John W. Winkin Jr. (July 24, 1919 – July 19, 2014) was an American baseball coach, scout, broadcaster, journalist and collegiate athletics administrator. Winkin led the
University of Maine
The University of Maine (UMaine or UMO) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Orono, Maine. It was established in 1865 as the land-grant college of Maine and is the Flagship universities, flagshi ...
Black Bears baseball team to six
College World Series
The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is an annual baseball tournament held in June in Omaha, Nebraska. The MCWS is the culmination of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisi ...
berths in an 11-year span. In 2007, at age 87, he was the oldest active head coach in any collegiate sport at any NCAA level. In all, 92 of his former players wound up signing professional baseball contracts.
Elected to 11 different halls of fame, including the
National College Baseball Hall of Fame
The National College Baseball Hall of Fame is an institution operated by the College Baseball Foundation serving as the central point for the study of the history of college baseball in the United States. In partnership with the Southwest Collect ...
in 2013, he finished his college baseball coaching career in 2008 with 1,043 total wins, which ranks 52nd all-time among
NCAA head coaches. He died in 2014.
Early life
Winkin was born July 24, 1919
[athletics.husson.edu](_blank)
"Coach Winkin Enjoys 90th Birthday at Winkin Complex", 24 July 2009 (retrieved 29 May 2011) in
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, which at the 2020 United States census had a population of 29,308. Englewood was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from por ...
, the son of Cora Senner Winkin and John W. Winkin Sr. His mother earned her medical degree at Columbia University and was a physician on the staff of
Columbia Presbyterian Medical College[Wallace, William N]
The New York Times
"Answering the Call of the Dugout", 29 March 1989 (retrieved 29 May 2011) before her death in 1932.
[Chase, Stacey]
"Dean of the Baseball Diamond", 7 May 2007 (retrieved 29 May 2011) His father was a linguistics professor at
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
who spoke seven languages.
Winkin attended
Dwight Morrow High School
Dwight Morrow High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Englewood, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Englewood Public School District. The school also serves students from Engle ...
in Englewood.
[Levin, Jay]
"John Winkin, Maine baseball coach who got his start in Englewood, dead at 94 "
, ''The Record (Bergen County)
''The Record'' (also called ''The North Jersey Record'', ''The Bergen Record'', ''The Sunday Record'' (Sunday edition) and formerly ''The Bergen Evening Record'') is a newspaper in New Jersey, United States. Serving Bergen, Essex, Hudson and P ...
'', July 22, 2014. Accessed July 23, 2014. "At the invitation of Englewood’s schools superintendent, Mr. Winkin joined the faculty at his alma mater, Dwight Morrow High School. He taught history and coached baseball. He likely swapped coaching tales with Lombardi, who had been an assistant football coach at St. Cecilia’s, a parochial school in town."
Winkin attended
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist James ...
, where he played baseball for head coach
Jack Coombs
John Wesley Coombs (November 18, 1882 – April 15, 1957), nicknamed "Colby Jack" after his alma mater, was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics (1906–14), Broo ...
as a 5-foot 6-inch left-handed hitting center fielder.
He also played basketball and soccer and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Winkin graduated in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in education.
Military service
Following graduation Winkin joined the
U.S. Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
as an
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
, spending 56 months at sea in the
Pacific theatre and rising to the rank of
lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (also hyphenated lieutenant-commander and abbreviated Lt Cdr, LtCdr. or LCDR) is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander. The corresponding rank i ...
.
Winkin served as one of 158 crew aboard the
USS ''McCall'', a destroyer assigned to protect aircraft carrier
USS ''Enterprise''. After delivering Marines to
Wake Island
Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, southeast of To ...
, the fleet was returning to port at
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...
on the evening of December 6, 1941. However, the ''McCall'' was unable to make it in because of hazardous weather. If not for that storm, the ship would have been berthed next to the
USS ''Arizona'' when Japanese forces attacked the next morning. Instead, Winkin and his crewmates saw the entire attack unfold from the decks of the McCall in the waters outside the harbor.
Post-War life
Following his military discharge, Winkin returned to New Jersey. Though his college coach Coombs had suggested the coaching profession, Winkin knew his parents would scoff at such a decision as a waste of his education. Instead he pursued a career in journalism, joining McFadden Publications in 1946 as a writer and founding editor of ''
Sport Magazine
''Sport'' was an American sports magazine. Launched in September 1946 by New York-based publisher Macfadden Publications, ''Sport'' pioneered the generous use of color photography – it carried eight full-color plates in its first edition.
'' ...
'', and authoring his pieces as Johnny Winkin. The connections developed through his reporting and interview work led to a broadcasting position with the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, where he hosted the first pre-game baseball TV show in the nation alongside
Mel Allen
Mel Allen (born Melvin Allen Israel; February 14, 1913 – June 16, 1996) was an American sportscaster, best known for his long tenure as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. During the peak of his career in the 1940s, ...
and
Curt Gowdy
Curtis Edward Gowdy (July 31, 1919 – February 20, 2006) was an American sportscaster. He called Boston Red Sox games on radio and TV for 15 years, and then covered many nationally televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports and ABC Sp ...
. Winkin became friends with
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...
,
and he chose to wear jersey #5 at each of his college coaching stints in honor of the Yankee legend. Winkin also made his first foray into coaching, becoming manager of the
American Legion
The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...
baseball team in Englewood.
[husson.edu](_blank)
"Husson Welcomes Coach Winkin Back To Campus", 20 April 2011 (retrieved 29 May 2011)
In 1949 Dr. Harry Stearns, superintendent of Englewood schools and a friend of Winkin, suggested he revisit coaching. Winkin then became head football coach at Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, where he was a baseball coach and history teacher.
[ To appease his parents, Winkin resumed studies at ]Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
, earning his Master's and Doctorate in education. His doctoral thesis
A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
was on the statistical probabilities
"Statistical Probabilities" is the 133rd episode of the syndicated American science fiction television series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'', the ninth episode of the sixth season.
Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures on ...
of the double play
In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs.
In Major Leag ...
.
Among the rival schools Winkin coached against was St. Cecilia's, also in Englewood, where the head coach was Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football coach and executive in the National Football League (NFL). Lombardi is considered by many to be the greatest coach in football history, and he is recognized a ...
. Winkin and the future Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
legend became close friends and bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
partners.
Colby College
In 1954 Coombs recommended Winkin to his alma mater, Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, then renamed Waterville College after the city where it resides. The donations of Christian philanthr ...
. Winkin spent the next 20 years there as baseball coach and athletic director. As an administrator he served as president of the Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 15 sports (13 men's and 13 women's). It has 220 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location fro ...
, and also as a vice president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
.
Winkin attended Graylag Basketball Camp on Wild Goose Pond in Pittsfield, New Hampshire
Pittsfield is a town in Merrimack County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,075 at the 2020 census.
The main village in town, where 1,570 people resided at the 2020 census, is defined as the Pittsfield census-designated place (C ...
1962,63,64 & 65'. The Camp was run by Bob Cousy
Robert Joseph Cousy (, born August 9, 1928) is an American former professional basketball player. Cousy played point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963, and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals during the 1969–70 season. A 13-time N ...
and they became friends.
Winkin was named National Baseball Coach of the Year in 1965. During his tenure he also served as an area scout for the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
for several years. He also developed a friendship with Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 1939 ...
, and Winkin coached at Williams' summer youth baseball camps in Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,523 at the 2020 census.
History
Native Americans inhabited southern Massachusetts for thousands of years prior to European colonization of the Americas ...
for 15 years.
Two of Winkin's players at Colby, Norm Gigon and Ed Phillips
Ed Phillips (born 6 July 1966) is an Australian television and radio presenter.
Career
Phillips began his career in 1988 with radio station Triple M, where he stayed until 1997. It was around this time that he acquired his on-air handle "Laugh ...
, went on to play in the major leagues.
As athletic director, Winkin hired Dick Whitmore as men's basketball coach in 1970. Whitmore compiled a 637–341 record and a .651 winning percentage over his 40-year career, and retired in March 2011 with the seventh-highest all-time victory total in NCAA Division III men's basketball.
In 1973–74, Winkin's final year at Colby, he served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) is a professional organization for college and university athletic directors in the United States. NACDA boasts a membership of more than 6,100 individuals and more than 1,600 ins ...
. He compiled a record of 301–202–5 over his baseball coaching tenure with the school.
University of Maine
Winkin became head baseball coach at the University of Maine
The University of Maine (UMaine or UMO) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Orono, Maine. It was established in 1865 as the land-grant college of Maine and is the Flagship universities, flagshi ...
in 1975, taking over for Jack Butterfield, who had left to become the head coach of South Florida
South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...
. His arrival spawned an era of great success for the Black Bears that included six College World Series
The College World Series (CWS), officially the NCAA Men's College World Series (MCWS), is an annual baseball tournament held in June in Omaha, Nebraska. The MCWS is the culmination of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisi ...
appearances and a third-place finish. Winkin's teams, composed largely of players from Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
and the other five New England
New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
states, proved to be formidable competition for major southern and western universities that had substantially larger budgets and fielded superior talent.
Maine's success on the national stage was even more surprising given the state's long winters that often resulted in snow-covered ground well into April and muddy fields in May. Conditions often limited the Black Bears outdoor on-campus baseball activity to less than two months, while players for colleges in warm-weather climates were able to train outdoors year-round. Maine, like other northern schools, would head south early in the season, playing multiple weeks worth of games on the road against top-caliber teams. Winkin also pioneered an innovative system of indoor baseball training and workouts, which he detailed in one of his books. His Maine teams gained a broad following, initially as underdogs and later as respected upstarts, when ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
televised the College World Series to national audiences.
In 1975, Winkin's first season, the Black Bears set a school record with 25 wins and matched the team's best-ever .750 winning percentage, but lost in the NCAA regionals. Senior right-hande
Fred Howard
a Butterfield recruit, went on to pitch in the majors with the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
.
In 1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...
the Black Bears won a new team record 29 games and earned their first CWS berth under Winkin. It was also the school's first appearance in Omaha since 1964, when Butterfield led Maine to three wins and a third-place finish. Following a 3–2 loss to Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...
, Winkin's team knocked off heavily favored Auburn (9–8) and Washington State
Washington (), officially the State of Washington, is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. Named for George Washington—the first U.S. president—the state was formed from the western part of the Washington ...
(6–3) before being eliminated by Arizona State
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
(7–0). The 1976 team included future major leaguer Bert Roberge
Bertrand Roland Roberge (born October 3, 1954) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball for the Houston Astros, Chicago White Sox, and Montreal Expos from 1979 through 1986.
Amateur career
A native ...
and future Clemson baseball coach Jack Leggett
Jack Leggett (born March 5, 1954) is a retired American head college baseball coach. He was recently the head coach of the Clemson Tigers from 1994 to 2015. Under Leggett, the Tigers reached the College World Series six times. As of the end of ...
.
Maine returned to the CWS in 1981
Events January
* January 1
** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union.
** Palau becomes a self-governing territory.
* January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major offensiv ...
, arriving in Omaha as winners of 30 games including a 20-game winning streak. Notable players on the team included future major leaguers Kevin Buckley
Kevin John Buckley (born January 16, 1959) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player who played for the Texas Rangers in 1984.
A native of Quincy, Massachusetts, Buckley attended Braintree High School prior to attending the Unive ...
, Joe Johnson and Bill Swift
William Charles Swift (born October 27, 1961) is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher. Swift played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, and Colorado Rockies.
Scholastic career ...
. The Bears faced Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
in the opener, playing the Hurricanes at an even 1–1 through the first six innings behind Swift's pitching. However Miami scored five runs in the final three frames to win it, 6–1. Maine next played South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
in another tight game where the lead changed hands six times. The Bears gained a 7–6 edge with a pair of runs in the top of the 5th, but the Gamecocks scored six unanswered runs to win it, 12–7. Maine's loss eliminated them from the tournament, but their ability to play established power programs close impressed many observers.
The 1982 team had lost six of its first games that season, but had rattled off 22 wins in 23 games including sweeps in the ECAC New England Playoffs and NCAA Northeast Regionals to again qualify for the CWS. Maine faced another opening game against Miami, who knocked the previously unbeaten Swift out of the game with a seven-run onslaught in the second inning. The Black Bear relievers subdued the Hurricanes the rest of the way, but Maine's offense could only muster a pair of runs on the way to a 7–2 loss. Johnson led the Bears back to the winner's column with a 6–0 shutout over Cal State-Fullerton, and Maine reached the final three with an 8–5 win over Stanford and John Elway. Winkin's team found themselves in yet another matchup with Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, with a championship date against Wichita State
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
at stake. Maine stunned the Hurricanes early, knocking out starter Rob Souza with three runs, but reliever Eddie Escribano silenced the Bears' bats the rest of the way. Miami held a slim 4–3 lead but erupted for six runs in the top of the ninth to crush Maine's hopes. Winkin's Bears tacked on a futile run in the bottom half but were eliminated by the Canes, 10–4. First baseman Kevin Bernier became the first Maine player in the Winkin era to be named to the CWS All-Tournament Team.
Maine reached the CWS again in 1983, entering play with a 29–14 record. Barry Larkin
Barry Louis Larkin (born April 28, 1964) is an American former professional baseball player. He played shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2004.
He briefly played in the minor leagues before making h ...
had helped give Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
a 6–2 lead with a pair of doubles in the opener, but the Black Bears made a spirited comeback with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. However it wasn't enough as the Wolverines held on for a 6–5 victory. Winkin's team then faced Arizona State
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
, led by Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American former professional baseball left fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Bonds was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1986 to 1992 and the San Francisco Giants f ...
. It was over early as the Sun Devils scored five times in the first two innings on the way to a 7–0 shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
that eliminated the Bears. Over the summer, Winkin coached the U.S. National Baseball Team that included USC
USC most often refers to:
* University of South Carolina, a public research university
** University of South Carolina System, the main university and its satellite campuses
**South Carolina Gamecocks, the school athletic program
* University of ...
slugger Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire (born October 1, 1963), nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001 for the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Card ...
.
Winkin's club got off to a dismal start in 1984, losing 11 of their first 13 games on a road trip that pitted them against powers such as Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
. But Maine righted the ship, going 22–7 to once again reach the CWS with a 33–18 record. In their opener against Oklahoma State
Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
the Black Bears got off to a quick start, taking a 4–0 lead in the second inning. But the Cowboys stormed back behind the bats of Pete Incaviglia
Peter Joseph Incaviglia (born April 2, 1964), is an American former professional baseball left fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 12 seasons (–), for six different big league teams, also spending one year in Nippon Professi ...
and Randy Whisler, who each drove in 3 runs and led OSU to a 9–5 comeback win. Maine once again was paired against Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, their CWS nemesis. After losing 11 straight games to the Hurricanes, Winkin's Bears had finally beaten them by sweeping a two-game regular season series played earlier in the year on Maine's home field in Orono. However, in the tournament Miami again dominated, leading 8–1 after four innings and 13–3 through six. The Bears mounted a rally in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs, but UMaine was eliminated, 13–7.
The Black Bears set another school record for wins in 1985, going 38–17 with another win over Miami (Winkin's first when playing at the Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
school). However Maine suffered a pair of embarrassing defeats in the ECAC North Playoffs, losing to La Salle (10–2) and Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
(4–1). Winkin's club failed to qualify for the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 1979.
The 1986 season brought a return to Omaha
Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...
for the Black Bears. Despite losing 8 of their first 10 games, and 16 of 25, Maine won 40+ games for the first time in school history. The Bears arrived at the CWS sporting a 41–21 record under Winkin, led by future big leaguers Mike Bordick
Michael Todd Bordick (born July 21, 1965) is an American retired professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball from 1990 to 2003 with four teams: the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays ...
and Jeff Plympton. Plympton was joined in the Black Bears pitching rotation by Scott Morse, Steve Loubier and Dale Plummer, and all four would ultimately be drafted by major league clubs. The opening game of the CWS, against Arizona
Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...
, would result in perhaps the most heartbreaking loss of Winkin's career. Behind the ace stuff of Morse and the booming bat of catcher Bill Reynolds, Maine built a 7–0 lead and still held a 7–1 margin in the bottom of the eighth inning. But it all fell apart as the Wildcats scored four runs in that frame on a pair of two-run homers by Gar Millay and Gary Alexander. In the last of the ninth Arizona's Mike Senne singled home a run, setting the stage for Dave Shermet to blast a two-out, two-run, game-winning home run that stunned the Bears, 8–7. The next game, Winkin's last in a College World Series, pitted Maine against Louisiana State
Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisian ...
. The Tigers built an early 6–0 lead, riding the bat of Jeff Yurtin who went 4-for-4 with five RBI and his 10th home run of the season. Maine out-hit LSU 11 to 8, but the Tigers turned four double plays to quash any potential rallies and hang on for an 8–4 win that eliminated the Black Bears. Despite the pair of losses, Reynolds was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Maine would field other strong teams during Winkin's tenure, but changes in NCAA tournament seeding procedures helped prevent the Bears from earning another trip to Omaha. Instead of each regional bracket being stocked with teams from the region, two of the top 16 national seeds would be assigned to each regional. This virtually assured that all eight College World Series slots would be filled by the traditional southern and western power schools from warm weather climates. In 1999 the odds became even longer for Maine when the NCAA abandoned neutral site regionals and assigned the top eight national seeds as host schools for each regional.
Others who played under Winkin at Maine and reached the major leagues included Mark Sweeney
Mark Patrick Sweeney (born October 26, 1969) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who played for several teams from 1995 to 2008. He is best known for his skill as a pinch hitter, where he ranks second in career pinch h ...
and Larry Thomas. Stump Merrill
Carl Harrison "Stump" Merrill (born February 15, 1944) is a former manager in Major League Baseball. Merrill spent 38 years in the New York Yankees organization, including and as the manager of the Yankees, and he also managed several of the Yan ...
, an assistant coach at UMaine under Winkin, went on to manage the New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
.
Winkin's tenure in Orono ended in 1996 when his contract was not renewed. His career coaching record at UMaine was 642-430-3.
Husson University
In 1996 Winkin joined Husson University
Husson University is a private university in Bangor, Maine. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and as of Fall 2020 had a total enrollment of 3,476 students, including 799 graduate students in master's and doctoral programs.
Husson U ...
as an assistant under head baseball coach John Kolasinski. He also held the positions of senior lecturer and vice president for sports leadership as the school's first Fellow
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
in Sports and Leadership. Winkin became head coach of the Eagles in November 2003 after Kolasinski departed to take a similar position at Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University (SHU) is a private Roman Catholic university in Adrian, Michigan. It was founded by the Adrian Dominican Sisters in 1919.
History
The institution was founded for women in 1919 as St. Joseph's College by the Adrian Domini ...
.
On March 12, 2006, the 86-year-old Winkin became the 44th collegiate baseball coach to reach 1,000 career victories when Husson defeated Drew University
Drew University is a private university in Madison, New Jersey. Drew has been nicknamed the "University in the Forest" because of its wooded campus. As of fall 2020, more than 2,200 students were pursuing degrees at the university's three scho ...
6–3 in Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
.
On December 10, 2007, Winkin suffered a stroke
A stroke is a medical condition in which poor blood flow to the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic, due to bleeding. Both cause parts of the brain to stop functionin ...
while out on his daily walk in Bangor, Maine
Bangor ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Maine and the county seat of Penobscot County. The city proper has a population of 31,753, making it the state's 3rd-largest settlement, behind Portland (68,408) and Lewiston (37,121).
Modern Bangor ...
. The illness left him with partial paralysis of his right side and inhibited his speech.[Bangor Daily News](_blank)
"Winkin, Allen inducted into Husson Sports Hall of Fame", 19 October 2009 (retrieved 29 May 2011) Winkin remained Husson's head coach for the 2008 season, but with his return uncertain in January the school appointed Jason Harvey as interim coach. Winkin officially stepped down after the season but remained as an assistant coach, with Harvey formally replacing him as head coach in July. While leading Husson, Winkin compiled an overall record of 100–74–8.
Personal
Winkin was married and divorced before being widowed by his second wife in 1983 after 23 years of marriage. His third marriage also ended in divorce. He has two children, David and Mary, and eight grandchildren. He was Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, an avid fan of swing-era jazz, and was affectionately nicknamed "Wink" by friends and former players.
Winkin developed close friendships with Red Sox CEO John Harrington and longtime Maine sports benefactor Harold Alfond
Harold Alfond (March 6, 1914 – November 16, 2007) was an American businessman who founded the Dexter Shoe Company and established the first factory outlet store.
Early life
Alfond was born in Swampscott, Massachusetts, on March 6, 1914, ...
, who was a Red Sox minority owner. Alfond's grandchildren came to call Winkin "Papa".
In April 2007, Winkin, Mike Bordick, former UMaine player and assistant coach Mike Coutts, and Penobscot County commissioner and Bangor lawyer Peter Baldacci announced their intention to organize and fund a New England Collegiate Baseball League
The New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) is a 13-team collegiate summer baseball wooden bat league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Major League Baseball. Each NECBL team plays an eight-week, 44-game schedule during June ...
franchise that would play at Husson's Winkin Complex. Their efforts were unsuccessful.
Prior to his stroke, Winkin was known to walk and jog three miles every day. Though he used a wheelchair afterwards, his speech substantially recovered.
Winkin died on July 19, 2014 at the age of 94.
Awards and honors
* Winkin is a member of the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame, Husson University Sports Hall of Fame, American Baseball Coaches Association
The American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) is the world's largest Amateur baseball in the United States, amateur baseball Manager (baseball), coaching organization. It was founded in 1945 as the American Association of College Baseball Coach ...
Hall of Fame, Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, and Maine Sports Hall of Fame.
* New England Division I Baseball Coach of the Year in 1975.
* In 1987, Winkin received the James Lynah
James Lynah (1881 – February 24, 1956) was an American businessman and sports administrator who is considered the principal founder of the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Lynah Rink is named in his honor.
Early years
Born in Charl ...
Distinguished Achievement Award from the ECAC.
* In 1992, the Maine Baseball Coaches Association established the John W. Winkin Award, given annually to the best high school baseball player in the State of Maine.
* The University of Maine retired Winkin's jersey number 5 in 1999, making him the third baseball figure to be so honored by the school.
* As part of a 1999 commemorative series covering every U.S. state, ''Sports Illustrated'' magazine ranked Winkin among The 50 Greatest Maine Sports Figures, placing him at #16.
* In 2000 and 2001 Winkin donated $250,000 to upgrade the Husson baseball facilities. The facility is now called the Dr. John W. Winkin Sports Complex
Husson University is a private university in Bangor, Maine. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and as of Fall 2020 had a total enrollment of 3,476 students, including 799 graduate students in master's and doctoral programs.
Husson U ...
.
* On October 19, 2009, Husson University inducted Coach Winkin into its Sports Hall of Fame.
* Coach Winkin served as a chairman at the NCAA's Regional and Super Regional tournament sites for 10 years.
* On March 12, 2011, Colby College honored Winkin by retiring his jersey number 5.
* On April 11, 2013, Winkin was announced as a member of the 2013 induction class for the National College Baseball Hall of Fame
The National College Baseball Hall of Fame is an institution operated by the College Baseball Foundation serving as the central point for the study of the history of college baseball in the United States. In partnership with the Southwest Collect ...
. He had been an annual nominee since 2007, the year after the hall's establishment. Winkin was present for the induction ceremonies in Lubbock, Texas, on June 29, 2013.CollegeBaseballHall.org
John Winkin page (retrieved 15 May 2014)
* On September 20, 2014, Husson University honored Winkin by retiring his jersey number 5.
Published books
The Baseball Coaching BibleMaximizing Baseball PracticeMaximizing Baseball Practice Indoors
References
External links
* (12 March 2011)
VIDEO - WCSH News Center 6 profiles Coach John Winkin(30 July 2010)
ARTWORK - From Orono to The Show; UMaine and the Big Leagues Under John Winkin(Neal Portnoy Studios, 2009)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Winkin, John
1919 births
2014 deaths
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