Eastern Michigan Athletics
Legendary EMU Baseball Coach Ron Oestrike Passes Away
7/11/2014 1:28:00 PM | Baseball
EMU mourns the loss of the winningest baseball coach in program history
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Former Eastern Michigan University head baseball coach and E-Club Athletic Hall of Famer Ron Oestrike passed away today, July 11, at the age of 82. Oestrike, the namesake for the Eagles' baseball stadium, was the winningest coach in program history with 657 wins and led the Green and White to two NCAA College World Series appearances.
A 1954 EMU graduate, Oestrike was the University's head baseball coach for 23 years, from 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 Mid-American Conference championships, and five NCAA Regional appearances on the way to a 657-508-8 overall record.
"We lost a true Eastern Michigan legend today," EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Heather Lyke said. "Coach Oestrike represented all the good in athletics - honesty, integrity, and a deep caring for the student-athletes. He had a tremendous passion for life, the sport, the kids he coached and for Eastern Michigan University as a whole. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
Oestrike began his college career as a two-sport standout at Eastern Michigan, lettering in both baseball and football. After graduating from EMU in 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 EMU in 1963 and the rest was history. He spent the next 24 years developing the EMU 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 develop 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.
The decade of the 1970's was one that will be remembered throughout EMU baseball history. With Oestrike at the helm, the 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 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, EMU built off the success to make a return trip Omaha. In arguably EMU'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 in 1985. He was inducted into the E-Club Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979 and was selected to the ABCA Hall of Fame in 1990.
In addition to his coaching prowess, Oestrike took over a floundering E-Letterwinners Club in 1990 and through his hard work and ability to attract new leaders, he helped lead the E-Club to one of the top alumni chapters at EMU.
Oestrike was preceded in death by Shirley, his wife of 55 years, his parents and brothers, Melvin and Richard. He is survived by: his five children, Jeffrey of Tucson, Ariz., Daniel of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Elizabeth (Mark) McClure of Ypsilanti, Nancy of Ypsilanti and Matthew (Liza) of Tomball, Texas; grandchildren, Megan and Daniel McClure of Ypsilanti and Bren, Jad and Bly Oestrike of Tomball, Texas. He is also survived by many loving in-laws, nieces and nephews.
A funeral service to celebrate Oestrike's life will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 16, at First United Methodist Church, 209 Washtenaw Avenue, Ypsilanti with Rev. Briony Desotell officiating. Burial will take place in Michigan Memorial Park, Flat Rock, Mich. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made in his honor to either the EMU Oestrike Stadium Endowment Fund (fund #00454) or Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. Envelopes are available at the church where the family will receive friends 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 a.m. until time of service Wednesday.
Visitation
Tuesday July 15, 2014, 2 pm - 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church
Tuesday July 15, 2014, 6 pm - 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church
Wednesday July 16, 2014, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church
Funeral Service
Wednesday July 16, 2014, 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church
A 1954 EMU graduate, Oestrike was the University's head baseball coach for 23 years, from 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 Mid-American Conference championships, and five NCAA Regional appearances on the way to a 657-508-8 overall record.
"We lost a true Eastern Michigan legend today," EMU Vice President and Director of Athletics Heather Lyke said. "Coach Oestrike represented all the good in athletics - honesty, integrity, and a deep caring for the student-athletes. He had a tremendous passion for life, the sport, the kids he coached and for Eastern Michigan University as a whole. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family."
Oestrike began his college career as a two-sport standout at Eastern Michigan, lettering in both baseball and football. After graduating from EMU in 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 EMU in 1963 and the rest was history. He spent the next 24 years developing the EMU 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 develop 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.
The decade of the 1970's was one that will be remembered throughout EMU baseball history. With Oestrike at the helm, the 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 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, EMU built off the success to make a return trip Omaha. In arguably EMU'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 in 1985. He was inducted into the E-Club Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979 and was selected to the ABCA Hall of Fame in 1990.
In addition to his coaching prowess, Oestrike took over a floundering E-Letterwinners Club in 1990 and through his hard work and ability to attract new leaders, he helped lead the E-Club to one of the top alumni chapters at EMU.
Oestrike was preceded in death by Shirley, his wife of 55 years, his parents and brothers, Melvin and Richard. He is survived by: his five children, Jeffrey of Tucson, Ariz., Daniel of South Lake Tahoe, Calif., Elizabeth (Mark) McClure of Ypsilanti, Nancy of Ypsilanti and Matthew (Liza) of Tomball, Texas; grandchildren, Megan and Daniel McClure of Ypsilanti and Bren, Jad and Bly Oestrike of Tomball, Texas. He is also survived by many loving in-laws, nieces and nephews.
A funeral service to celebrate Oestrike's life will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 16, at First United Methodist Church, 209 Washtenaw Avenue, Ypsilanti with Rev. Briony Desotell officiating. Burial will take place in Michigan Memorial Park, Flat Rock, Mich. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that donations be made in his honor to either the EMU Oestrike Stadium Endowment Fund (fund #00454) or Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels. Envelopes are available at the church where the family will receive friends 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 a.m. until time of service Wednesday.
Visitation
Tuesday July 15, 2014, 2 pm - 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church
Tuesday July 15, 2014, 6 pm - 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church
Wednesday July 16, 2014, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church
Funeral Service
Wednesday July 16, 2014, 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church
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