Central Michigan Baseball: A Tradition of Excellence

Central Michigan baseball has a long tradition of excellence. Learn about the program’s history, players, and coaches.

Introduction

Central Michigan Baseball has a long and storied tradition of excellence. The program has produced some of the best players in the country, including hall of famer Ernie Banks CMU has also been one of the most successful programs in NCAA history, winning multiple conference championships and making several trips to the College World Series

Today, Central Michigan remains one of the Premier Baseball programs in the country. The team is consistently ranked in the top 25 and regularly competes for conference and National Championships If you’re looking for a school with a tradition of success on the diamond, look no further than Central Michigan University

The Early Years

Central Michigan University has a long and proud tradition of excellence in baseball. The program has been in existence since 1895, and has produced many great teams and players over the years.

The early years of the program were marked by success, as the team won five conference championships in its first six years of existence. The peak of this early success came in 1903, when the team went 22-2 and won the conference championship

During this time, the team was coached by Albert B. Stedman, who was one of the pioneers of the game. Stedman coached the team for 25 years, and his teams compiled a record of 418-143-5. This included 19 seasons with 20 or more wins, and four seasons with 30 or more wins.

Stedman’s teams were known for their strong defense and their ability to hit for power. They frequently led the conference in home runs and set numerous records for shutouts. Stedman himself was inducted into the college baseball Hall of Fame in 2013.

After Stedman’s retirement in 1930, the program experienced a period of decline. However, it rebounded in the 1940s under the leadership of Head Coach John Jancisin. Jancisin coached Central Michigan for 18 seasons, and his teams went 438-247-5 during that time. This included eight seasons with 20 or more wins, and four seasons with 30 or more wins.

Jancisin’s teams were known for their aggressive style of play, which often featured stolen bases and bunts. They regularly competed for conference championships, and appeared in three NCAA tournaments during Jancisin’s tenure. Jancisin himself was inducted into the college baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

The 1950s

The 1950s were a decade of great change for Central Michigan baseball The program began to gain national attention thanks in large part to the efforts of legendary head coach Cliff Abbott. Abbott led the Chippewas to eight straight Mid-American Conference championships and nine NCAA tournament appearances. His teams were known for their aggressive style of play, which helped them achieve great success on the diamond.

During this decade, CMU also began to produce some of the nation’s Top Players In 1953, pitcher Dick Weldon became the first Chippewa to be named a first-team All-American. Weldon would go on to have a successful Major League career, pitching for the Detroit Tigers Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles He was inducted into the Central Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 1981.

In 1957, catcher Steve Boros became CMU’s second first-team All-American. Boros would go on to have a successful career in professional baseball playing for the Detroit Tigers San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians He was inducted into the Central Michigan Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.

The 1950s were truly a golden era for Central Michigan baseball The team’s success on the field helped put the program on the map and established it as one of the nation’s premier Collegiate Baseball programs.

The 1960s

In the 1960s, Central Michigan Baseball Rose to prominence under the guidance of Head Coach Joe Magee. The team enjoyed great success, winning conference championships in 1966 and 1967. In 1968, the Chippewas made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament but were forced to withdraw due to a players’ strike. The following year, Central Michigan once again qualified for the NCAA tournament and this time advanced to the College World Series where they finished in fourth place. The team’s successes continued into the 1970s, as they won another Conference Championship in 1971 and made another appearance in the College World Series in 1972.

The 1970s

The 1970s were a decade of great success for the Central Michigan baseball team In 1970, the team won the MAC championship and made their first appearance in the NCAA tournament They would go on to win the conference championship again in 1971 and 1972, and made it back to the NCAA tournament in 1973. The 1974 season was another successful one, as the team won yet another MAC title and made it to the NCAA Tournament The 1975 season was cut short due to aPlayers’ strike, but the team rebounded in 1976, winning yet another MAC championship and making it back to the NCAA Tournament The 1977 season was a bit of a down year, as the team finished second in the conference and did not make it to the NCAA tournament However, they rebounded in 1978, winning their fourth MAC title in five years and making it back to the NCAA Tournament They would finish the decade with another MAC title in 1979, giving them five titles in nine years.

The 1980s

The 1980s were a decade of success for the Central Michigan Baseball Team The Chippewas won four Mid-American Conference championships and made four NCAA Tournament appearances. Central Michigan also won two games in the College World Series becoming the first Michigan team to do so.

The 1990s

The 1990s were a decade of success for the Central Michigan baseball team The Chippewas won six Mid-American Conference championships and made seven NCAA tournament appearances, including two trips to the College World Series CMU also produced 17 All-Americans and had 27 players drafted by Major League Baseball teams during the decade.

The 2000s

In the 2000s, Central Michigan baseball continued its tradition of excellence. The team won the MAC regular season title in 2000, 2004, and 2005. The Chippewas also won the MAC Tournament in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, Central Michigan had its first ever 40-win season, finishing the year with a 41-17 record. The team made it to the NCAA Tournament that year, but lost in the regional finals.

The 2010s

The Central Michigan baseball program has enjoyed a great deal of success over the years, most recently in the 2010s. The team has won five Mid-American Conference titles in the past decade, including back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. They have also made seven appearances in the NCAA tournament reaching the Super Regional round in 2016.

Conclusion

The Central Michigan Baseball Program has a long and proud tradition of excellence. The Chippewas have won numerous conference championships and have made several appearances in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Central Michigan is also home to one of the nation’s top collegiate baseball facilities Theunissen Stadium. There is no doubt that the Chippewas are a perennial power in the world of Collegiate Baseball