Pioneers coach to be inducted into Hall
SMC's Tim Wallace
SMC coach Tim Wallace will be inducted into the NJCAA Baseball CoachesHall of Fame today.TODD SHANESY/todd.shanesy@shj.com
Published: Thursday, May 22, 2014 at 3:15 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, May 23, 2014 at 12:25 a.m.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Today is the day that Spartanburg Methodist baseball coach Tim Wallace never dreamed about.
It barely ever crossed his mind, he said.
But
this evening, on the night before the beginning of the Junior College
World Series, Wallace will be inducted in the NJCAA Baseball Coaches
Hall of Fame.
“The only
time I ever thought about it, to be honest,” he said, “was when I was
sitting there at the banquet (six times since 2000) or when the release
came out about who was being inducted and you read about their
accomplishments. It's totally out of your control, so you don't put a
lot of thought in it.
“... But you know it would be pretty neat.”
It's
already been quite a year for Wallace. He became the third-fastest in
NJCAA Division I history to get 1,000 victories and reached the World
Series for the third straight year, unprecedented in school history. He
will have his team there as he goes into the Hall of Fame.
“It will be special,” Wallace said. “It's a great honor.”
Joining
him in the Class of 2014 will be Eric Brown of Suffolk County (N.Y.),
Steve Ruzich of South Suburban (Ill.) and Thomas Rogers, a former
Division II World Series assistant tournament director. Wallace would be
considered the headliner, along with guest speaker Tony LaRussa,
longtime major league manager and MLB Hall of Famer.
“I'm sure everybody will be more interested in Tony LaRussa,” Wallace said.
SMC
is 46-16 this season, having reached 40 victories for the 21st time in
Wallace's 23 seasons. He is 1,030-323 overall for a winning percentage
of .761.
Wallace has won 11 region
tournament championships, including the last three straight. He was
named NJCAA regional coach of the year eight times, more than he has won
that honor in Region 10. The Pioneers have been to the World Series
under Wallace in 2001, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. SMC also
made it twice under former coach Lon Joyce, 1983 and 1985. Joyce, now a
top scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was inducted into the Hall of
Fame in 2012.
“I think
he'd be in already if they hadn't wanted to get me in first,” Joyce
said. “I'm happy for him. He does a great job. He's competitive and
works hard. And getting a thousand wins in 23 years is pretty darn
good.”
Wallace is already a
member of the halls of fame at SMC and Wofford, where he was a standout
player as a catcher who batted .456 in his two seasons there and had a
consecutive-game hitting streak of 37, still school records. Wallace was
a second-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals and played seven
professional seasons, an all-star in Triple-A, before becoming a batting
champion and home run leader in Italy. He returned to Wofford to
complete his bachelor's degree and then earned a master's from
Gardner-Webb University. He coached the Spartanburg American Legion team
in 2004 and 2005, winning two state championships.
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