VMI Keydets baseball
| VMI Keydets | |
|---|---|
 2017 VMI Keydets baseball team | |
 | |
| Founded | 1866 |
| University | Virginia Military Institute |
| Conference | SoCon |
| Location | Lexington, VA |
| Head coach | Jonathan Hadra (1st year) |
| Home stadium |
Gray–Minor Stadium (Capacity: 1,400) |
| Nickname | Keydets |
| Colors |
Red, Yellow, and White[1] |
The VMI Keydets baseball team represents the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia.[2] The team is a member of the Southern Conference, which is part of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I. VMI's first baseball team was fielded in 1866. The team plays its home games at Gray–Minor Stadium in Lexington, Virginia. The Keydets are coached by Jonathan Hadra.
History
In the Fall of 1866, just two years after the Virginia Military Institute had been burned down by David Hunter and the Union Army, a group of cadets got together and created the Institute's first organized baseball team. It was the first organized team from any sport. In the inaugural season, the Keydets had an astounding mark of 20–1–2, playing among in-state rivals such as Washington and Lee, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Randolph-Macon and Hampden-Sydney, and continuously so for the next several decades.
In 1921, the team starting playing at recently built Alumni Memorial Field along with the football team. Both squads had, up to that point, been playing on the Parade Ground. It was not until the 1960s that the baseball team shifted to Patchin Field, and most recently in 2007, began playing in Gray-Minor Stadium.
Despite having many winning seasons throughout the 20th century and into the last decade, the Keydets have never been able to make the NCAA tournament. The 1993 team came closest to breaking the barrier with a run to the Southern Conference finals, and despite being an 8th seed, VMI upended three higher-seeded teams before bowing down to eventual champion Western Carolina.
Year-by-year results
| Year | Record (Conference) | Coach |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4–14 (2–7) | Frank Summers |
| 1951 | 1–20 (0–12) | Frank Summers |
| 1952 | 1–13 (1–8) | Vince Ragunas |
| 1953 | 7–7 (4–4) | Chuck Noe |
| 1954 | 12–6 (6–4) | Chuck Noe |
| 1955 | 12–8 (6–7) | Chuck Noe |
| 1956 | 12–10 (7–7) | Jack Null |
| 1957 | 8–13 (4–6) | Jack Null |
| 1958 | 4–12 (2–8) | Jack Null |
| 1959 | 5–11 (5–10) | Weenie Miller |
| 1960 | 6–8 (5–8) | Weenie Miller |
| 1961 | 7–7 (6–6) | Weenie Miller |
| 1962 | 8–7 (7–7) | Charlie McGinnis |
| 1963 | 14–11 (7–7) | Charlie McGinnis |
| 1964 | 11–12–1 (5–9) | Charlie McGinnis |
| 1965 | 15–9 (8–6) | Charlie McGinnis |
| 1966 | 10–13 (6–10) | Fred Kelly |
| 1967 | 9–11 (7–9) | Fred Kelly |
| 1968 | 7–8 (3–5) | Chuck Roys |
| 1969 | 10–12 (8–7) | Chuck Roys |
| 1970 | 6–13 (4–9) | Tom Sawyer |
| 1971 | 5–24 (1–15) | Tom Sawyer |
| 1972 | 6–19 (3–13) | Phil Tucker |
| 1973 | 3–14 (0–11) | Phil Tucker |
| 1974 | 6–14 (5–9) | Donny White |
| 1975 | 2–18 (1–13) | Jerry Roane |
| 1976 | 6–23 (2–12) | Jerry Roane |
| 1977 | 5–19 (2–12) | Vern Beitzel |
| 1978 | 2–27 (0–14) | Vern Beitzel |
| 1979 | 6–25 (0–15) | Vern Beitzel |
| 1980 | 4–22 (0–12) | Vern Beiztel |
| 1981 | 3–37 (0–16) | Jim Rowsey |
| 1982 | 11–29 (6–10) | Donny White |
| 1983 | 11–25 (5–9) | Donny White |
| 1984 | 16–18 (6–7) | Donny White |
| 1985 | 16–24 (8–10) | Donny White |
| 1986 | 15–25 (7–11) | Donny White |
| 1987 | 16–16–1 (8–4) | Donny White |
| 1988 | 20–20 (11–7) | Paul Maini |
| 1989 | 16–23 (8–7) | Paul Maini |
| 1990 | 12–26 (6–8) | Paul Maini |
| 1991 | 2–35–1 (1–15) | Paul Maini |
| 1992 | 11–39 (4–15) | Chris Finwood |
| 1993 | 20–29 (5–15) | Chris Finwood |
| 1994 | 21–29 (10–13) | Chris Finwood |
| 1995 | 19–28 (10–14) | Scott Gines |
| 1996 | 17–29 (7–16) | Scott Gines |
| 1997 | 13–35 (6–13) | Scott Gines |
| 1998 | 14–35 (7–17) | Scott Gines |
| 1999 | 22–27 (13–16) | Scott Gines |
| 2000 | 19–30 (11–19) | Scott Gines |
| 2001 | 15–32 (8–19) | Tom Slater |
| 2002 | 10–41 (1–27) | Tom Slater |
| 2003 | 25–27 (16–14) | Tom Slater |
| 2004 | 23–32 (4–20) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2005 | 27–28 (11–13) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2006 | 30–25 (9–15) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2007 | 34–21 (10–11) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2008 | 29–26 (14–7) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2009 | 18–35 (10–15) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2010 | 33–22 (13–14) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2011 | 27–24–1 (14–13) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2012 | 16–36 (7–17) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2013 | 20–35 (6–18) | Marlin Ikenberry |
| 2014 | 25–23 (11–16) | Marlin Ikenberry |
Major League Baseball
VMI has had 31 Major League Baseball Draft selections since the draft began in 1965.[3]
| Keydets in the Major League Baseball Draft | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Round | Team |
| 1965 | Sensabaugh, PercyPercy Sensabaugh | 51 | Orioles |
| 1966 | Porter, RobinRobin Porter | 24 | Pirates |
| 1966 | Sensabaugh, PercyPercy Sensabaugh | 4 | Senators |
| 1989 | Beasley, AndyAndy Beasley | 17 | Athletics |
| 1990 | Craft, MarkMark Craft | 11 | Athletics |
| 1990 | Beasley, AndyAndy Beasley | 4 | Cardinals |
| 1994 | Phillips, MarcMarc Phillips | 32 | Royals |
| 1995 | Groseclose, DavidDavid Groseclose | 22 | Rockies |
| 1995 | Glynn, RyanRyan Glynn | 4 | Rangers |
| 1996 | Shepperson, NathanNathan Shepperson | 55 | Pirates |
| 2003 | Hendrix, PhillipPhillip Hendrix | 35 | Brewers |
| 2003 | Barden, AndyAndy Barden | 19 | Braves |
| 2003 | Harper, JeremyJeremy Harper | 14 | Blue Jays |
| 2005 | Acors, MattMatt Acors | 32 | Pirates |
| 2006 | Sweppenhiser, KellyKelly Sweppenhiser | 44 | Blue Jays |
| 2007 | Bachman, CoreyCorey Bachman | 40 | Cubs |
| 2007 | Rice, ChadChad Rice | 24 | Pirates |
| 2007 | Anton, MichaelMichael Anton | 12 | Angels |
| 2008 | Roberts, MichaelMichael Roberts | 38 | Brewers |
| 2008 | Barham, TreyTrey Barham | 25 | Athletics |
| 2008 | Bowman, MichaelMichael Bowman | 9 | Brewers |
| 2009 | Biagini, TannerTanner Biagini | 50 | Athletics |
| 2009 | Smink, TravisTravis Smink | 31 | Astros |
| 2010 | Ballard, JordanJordan Ballard | 33 | Rockies |
| 2011 | Roberts, SamSam Roberts | 26 | Athletics |
| 2012 | Cowgill, CobyCoby Cowgill | 23 | Rangers |
| 2012 | Lopez, AdamAdam Lopez | 21 | White Sox |
| 2014 | Bach, ConnorConnor Bach | 21 | Nationals |
| 2014 | Garrett, ReedReed Garrett | 16 | Rangers |
| 2015 | Tarsovich, JordanJordan Tarsovich | 22 | Dodgers |
| 2015 | Winn, MattMatt Winn | 14 | Giants |
In popular culture
The 1938 film, Brother Rat is set at the Virginia Military Institute. The film features Eddie Albert as the VMI baseball team's star pitcher, and Ronald Reagan as his catcher. The film's plot centers on Albert and Reagan as they attempt to win the big baseball game against rival Virginia. Portions of the film were shot on location at the VMI campus in Lexington. In 1940, the film was followed by a sequel, Brother Rat and a Baby, featuring the same lead cast members. The sequel film's plot centered on the since-graduated Albert's attempt to get a job as a baseball coach at his alma mater.[4]
See also
References
- ↑ VMI Visual Identity Standards Manual (PDF). Retrieved 2016-09-10.
- ↑ "Virginia Military Institute Keydets". Retrieved 2013-06-21.
- ↑ "MLB Amateur Draft Picks who came from "Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, VA)"". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-06-14.
- ↑ "Warner Archive Wednesday ~ Brother Rat (1938) and Brother Rat and a Baby (1940)". outofthepastblog.com. March 12, 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
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