerry and pitching coach Rork played summer ball for Ulrey and some college ball. Burton, who also helps with outfielders, is a 2018 Knightstown graduate.
Ulrey works with hitters and catchers.
The work has helped produce a strong start to the 2024 season.
Through games of May 4, Knightstown was 10-6. The Panthers won four of their first five, weathered a four-game losing streak and have won six of the past seven. That includes a triumph against Tri-Eastern Conference and IHSAA Class 2A sectional foe Hagerstown. The Tigers were ranked No. 1 and 16-0 when bested 7-5 by visiting Knightstown on May 2. The Panthers scored two in the top of the seventh and Brayden McDaniel closed it out on the mound against H-town.
“For our program, it was huge,” says Ulrey. “Hagerstown starts eight seniors. They got a great core and a great team. They’re real tough competition.
“Our guys were fired up that whole week. The guys brought the energy. When we play our type of baseball we’re hard to beat.”
“We’ve got to limit the walks as pitchers and we’ve got to be able to hit with runners in scoring position.
“I told the guys they’ll now have a target on their backs. Teams are going to want a piece of you and want to beat you. You guys have to show out and play the rest of the season like you know how.”
On a team that has several underclassmen in the starting lineup and contributing, two players in the Class of 2024 have made college commitments— second baseman Brock Loveall to Earlham College and first baseman/left-handed pitcher Brayden McDaniel to Ohio Northern University.
Pitcher Carson Smith (Knightstown Class of 2022) is at Indiana University Purdue University-Columbus.
Austin Pizer is scheduled to make a spot start on the mound today (April 30) for the Benedictine University Eagles. A doubleheader is slated for noon Central Time at Illinois Tech in Chicago.
Whenever the junior right-hander takes to the hill, he has a few keys in his mind that he takes from Ben U. pitching coach Adam O’Malley.
“Throw everything with confidence,” says Pizer. “We’ve worked really hard to command the baseball and worked on the pitch shapes. Now I have to go to trust it. We know the stuff is there, we just to be able to throw every pitch in every count, have confidence in myself and the defense that we’re going to get the job done.”
“It gives us all the data we could ever imagine for pitching,” says Pizer, who has used feedback on release height and movement patterns to help him throw more strikes.
“I want to limit the walks,” says Pizer. “That’s been a big key this year.”
In 13 appearances (12 out of the bullpen), Pizer is 4-1 with four saves, a 1.93 earned run average, 29 strikeouts and seven walks in 32 2/3 innings. Opponents hit .248 against the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder.
From there, he mixes a two-seam fastball, slider and change-up.
The two-seamer is a strictly horizontal pitch — moving 9-to-3 on the clock face — with arm-side run. It’s topped at 84 mph and sits at 81 to 83.
The slider has very little to no vertical break.
“The two-seam and slider play very well off each other,” says Pizer.
Since he has dropped down, it’s not a typical “circle” change that comes from Pizer.
“It drops a little more on the back foot of a righty that a traditional change-up,” says Pizer.
Throwing with minor discomfort during his first season at Benedictine, Pizer got into nine games (all in relief) and was 2-0 with one save, a 4.66 ERA, 15 strikeouts and five walks in 19 1/3 innings. He followed that up in 2023 with five bullpen appearances, a 0-0 record, a save 11.12 ERA, five K’s and five walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Born in Munster, Ind., Pizer grew up in Highland, Ind.
From age 7 to 13, he played both at Highland Little League and for much of that time with the traveling Highland Heat.
He was injured his freshman year (2018) at Highland High School. Pizer was on varsity as a sophomore (2019) and senior (2021). The COVID-19 pandemic took away his junior season in 2020.
“He’s a great guy,” says Pizer of Bogner, who is now head coach at Chesterton (Ind.) High School. “He’s really, really passionate about what he does. I definitely would not be where I am now without him.
“He put a really big emphasis playing the game the right way. That’s one of the things I respected most about him. Whether we were going to win or lose it was going to be with class and the right way. That’s something I carry with me to this day.”
If his arm continues to feel good, Pizer says he plans to return to the Northern League’s Lake County CornDogs for summer ball. He was with the Crown Point, Ind.- based team in 2023. He took the summer of 2022 off to rest his arm. That led to an MRI which led to surgery for a torn labrum in August 2022.
Pizer, 21, is Social Science major at Benedictine with an emphasis in History. His minor is Secondary Education.
“I’m a big fan of the Revolutionary War and Colonial America,” says Pizer. “That’s what I’m interested in.”
Older brother Zak Pizer, who briefly attended Benedictine, is a Social Studies teacher and first-year head baseball coach at Highland High.
Zak (who turns 24 in May) and Austin are the sons of Michael and Annamarie Pizer.
Austin roots for the Chicago White Sox. He admires many big leaguers.
“Tanner Houck of the (Boston) Red Sox is quickly becoming one of my favorite pitchers to watch,” says Pizer of the right-hander. “The way he throws and attacks the game is how I imagine myself to look like. We have a very similar pitch arsenal.
“I’ve always partial to (right-hander) Marcus Stroman (now with the New York Yankees) as well and how he competes. He’s an undersized guy. He plays with a lot of passion.
The University of Notre Dame moved to 9-2 on the 2024 college baseball season with an 11-2 win Tuesday, March 5 against Purdue University in the home opener at Frank Eck Stadium for the Fighting Irish.
After the contests, two Irish staffers — assistant coach Logan Robbins and Director of Analytics Daniel Isufi — sat down and talked about their roles.
Robbins started at Notre Dame in the August of 2022 and Isufi August of 2023.
Both are part of a group with head coach Shawn Stiffler plus assistant Ryan Munger, assistant Seth Voltz and graduate assistant Jay Schuyler, works with hitters, infielder and coaches third base.
An Owensboro native and 2008 graduate of Apollo High School, Robbins played at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky., and was a 10th round draft pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2011.
Isufi (pronounced ISS-OOF-EE) is a 2018 graduate of St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights, Ill., and a former Chicago White Sox season ticket holder. He has worked for the club as a Sox Surveys Representative.
Diagnosed with Lupus — an autoimmune disease— at 14, Isufi received his second kidney transplant in 2020.
RBI: You were busy tonight (directing traffic at third base). Are you like an offensive coordinator?
LR: A lot of times I’m feeding off what the guys are telling me in the (batting) cages. Sometimes we do things that don’t work and we have to figure something else out … When we’re doing bad I’ll always get the credit and when we’re doing good it’s those guys who are working hard. That’s where it starts — the amount of work they put in.
RBI: It’s not a cookie-cutter approach (for all hitters)?
LR: I don’t believe in cookie-cutting anything … You could go in the cages tomorrow and see six guys doing six different things. You’d say this is ‘Helter Skelter.’ I’d walk in and smile because because I know why (each player is doing what he’s doing) … Everybody has a different way that they think and move their body. It’s my job as a coach to adapt to them rather than making them adapt to me.
RBI: What have all your experiences brought to this job?
DI: Being able to talk baseball with someone is important … I’m able to sit down and understand where a player or coach is coming from. I’ve learned so much about the game … Especially at VCU, I worked a lot with TrackMan. I was very familiar with how it works and how to get it calibrated and set up and what the data means.
RBI: What do you do to help the coaches and players?
DI: Coaches tell me what we need on the analytic side of things. I manage all of our technology … If we’re doing bullpens, we may need two portable TrackMan (systems). We also have an Edgertronic camera which is really high-definition. It can be super-zoomed in to look at pitch grips and things like that can help our pitching coach (Voltz) make adjustments with our pitchers … We’re using TrackMan in our hitting cages to get a better understanding of how we are approaching hitting baseballs … I help lead our excellent group of student managers who are getting that data to help our coaches.
RBI: Do the players go to the coaches for the information or come straight to you?
DI: Sometimes when we’re in bullpens we’ll have the iPad right there with all the numbers. (Pitchers) will ask something like ‘what is my horizontal breakdown?’ A lot of time if (players) have questions on how they’re performing, I refer them to their position coach because that’s their job to do that and they have all that data.
RBI: Everbody’s kind of the some of their parts from where you played and where you coached before. What did you pick up along the way?
LR: You pick up how to treat people — first and foremost. Players don’t want to listen to you or be coached until they can trust you … I’m always trying to get to know them as a person. Once we develop that trust and that relationship that’s when the coaching really begins … I’ve had so many great coaches along the way … You have to keep learning. If you stop learning, I think you’re in trouble.
RBI: Is every coach little bit different?
LR: It’s funny. Coach Stiffler and my boss at Old Dominion — Chris Finwood — were under the same coaching tree of the late Paul Keyes. A lot of their philosophies are the same. It starts with playing defense and throwing strikes. There wasn’t much of a difference coming from Old Dominion to (Notre Dame).
RBI: As a White Sox follower, can you go to a game and look at it as just a fan or are you looking at it analytically and thinking about what you would be doing.
DI: 100 percent. There are times I will go and just enjoy the game with family or some friends. But, honestly, the majority of the White Sox games I go to by myself, and I’ll kind of zone out. I’ll keep score and (ask myself) what I would do in this situation. I kind of manage the game from Section 534 where I sit every game and that’s fun.
RBI: You have to look at baseball in an analytical way in some sense don’t you?
LR: I’ll got home tonight and turn on a game and watch it and because I’m a coach I’m watching the other coaches stress out. I know what he feels like … I like to watch teams that are really good and figure out why they are good and then try to bring that here … You can learn from just watching the game.
RBI: The American Baseball Coaches Association Convention each January brings together thousands of coaches at all levels to share ideas. Do you feel that baseball coaches are pretty good about that?
LR: That’s what’s neat about baseball. It’s a really tight-knit community. I don’t work for the government. Nothing here is top secret. If you want to know what we’re doing, I’d be more than happy to share.
RBI: Can you share on what has Moreno (.321 on 9-of-28 with six homers and 11 runs batted in for a team with 32 homers and 108 runs scored) locked in so far in ’24?
LR: (Moreno) is walking (in the batter’s box) with confidence and swinging at the right pitches. He’s swinging at strikes and taking balls. That’s where it starts … He just loves it right now … I want him to go up there and get his three best swings off. If three of them go out of the park, great!
RBI: Can you talk about your Lupus?
DI: It can be a challenge. But I do my best every day I wake up to not let it affect who I am and my work performance. I let it motivate me to be the best version of myself. People may look at the Lupus diagnosis and multiple kidney transplants and feel sorry for me. Honestly, I’m going to make it a good thing because it allows me to not feel sad. It keeps me going. I’m really happy with where I’m at right now.
Daniel Isufi (left) and Logan Robbins. (Steve Krah Photo)
Combining his coaching victories at Vaughnsville and Hicksville in Ohio with DeKalb and Canterbury in Indiana, hard-nosed Jones emphasized fundamentals and amassed 751 victories. He shared his knowledge by offering lessons and establishing a fall instructional league. He went into the IHSBCA Hall of Fame in 1982 and was the association’s executive director for many years. He passed away in 2015.
Brad Jones, Bill and Mildred’s oldest son, played at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., and coached high school baseball in Ohio.
Ken Jones, Bill’s second son, graduated from DeKalb in 1990 and participated in the IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series that year. He played at Western Michigan University, spent two years in the San Diego Padres organization then coached for more than two decades at the NCAA Division I and high school levels. He was an assistant at Ball State (1997-98), WMU 1999-2004), Purdue Fort Wayne (2020-23).
The first grandson, Chris Menzie (son of Pat and Laura), played at Huntington (Ind.) University.
Tyler Jones, son of Brad and Stacie, pitched at the University of Dayton.
Since 2004, Ken Jones has been offering private baseball instruction for individuals and groups. More than 30 clients have advanced to D-I programs with more than 80 going on to NAIA, D-II or D-III. More than 15 have played pro ball.
After operating out of numerous area facilities, Jones established 260 Baseball Club in his own building north of downtown Fort Wayne at 1629 Beach Street. The doors were opened in August 2023.
The converted industrial building has cages for batting and space for throwing. Plans call for a display saluting the legacy of Bill Jones.
Instructors at 260 Baseball Club include Ken Jones, Hayden Jones and Garrett Schoenle. Hayden is the off-season catcher for Chicago White Sox minor league pitcher Schoenle.
Between 80 and 100 individuals come for lessons each year.
“I’m not going to have a mass of people come in here day-in and day-out,” says Ken Jones, 52. “I’m going to try to keep it more manageable and give them the best information and instruction we can give them.”
What about teaching the game gives Ken Jones satisfaction?
“It’s enjoyable when you see guys that can take some of the information you give them, put it to use and have more success than they were beforehand,” says Ken Jones. “You see them grow in confidence and excited about things again. Something clicks and they end up having good high school seasons or even be able to play high school ball for some of them. Hopefully, they get into college ball from there.”
Jones stresses that baseball can be a tool to continue education.
“Most of them will not be playing professional ball but if they continue it into college that’s a nice experience,” says Ken Jones. “I’ll get a lot of cards and text messages (from parents) and it’s not always about the baseball aspect of it all the time. We really appreciate how you mentored (the player) outside of baseball whether it’s academics or life lessons. The kids will respond that way also.”
Coaching is more than just the skill he’s teaching for Jones.
“To me to do any instruction well you have to talk with them during the lessons and you’ve got to find out what’s going on in their lives,” says Ken Jones. “It could be that they had a grandparent pass away or they had something going on in school.
“You build that relationship with the kid and sometimes even with the parents.
“You try to mentor as much as you can.”
Hayden Jones, 23, tells what he gains as an instructor.
“It’s mainly giving back to the kids what I had growing up at my fingertips,” says Hayden Jones. “What we’re learning at the professional level is not what some random guy on social media is teaching. We’re actually going through it at the highest level.
“Kids enjoy being around guys who are at the professional level.”
Jones says he wants to get the big leagues while also sharing his know-how with those having diamond goals.
“I want to make them as good as they can be and go as far in the game as they can,” says Hayden Jones. “I don’t expect them to pick up on everything the first time they come in.
“It’s the little improvements each time they come in. It might be mentally. It might be baseball-wise. It might just be growing up as a guy or a girl that comes in here.”
Bill Jones was not shy about getting on a player if he thought it was necessary. Hayden Jones has come to appreciate that.
“If your coach stops yelling at you he’s given up on you,” says Hayden Jones. “That’s something my grandpa always lived by. It’s true.
“A college coach that comes in and says we’re going to give you a scholarship. We’re not going to get on you. It’s all going to be rainbows and flowers. It’s not like that. It’s just life. You deserve it. Live and learn.”
While 260 Baseball Club does have a social media presence, many players come to Ken Jones and son based on reputation and word-of-mouth.
“That’s the best thing we have going for us,” says Ken Jones. “My dad would be shocked at how much the world of private instruction and baseball facilities have grown in the last 10 years.”
The last IHSBCA State Clinic in Indianapolis that Bill Jones attended, Ken took him past what was then a new Grand Park in Westfield, Ind.
“He was just amazed at seeing that space and fields,” says Ken Jones.
Many training facilities are in pole barns or tucked into industrial parks. Jones’ building is in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
Hayden Jones, who married the former Savannah Shinn (who he met freshman year at Mississippi State) Nov. 11 in Gulf Shores, Ala., has been helping at 260 Baseball Club while preparing to report Goodyear, Ariz. A check-in is slated for early January with minor league spring training beginning in late February.
Hayden Jones does hitting and catching work at 260 Baseball Club and his strength and conditioning at Carroll High School.
S&C coach Dan Jones (no relation) writes Hayden’s training program and is in communication with the Reds strength staff.
Dave Ginder, Jones’ head coach at Carroll, is to enter the IHSBCA Hall of Fame in January.
IHSBCA members may vote for up to four coaches and three players/contributors. Deadline for returning the ballot is Oct. 20. Inductees will be honored at the State Clinic Jan. 18-20, 2024 at Sheraton at the Crossing in Indianapolis.
Ballots that were emailed or those in the October IHSBCA newsletter are to be mailed to IHSBCA/Brian Abbott, 2340 Guilford Street, Huntington IN 46750. They can also be emailed to babbot@ctLnet.com or faxed to 260-356-3031.
IHSBCA HALL OF FAME
2024 BALLOT
Coaches
Brian Jennings
(Griffith — Retired)
Jennings is a 1987 graduate of Whiting High School and a 1991 graduate of Indiana State University.
He began his baseball coaching career at Whiting in 1996 before moving on to Griffith High School in 1999.
During his time at Griffith, his clubs won 14 sectional titles, four conference titles and made a trip to the state championship game in 2001 before losing to Indianapolis Cathedral.
During his 27 seasons as a varsity coach, he won 448 games.
He is a four-time Conference Coach of the Year, and he has been named “District Coach of the Year” once during his career.
He has had over 40 players go on to play college baseball and has had seven North/South All-Stars, as well as have four players play professionally, including Kody Hoese who was a first round pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019.
The Griffith High School baseball field was renamed Brian Jennings Field in the spring of 2023.
He has served on numerous IHSBCA committees during his time, served as a coach of the 2012 North/South All-Star game in Jasper, and organized the 2016 North South Series in Whiting.
Jennings has announced the IHSAA baseball state finals for several years on the IHSAA Champions Network via both radio and television.
He currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Griffith High School and resides in Crown Point with his wife, Luann. Brian has two stepchildren: Ashley and Steve.
Doug Jennett
(Benton Central/Milligan University — Retired)
Jennett coached at Benton Central High School from the day the school opened in 1968 until 1985. Doug served as the head baseball coach from 1971 until 1985 compiling a 304-123 record.
In addition to winning an average of 20 games a year, his teams won nine sectionals and three regionals in his 15 years as head coach of the Bison. In his three semi state appearances in the one class era, his teams lost in 1973 to eventual state runner-up Laporte; in 1981 to eventual state champion Ben Davis; and in 1985 to eventual state champion Kokomo.
During his tenure at Benton Central, he had five pro signees, 86 collegiate players, and he was a 1985 North All-Star coach.
Six of his Bison players were named to the Indiana North All-Star team. Fourteen of his former players went into high school coaching while three coached at the collegiate level, including Todd Bacon who is still active as the head coach at Marian University.
Even though Doug has not been an Indiana high school coach since 1985 he was a charter member joining in 1972 and is still an active member of the IHSBCA.
While coaching the Bison he served the IHSBCA as a district director, all-star selection committee member, and poll member.
Doug won 271 games at Milligan University in Tennessee. He coached two NAIA All Americans and was named district Coach of The Year once
and TVAC conference COTY three times.
He had 12 Buffs sign pro contracts including three from Indiana: Yankees Danny Johnston (Indianapolis Manual), Twins Jayson Best (Benton Central), and Red Sox Eddie Kidwell (Madison). Most of the Milligan Baseball coaching staff were Indiana natives as well.
Doug heavily recruited Indiana high school players to play at Milligan. During his 15 years he had 58 players from the Hoosier State which represented 30 different Indiana high schools. In his best season at Milligan, 15 of his 29 players were from Indiana.
Doug spent the last 14 years of his career as Athletic Director at Cypress Lake High School in Fort Myers, Fla. He was the PA announcer for the Minnesota Twins spring training games in 2015 and 2016. In 2017 and 2018 he came home from Florida and was an assistant coach for Jake Burton at Twin Lakes High School.
Doug’s health forced him to retire from coaching at the age of 74. He remains active in high school baseball as the PA voice for the Florida High School State Baseball championships doing all 32 games each year. In addition, he is the PA voice for Florida Southwestern State College basketball and baseball.
He was an associate scout for the Chicago Cubs for 10 years. In 2004, Doug was appointed by the Governor of Florida to a task force to study recruiting in high school sports.
Doug and wife of 52 years Pam, have recently moved back to West Lafayette, Ind., and are the parents of a daughter Keli, a business owner in Monticello, Ind., and a son Kraig, an attorney in Washington, D.C.
Joe Decker
(Silver Creek — Retired)
Decker is a 1987 graduate of Silver Creek High School and a 1991 graduate of Hanover College.
He began his coaching career at Brown County High School in 1992 before moving to Silver Creek in 1996. He also was the head coach at Indiana University Southeast from 2003-2006.
He has amassed an overall head coaching record of 634 – 344 over his 30-year coaching career. At the high school level, he has an overall record of 553 – 256. His teams have won 16 conference championships (including a current 65 game winning streak in the Mid-Southern Conference), 12 sectional championships (six straight), four regional championships, two semistate championships and one state championship in his final game in 2023.
Decker has been named Conference Coach of the Year 16 times and District Coach of the Year twice. He has over 40 players go on to play at the next level, eight All-State players, six North-South All-Stars and four Academic All-State players.
He has served on numerous IHSBCA committees as well as serving as a coach on the North/South All-Star series at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2022.
Joe teaches math at Silver Creek High School and lives in Sellersburg, Ind., with his wife Stephanie who is a motivational speaker. They have three children: Nolan (25), Dominic (20), and Reese (17).
Randy Roberts
(Washington Township — Active)
Roberts graduated from Warsaw Community High School and Grace College. At Grace he was a four-year letter-winner and was an all-conference performer at third base. He was a member of the last Lancer championship team in 1984.
He began his coaching career in Puerto Rico before taking over the reins at Washington Township in 1997.
At Wesleyan Academy he inherited a team that won two games the previous season. In his first season his team won the B division championship and lost in the opening round of Island championship.
In his second season they again won the B division and defeated 3 larger division A school to win the PRHSAA island championship. This was the first time a B division team had won the Island championship. He coached against many Puerto Ricans that went on to play professionally.
At Washington Township he took over a program that had two winning seasons in 57 years and a winning percentage of .213.
Since becoming the head coach they have had 23 winning seasons and a winning percentage of .627. During his time with the Senators, he has won 452 games with 10 sectional titles, five regional crowns, two semi-state titles, and one state championship.
During that time his teams also won six Porter County Conference titles. Roberts has been named District Coach of the Year for the IHSBCA several times over the years.
Randy has been a fifth grade teacher at Washington Township for 27 years and the head coach for 26 of those years. He also has organized Little League, Babe Ruth, and Cal Ripken at WTS for 25 years. Randy has three children: Sophia (27), Max (26) and William (21).
His son Max is currently pitching in the minor leagues with the Seattle Mariners organization.
Dave Ginder
(Fort Wayne Carroll — Active)
Ginder is a graduate of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne and Anderson University. He enters his 22nd season as Carroll head coach and has won 446 games against 154 losses.
During that time, his teams have captured seven Northeast Hoosier Conference crowns, 11 sectional titles, four regional titles, two semistate championships, and two state titles in 2010 and 2011.
Ginder has been named State COTY twice (2010 and 2011), NHC COTY (2003, 2011, and 2013), and District COTY in 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2022.
Dave is an active member in the IHSBCA serving as an assistant North All-Star coach in 2011 and Head Coach in 2022 and a member of the 4A Poll Panel for many years.
He is also involved with local baseball camps and clinics, along with being a member of the ABCA and Northeast Indiana Baseball Association where he was inducted into their HOF in 2022 and serves on the NEIBA board.
Ginder teaches Mathematics at Carroll High School. He resides in Fort Wayne with his wife, Kristen, a Registered Nurse at Parkview, and Certified Health Coach. They have three children: Langston (24), Drezdan (22) and Jantzyn (19).
Tim Terry
(South Vermillion — Active)
Terry is a Clinton (Ind.) High School graduate who played baseball, basketball, and football. He attended Indiana State University, where he
played baseball until an injury sidelined him. He received his B.S. in 1978 and M.S. in 1983.
Tim has been coaching high school baseball for 45 years. He began his head coaching journey as an assistant, then became the head coach in 1980 at Turkey Run. He was an assistant again at South Vermillion in 1981 before becoming the varsity coach in 1982.
He has over 600 wins with eight Sectional Championships, 10 Conference titles, and one trip to the Final Four. He has also won 20-plus games in 10 seasons and has been named conference Coach of the Year 10 times.
Coach Terry has twice been named IHSBCA District Coach of the Year. He has been a member of several IHSBCA committees and served as a North/South All-Star coach twice.
Tim has also been involved in baseball outside the high school program. He has coached many little leagues, including Pony League, Babe Ruth, and travel ball teams.
His past coaching career has also included being the varsity football coach for three years and girls basketball for 34 years. He has accumulated over 900 varsity victories, coaching the three sports.
Tim was an industrial arts, driver’s education, physical education, and health teacher and has been the Athletic Director at SVHS since 2014. His wife Kim teaches science at South Vermillion. They have four boys, and the oldest three are also high school coaches.
Kyle Kraemer
(Terre Haute South Vigo — Active)
Kraemer is a 1986 graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School. He was an IHSBCA First Team All-State Selection after his senior year and played
in the 1986 IHSBCA North-South All-Star Series.
Kyle then played collegiately for four years at Purdue University under legendary IHSBCA Hall of Famer Dave Alexander. Kraemer was named team captain and lead the Boilermakers with 10 home runs his senior season.
Kraemer will begin his 30th year as the head at his alma mater this year. He has accumulated a 550-266-2 career record.
Coach K was also an assistant varsity coach at West Lafayette Harrison High School in 1992 as well as an assistant varsity coach at Terre Haute South Vigo in 1993 and 1994, prior to taking over as head coach in 1995.
Kraemer has sent 76 former players on to the next level — primarily in baseball. Eight of his former players have played professionally and 66 of his players have been all-conference selections (42 Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference and 24 Conference Indiana).
Eight players have been named to the IHSBCA Academic All-State team and 12 players have participated in the IHSBCA North-South All-Star Series. Five players have been recognized as IHSBCA First Team All-State.
Kyle was a member of the first two Terre Haute South Vigo baseball teams to ever win sectional and regional championships in 1985 and 1986 and since then, he has coached the Braves to eight Conference Championships (six in the MIC, two in CI), 10 sectional championships, four regional
championships and two Final Four appearances.
He was also selected as the MIC Coach of the Year six times and the CI Coach of the Year twice.
Coach K is an active member of the IHSBCA. He has served as the District M Representative for over 20 years.
He acted as the host for the 2006 IHSBCA North/South All-Star Series, was an assistant coach for the South All Stars in the 2008 IHSBCA All-Star Series and has served as a member of the South All-Star Selection Committee on numerous occasions. He was a member of the 4A poll panel for the last seven years.
Kraemer teaches in the CTE Department at Terre Haute South Vigo. He lives in Riley, Ind. with his wife Valerie, who is a fourth grade teacher in Vigo County. They share three children together: Koby Kraemer and his wife Seyma, Ali Gonzalez and her husband Rigo and Jacob Givens as well as five grandchildren — Kali and Khalil Kraemer, Liam and Leia Givens and Mila Gonzalez.
Players/Contributors
Wallace Johnson
(Retired)
Johnson is a 1975 graduate of Gary Roosevelt High School and a 1979 graduate of Indiana State University playing for legendary coach Bob Warn.
He was co-captain of ISU’s first Missouri Valley Conference championship team and their first appearance in NCAA postseason play. Wallace led the nation in hitting (.502 in regular season) during that season and holds a .422 career average. He was elected to the ISU Hall of Fame in 1985.
Johnson was selected in the sixth round of the 1979 draft by the Montreal Expos.
He was MVP of the Florida State League and a member of the 1981 (Denver) and 1986 (Indianapolis) Triple-A championship teams.
Johnson made his major league debut in 1981 with the Expos and was their all-time pinch hitter leader with 86 hits. His MLB totals were .255 batting average, five home runs and 59 runs batted in over 428 games. Upon retiring as a player, he was the third base coach for five seasons with the Chicago White Sox.
Josh Phegley
(Retired)
Phegley spent eight seasons in the big leagues playing for three teams — the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs.
On his way to playing in the major leagues, Josh was the epitome of a hard-working Hoosier. He started as a freshman for the Terre Haute North Vigo High School Patriots behind the plate.
Josh took to the defensive side of the game instantly, and, offensively, finished his high school career hitting .592 as a senior with 13 home runs and 50 runs batted in.
His accomplishments on the field led him to being named to the South All-Stars as well as the Indiana High School Player of the Year for 2006.
He and his South teammates swept the North in the annual series, and he was selected as the MVP for the North-South Series which was played on the campus of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
After high school, Phegley went to Indiana University on a baseball scholarship. As a Hoosier, Phegley excelled on the diamond hitting .344 as a junior with 17 homers and 59 RBIs leading him to being drafted 38th overall by the White Sox.
Josh made his major league debut on July 5, 2013, at Tropicana Field vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.
He wasted no time in getting acclimated to the big leagues collecting a hit in his first game and hit his first home run (off David Price) on his third day as a major leaguer. Phegley hit his first grand slam (off Anibal Sanchez) in his first week in the senior circuit.
After playing two seasons with the White Sox, Phegley was traded to the Athletics. During his five seasons in Oakland, Phegley became the everyday catcher. He played his last season in the major leagues for the Cubs in 2020. He announced his retirement on Feb. 3, 2021.
Bryan Bullington
(Retired)
Bullington attended Madison Consolidated High School where he was a two-sport athlete.
As a sophomore he had a 6-3 record while compiling 74 strikeouts. In 1998, as a junior, he was 10-1, with a 1.69 ERA and 65 strikeouts.
During his senior season, in 1999, Bryan was an impressive 15-0 with a 1.49 ERA and 127 strikeouts. He led his team to the 1999 3A state championship where he threw a one-hitter.
Following the 1999 season he was named Indiana’s Hoosier Diamond Mr. Baseball, MVP of the IHSBCA North-South All-Star Series and drafted in the 37th round by the Kansas City Royals.
Bullington decided to forego Major League Baseball at that time to attend Ball State University. In three seasons at Ball State, he had a career record of 29-11 with 348 strikeouts. He was named first team all- Mid-American Conference all three years at BSU and was named MAC Pitcher of the Year in both the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Upon leaving Ball State, Bullington held school records for most career wins (29), single-season strikeouts (139), career strikeouts (357) and single-season wins (11). He still holds the MAC conference record in career and single-season strikeouts.
In 2001, he was chosen to pitch for the United States National Team. In 2014, Bullington was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame.
In the 2002 MLB Draft, Bullington was chosen as the first overall pick and signed to play with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since the start of
the MLB draft in 1965 there have only been two No. 1 overall picks that call Indiana home.
His pro career lasted 12 seasons, but he missed the 2006 season due to labrum surgery and rehab. In seven seasons of Minor League Baseball, he was 61-38 with a 3.68 ERA and had 602 strikeouts.
In 2010, he signed a contract to play professional baseball in Japan. Over 5 seasons with the Hiroshima Carp he was 46-48 with a 3.25 ERA and 550 strikeouts.
Bullington continues to stay connected to the game of baseball as a scout for the Milwaukee Brewers. He lives south of Chicago with his wife and three children.
Clayton Richard
(Retired)
Richard played high school baseball for Hall of Fame coach Jake Burton at McCutcheon High School where he participated in football, basketball and baseball.
In football, he was four-time All-State, an All-American and was awarded the Indiana Mr. Football Award in 2002. He lettered four years in basketball and is a member of McCutcheon’s 1,000-point club and set rebound records.
In baseball, he played varsity all four years. He led the state in pitching his senior year while allowing only one earned run all season en route to the Mavericks’ second state championship in five years.
Clayton was awarded with the Mr. Baseball award following that season, becoming the first Hoosier athlete to win both Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball. During his time at McCutcheon, he was a valedictorian of his class.
He went on to play football and baseball at the University of Michigan. He played two seasons of football and one of baseball before being chosen by the Chicago White Sox in the eighth round of the 2005 MLB Draft. He was promoted in 2008 and made his debut for the White Sox in July.
He played baseball professionally from 2005-2019. He spent most of his career as a starter for the San Diego Padres.
Clayton Richard lives in Lafayette, where he coaches quarterbacks during the fall and is the head baseball coach at Lafayette Jefferson High
School.
He also owns Captain Spiffy Golf Carts. He is married to Ashley, and they are the proud parents of three children: Cashton (10), Cannon (9) and Kile (6). He is very appreciative of the support he has received through the years from all the members of the Lafayette community, especially Barry, Cindy, Casey, and Taylor.
A.J. Reed
(Retired)
Reed is a 2011 graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School and was coached by Kyle Kraemer.
He was a three-time All MIC honoree, first team 4A All-State (2010 and 2011) and was the Indiana High School Baseball Player of the Year in 2011 along with being an IHSBCA South All-Star and the North-South All-Star game MVP. He is listed in the top 10 in the IHSBCA record book for Base on Balls in a season (1st) and Home Runs in a season and career (6th).
His collegiate career at the University of Kentucky was capped off his junior year in 2014 with a series of honors including: SEC Player of the Year; the Golden Spikes Award for the nation’s top amateur baseball player; the Dick Howser trophy; ABCA and Baseball America College Player of the Year; the John Olerud Trophy; several first team All-America teams; and the Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger National Player of the Year.
In 2012, he was also the recipient of several first team Freshmen All-America team honors. In 2014, he was a second-round draft pick of the Houston Astros and was the recipient of Minor League All-Star honors in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
He is a two-time recipient of the Joe Bauman minor league baseball home run award and the Rookie of the Year and MVP with Lancaster in the California League in 2015.
A.J. retired from baseball in March 2020. He currently resides in Riley, Ind., with his wife Shelby and their two dogs.
David Taylor
(Indiana Bulls — Active)
Taylor was an outstanding baseball player at Southmont High School and went on the play collegiately at Wabash College where he was a team captain.
He began his coaching career while a college student and this included Little League, Babe Ruth, high school, AAU and American Legion baseball.
During an AAU coaching stint in Florida, he realized the level of travel baseball and how Indiana was underrepresented in this area. It was at this time he formed the Indiana Bulls travel organization with the vision of providing Indiana high school players with the opportunity to pursue their college and MLB dreams.
In 1992, the Bulls sponsored two teams and David coached the 18-and-under team with future MLB players Scott Rolen and Todd Dunwoody. He continued to coach the Bulls for four more seasons, served as the president for 10 years, and officer for 20 years, and has been a director since 1992.
His vision for creating a platform for Indiana high school baseball players was realized.
Over 170 Bulls players have been drafted (12 in the first round) and over 300 players have received Division I scholarships. The Bulls have won 22 national titles, a professional staff that works 12 months a year, and currently field 25 teams from ages 8 to 17.
Several of these teams are coached by former professional who were Bulls players.
David resides in Brownsburg, Ind., and is a leading insurance defense trial attorney. He has served 20 years as a certified MLBPA agent and represented more than 100 professional players and continues to represent former players in various legal matters.
Evan Jurjevic is where he wanted to be in the world of baseball.
“It was my ultimate dream to work with a professional baseball team,” says Jurjevic. “Although I didn’t get to play for them I’m still able to be involved with baseball and the organization I grew up watching which is pretty awesome.”
That’s where the White Sox conduct spring training and wear the Arizona Complex League team plays during the summer.
Jurjevic helps players with rehabilitation to get them back to their team within the organization.
After the season, it tends to be less busy but it is a year-round job.
While each player is different, Jurjevic says the majority of injuries for pitchers are shoulder to elbow. The most common ailment for position players is hamstring pulls.
“We make sure they go through a throwing progression or a mound progression for pitchers,” says Jurjevic. “We make sure position players do a full baseball program and that they are ready for game play.
“The prime goal for us is to get them back to what we feel like is their full self.”
Jurjevic looks to get position players’ shoulders strong and stable and will often have them use plyoballs with light throwing movements followed by a throwing plan.
“We want to get them back to making the throws they are used to making in a game situation,” says Jurjevic.
Player development and upper management personnel decide where the athlete goes after physical therapy. Big leaguers sometimes are sent on a rehab assignment to a lower affiliate in the system.
White Sox farm teams are in Charlotte, N.C. (Triple-A), Birmingham, Ala. (Double-A), Winston-Salem, N.C. (High-A) and Kannapolis, N.C. (Low-A) with rookie clubs in Arizona and the Dominican Summer League.
“With an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament injury) or Tommy John (elbow rehab) they’re obviously going to spend more time out here, but we want to make sure they’re ready to go and get them out as quick as possible,” says Jurjevic. “Their job is to play baseball.”
Also in Glendale, the organization has a rehab pitching coach (Michael Bradshaw) and the pitching coach assigned to the ACL White Sox (former Mishawaka, Ind., Marian High School, Valparaiso, Ind., University and White Sox minor league pitcher Drew Hasler).
“We try to integrate guys to make sure they don’t feel they’re just in rehab,” says Jurjevic. “They are still a part of the White Sox organization. They are not out on an island by themselves just doing rehab.”
Depending on where they are in the process, players will go physical therapy and then do weight lifting and conditioning.
“We’re working on the entire body and not just the injury,” says Jurjevic. “Once that injury is healed, their entire body is ready to perform.”
After graduating from LaPorte in 2010, Jurjevic played at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tenn., where he was an all-South Atlantic Conference selection and a two-time team captain.
He graduated with a B.S. in Exercise Science and M.S. in Education with an emphasis in instruction and curriculum and later earned a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from the Rinker-Ross School of Health Sciences at Trine University in Angola, Ind.
Before going to the White Sox, Jurjevic spent two years at Parkview Athletic Rehabilitation in Fort Wayne, Ind., working with athletes.
He owns a number of certifications, including CSCS (Strength and Conditioning Specialist), VBT (Velocity Based Training Certification) and C-PS (Champion Performance Specialist).
Jurjevic, 31, is also owner and director of Diamond Performance Academy in Fort Wayne, which operates out of Empowered Sports Club, 12124, Lima Road, and oversees the Indiana Chargers 14-18 travel baseball teams.
“Taking my playing experience and my education and working with wide range of athletes I’m able to provide my players with information I wish I had at their age,” says Jurjevic. “I see everyday what it takes to get to the next level and I’m put an emphasis on it for younger kids.
“Ultimately, they are athletes that want to excel. Providing them with proper information helps them reach their end goal.”
“Any baseball player who is high school age can come train with us,” says Jurjevic, who comes back to Indiana a few times during the off-season and has hired Reese Kuhns and Brett Wiley as lead instructors. Fort Wayne Snider High School graduate Kuhns was a catcher at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. Huntington North High School alum Wiley played middle infield at the University of Evansville and Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Mo., and in pro ball.
Kuhns has been the with Indiana Chargers for three years. This is Wiley’s second year.
“They’re doing a very good job of developing players and continuing what (founder) Joel Mishler’s mission was with the Indiana Chargers. What he set in place in 2008 is the correct way of doing things.
“Our goal is to help players maximize their baseball skill set in areas that scouts are looking for: Are you fast? Do you have a good arm? Do you have good fielding actions? Do you hit the ball to all fields with power?
“We do a combination of baseball skill training and also strength and conditioning. We feel like that will help improve baseball performance.”
The Indiana Chargers fielded six teams in 2023. The plan is for four in 2024.
The driving force is development.
“Winning rings is fun and makes the experience cool,” says Jurjevic. “But, ultimately, college coaches aren’t looking for trophies. They’ve looking for quality characteristics in baseball players and good skills.
“They want quality people who are also really good at baseball.”
Kyle Schmack will continue playing college baseball for his father while he furthers his education.
With a Finance degree in-hand and one year of remaining eligibility, Kyle is coming back to Valparaiso (Ind.) University — where father Brian Schmack just completed his 10th season as head coach — and will enter graduate school, going for a Master of Analytics and Modeling with an eye on being a financial analyst after college.
“It’s fun,” says Kyle of playing for his dad. “I never got to do it growing up.
“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life.”
Kyle enjoyed a memorable 2023 season.
In 47 games (47 starts), the righty swinger hit .322 (55-of-171) with nine home runs, one triple, 15 doubles, 38 runs batted in, 47 runs scored and 11 stolen bases.
In four seasons (2020-23), Schmack is hitting .283 (165-of-583) with 18 homers, three triples, 37 doubles, 93 RBIs, 100 runs and 22 stolen bases. The 2020 season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic and several players — including Schmack — were granted an extra year of eligibility.
Schmack, who turned 22 in May, has an approach in the batter’s box.
“I just try to see the ball deep,” says Schmack. “It gives me a better bat path.
“If I don’t see the ball deep I won’t recognize a curveball or a slider and I’ll just swing through it.”
While he has clubbed circuit clouts at Valpo and during his days at South Central Junior/Senior High School in Union Mills, Ind., Schmack does not consider himself a home run hitter.
“I try to go for doubles more than anything else,” says Schmack. “Home runs happen as an accident almost.
“I’m not trying to be a contact hitter and put everything in play. I’m still trying to get my ‘A’ swing off. But I’m not trying to hit the ball and launch it over the wall.”
He has defensive keys, too.
“(Coaches) tell us to make sure you catch the ball, stay behind it, block ground balls and make sure guys don’t take extra bases,” says Schmack. “That’s a key for us.”
A 6-foot-1, 240-pound first baseman when he started at Valpo, Schmack turned himself into a 6-1, 215-pound outfielder.
“I shed weight and improved my speed,” says Schmack.
Born in Round Lake, Ill., Schmack grew up in Wanatah, Ind.
He played his first few years of travel ball with the Chesterton Vipers then went to the Dyer Jayhawks. In high school, he played for the Indiana Chargers. Justin Barber was his head coach much of the time.
At 18U, Schmack played for the Chicago Heights, Ill.- based Midwest Rangers.
A 2019 South Central graduate, Schmack played for Satellites coaches Ryan Kruszka and former Valpo U. pitcher Jarad Miller.
“I love them to death,” says Schmack. “They really had a great impact on me.
“They were able to teach me how to play baseball and play it right and how to be a better man.”
Kyle is the oldest of Brian and Cari Schmack’s three children. Twins Ella and Riley Schmack (South Central Class of 2023) played volleyball in high school and are bound for Valpo U.
Cari Schmack is a receptionist in a dermatologist’s office.
Kyle Schmack. (Valparaiso University Photo)
Kyle Schmack. (Valparaiso University Photo)
Brian, Kyle (MVP) and Cari Schmack and Jeff McKeon at 2019 Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association North/South All-Star Series in Madison, Ind. (Steve Krah Photo)
Wilson Valera was on the original South Bend (Ind.) White Sox in 1988. Then known as Wilson Uribe, the Dominican Republic native was 18 when he played in 69 games for the Midwest League team managed by Steve Dillard. Craig Wallin was a young broadcaster for that club. Fast forward to 2023 and Wallin is founder of the Northern League’s Elkhart County (Ind.) Miracle. He introduced Valera as the first-year team’s field manager Thursday, May 4 at D-Bat Elkhart training facility. “I’ve been around a little bit and I’m very glad to be able to share my experiences in baseball,” says Valera. “It’s very important for me to show them the right way to play professional baseball and see how they’re doing. “As soon as you see the player you know what kind of potential they have.” Opening week at NorthWood High School’s Field of Dreams Complex is May 31-June 4. Players report May 26 and will begin a series of workouts at Elkhart High School. First pitch on Wednesday, May 31 is slated for 7 p.m. Michiana blues and rock band Hideous Business is to perform from 6 to 7. Ben Zobrist, World Series MVP for the Chicago Cubs in 2016, is slated to throw out the first pitch on Saturday, June 3. It’s also Team Picture Night. “One way or another, this inaugural week of minor league baseball returning to Elkhart County is going to be one our fans will never forget”, says Wallin. “We hope the entire area comes out to join us in celebrating our new team and its entrance into the Northern League.” There are 30 scheduled regular-season home dates through Aug. 3. The Northern League is a hybrid circuit with a mix of summer collegiate players and professionals. Organized by former Notre Dame baseball/football player Evan Sharpley, a roster of 30 to 35 will feature players from around the country with some local talent. Among those featured on the Miracle website are Nathaniel Garcia, Bryce Lesher, Bryce Miller, Jaden Miller, Dylan Rost and Brycen Sherwood. Valera, who is also related to former South Bend Silver Hawks pitcher Greg Aquino, played eight minor league seasons in the White Sox, Cleveland Indians and New York Mets organizations. He was at bullpen catcher for the San Francisco Giants (1989-93) and Cincinnati Reds (1994-95) coached in the Dominican Summer League for the DSL Twins (1996) and DSL Diamondbacks (2008-11). He was with the Arizona Diamondbacks coaching staff in 2011 and moved down to the Missoula Osprey as hitting coach in 2013. He has championship rings from his time in the Carribean World Series. Wallin calls Valera “as good a baseball guy as there is. But he’s a better human being. He is a wonderful man and he has such respect for this game of baseball. “This is a rare breed when you can get a guy of this caliber with minor league experience and big league coaching experience in our inaugural season. It’s pretty special. We’re really, really pumped.” Valera resides in Elkhart and is an instructor at D-Bat Elkhart, 4411 Wyland Drive, Elkhart, which is owned by Jason and Shelbi Baugh and Eric Miller. “I see the enthusiasm from the kids over here and how they want to play baseball,” says Valera. “Elkhart needs to opportunity to have a real baseball team and now the opportunity has been given to coach the first team. “I’m very, very blessed.” Valera’s son — Mikey, 12 — is a talented player in his own right. It was revealed Thursday that Elkhart County will wear white tops with red pinstripes and a red cap at home and red tops with a blue-skulled/red-billed caps on the road. Scooter is the team’s mascot. Tickets may be purchased at the team’s website or at the gate. Fans purchasing Reserved Seat tickets will be seated behind home plate while General Admission ticket holders will find other seating in various spots around the park and are welcome to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets to sit on. To access the facility, take C.R. 150 east off S.R. 19 then follow the lane to the complex. For more, email info@elkhartcountymiracle.com.
Wilson Valera (left) and Craig Wallin. (Steve Krah Photo)
Jeff Samardzija grew up in a hard-nosed atmosphere. Father Sam’s favorite coach was Indiana University’s Bob Knight. His favorite team was the 1985 Chicago Bears. Dad played semi-pro hockey in the Windy City. “My upbringing was pretty intense with my dad,” said Samardzija Friday, Jan. 13, the day he was inducted into the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. “Luckily I was the second son. He worked the kinks out with my older brother and I kind of loosened up a little bit on me. “I ended up having a good run there out of Valpo.” Sam Samardzija Jr., was an all-state football player who became an agent for Wasserman Baseball representing his brother. He is the first-born son of Sam and Debora Samardzija. She died in 2001 at 46. Jeff Samardzija, who turns 38 on Jan. 23, played wide receiver and helped Valparaiso (Ind.) High School to an IHSAA Class 5A state runner-up finish as a junior. The 2003 graduate was runner-up as Indiana Mr. Football and Indiana Mr. Baseball as a senior. McCutcheon’s Clayton Richard won both awards. “He is the standard,” said Samardzija of Richard, who went on to pitch in the big leagues and is now head coach at Lafayette Jeff. “Quarterbacks — they get all the love.” Samardzija, who is of Serbian decent, went to Notre Dame on a football scholarship and was also allowed to played baseball for the Fighting Irish. “My first two years in football at Notre Dame I wasn’t very good and didn’t put up very good numbers,” said Samardzija, who caught 24 passes for 327 yards and no touchdowns in 2003 and 2004 for the Tyrone Willingham-coached Irish. “I had a lot of success in baseball my freshman and sophomore year.” It was as a frosh football player that Samardzija received his nickname of “Shark.” “When you start freshman year you get hazed by the older guys,” said Samardzija. “I didn’t have beautiful, thick facial hair like I do now.” One day an ND veteran tagged him as “Shark Face” after an animated character. “I had a good football season and somebody on ABC — (Bob) Griese or sometime said, ‘The Shark is running through the middle of the defense,’” said Samardzija, who caught 77 passes for 1,249 yards and 15 TDs in 2005 and 78 for 1,017 and 13 in 2006 with ND coached by Charlie Weis. “From then on people started calling me Shark.” Samardzija did not pitch that much in high school. “When I got to Notre Dame they made me pitch because football didn’t want me to play the outfield,” said Samardzija, who went 5-3, posted a 2.95 earned run average and was named a Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball Magazine in 2004 then followed that up with 8-1 and 8-2 marks in 2005 and 2006 for head coach Paul Mainieri. “It was a great scenario. You don’t have to do off-season conditioning in football. You don’t have to do fall ball in baseball. You get to pick-and-choose where you want to go. “Being on a full scholarship for football, the baseball coaches loved me. I was free. They didn’t ride me too hard. They just wanted me to show up on Saturdays and pitch. I threw a bullpen on Wednesdays. Everything else was football.” After Samardzija did well as a collegiate pitcher and then excelled in football as a junior he now had to decide if his path going forward would be on the gridiron or the diamond. “I had a dilemma on my hands,” said Samardzija. “I had given so much to football my whole life. It was never travel baseball. It was always travel football. “Baseball was always my release. It was never work and it was never a chore to be out there on the baseball field. “I had to fight for all my respect in baseball because I was labeled as a football guy.” With the National Football League showing interest, two-time baseball and football All-American Samardzija was selected in the fifth round of the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Chicago Cubs. He made his MLB debut in 2008. He was with the Cubs 2008 into the 2014 season when he went to Oakland Athletics. That was the same year he was chosen for the All-Star Game though he did not play. Samardzija played for the Chicago White Sox in 2015 and San Francisco Giants 2016-2020. He won 12 games in 2016 and 11 in 2019. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-hander with a four-seam fastball that got up to 99 mph appeared in 364 games (241 starts) and went 80-106 with one save and a 4.15 earned run average. “It’s tough when you have to choose a path,” said Samardzija. “I made the right decision.” A gift from the family and more than 40 donors, Samardzija Field at Tower Park is a youth diamond in Valparaiso. Mostly off the grid in retirement, Samardzija is an avid fisherman and has spent plenty of time in recent years on the water. Sometimes “Shark” encounters sharks. “When I’m in Tampa we’ll get out there,” said Samardzija. “You don’t want to catch them, but sometimes they show up. “I’ve enjoyed kind of just pulling back. It was a go-go-go life there for a long time.” Samardzija and partner Andrea have two children.
Jeff Samardzija. (San Francisco Giants Photo)
One of Jeff Samardzija’s career stops was with the Chicago White Sox.
Lenny “Lefty” Johnston was part of the professional baseball for six decades. Born in Pontiac, Mich. on March 15, 1928, and graduated as a football, basketball and baseball standout from Arthur Hill High School (Saginaw, Mich.) and football and baseball star at Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo), Johnston was signed by the Chicago White Sox by Johnny Mostil and Doug Minor in 1952. Johnston stole 325 bases and led his league in stolen bags for six consecutive seasons (1953-58). He was The Sporting News Minor League Rookie of the Year for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the Western League in 1953. In 1956 — his second of 12 Triple-A seasons — Johnston led the International League with 182 hits for the Richmond Virginians. The last seven of his 15 minor league campaigns as a player was spent with the Indianapolis Indians (1960-66). The Indians won championships in 1961 (American Association), 1962 (American Association) and 1963 (International League South). Johnston was a player-coach in his last two seasons. At 35, hit .316 and finished second in batting in 1964. He smacked four home run and drove in 67 runs in 127 games. A lefty swinging and throwing outfielder, Johnston hit .304 in 76 games with the 1960 Indianapolis team managed by Johnny Hutchings and Ted Beard. The Indians were then a Philadelphia Phillies farm team. He hit .297 in 113 games for the Cot Deal-managed 1961 Indians (then a Cincinnati Reds affiliate). In 1962, Indianapolis was part of the Chicago White Sox system and the ties remained through Johnston’s career in Indy. He hit .270 with 45 runs batted in over 113 games for a ’62 team managed by Luke Appling (who went into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964). Rollie Hemsley skippered the 1963 Indians and Johnston hit .262 with four home runs and 30 RBIs in 115 games. Les Moss managed the 1964 Indians to a second place finish in the Pacific Coast League East. Johnston hit .206 in 81 games for the 1965 Indians (fourth in the PCL East). George Noga was the manager. Moss was back as manager in 1966. Johnston hit .251 in 94 games and the Tribe placed third in the PCL East. Among his other managers are Hobart, Ind., native Everett Robinson plus Don Gutteridge, Danny Murtaugh, Eddie Lopat and Rube Walker. Johnston will be enshrined in the Indiana High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame during the IHSBCA State Clinic Jan. 12-14 at Sheraton at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis. The Hall of Fame and awards banquet is slated for 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 13 at the Sheraton. Other inductees will be Kelby Weybright, Drew Storen, Jeff Samardzija and the late Wayne Johnson. For questions about banquet reservations, program advertisements or events leading up to the ceremony, contact Hall of Fame chairman Jeff McKeon at 317-445-9899. Banquet tickets can be purchased at https://www.cognitoforms.com/Baseball3%20_2023IHSBCAStateClinic and can be picked up from Jeff on the night of the banquet at the registration table. Tickets must be purchased in advance. “Lefty” Johnston married for the second time in Indianapolis and had two sons — David and Danny (who is now caregiver for his 93-year-old father in Nashville, Tenn.). Johnston had three children from a previous marriage in Michigan and had three older children — Tommy, Janie and Kim. In total, he has five children, 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. According to Danny Johnston, his father “loves Florida and loved coaching there. “He also loved Bluefield, Va., where he spent part of three decades with the Bluefield Orioles coaching, mentoring and coordinating.” As a national cross-checker scout “Lefty” was responsible for Tito Landrum coming to the Orioles. Landrum hit the homer that gave Baltimore the lead in Game 4 of the 1983 ALCS and the O’s eventually made it to the World Series. “He was proud to have been a part of that,” says Danny Johnston. He resided in Indianapolis for 50 years during the winters and helped sell season tickets for the Indians and was a substitute teacher and sold insurance for Lincoln National Life. Johnston has been inducted into both Western Michigan’s Football Hall of Fame and Baseball Hall of Fame. In 2010, “Lefty” received the Herb Armstrong Award for his contributions to baseball and the organization, and he was inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame. Johnston went into the Appalachian League Hall of Fame in 2020.
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