Several former Lewis-Clark State College baseball players, including a couple who played in the Major Leagues, are expected to be in attendance for the inaugural Lewis-Clark State College Warrior Athletic Hall of Fame banquet and induction ceremony of legendary baseball coach Ed Cheff, which will be held Saturday at the Red Lion Hotel in Lewiston.
There are some tickets still available for the event. Tickets are $50 apiece and must be purchased in advanced. No tickets will be sold at the door. For tickets, contact Katie Savage in the main office on the main floor of the Activity Center, by calling (208) 792-2275 or e-mailing kevsavage@lcsc.edu Credit card payments will be accepted over the phone.
The event, which is limited to 300 people, begins at 6 p.m. with a no-host social hour, followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The induction will include brief speeches by LCSC personnel, fellow and former baseball coaches, and former players.
The LCSC Warrior Athletic Hall of Fame was created by both the LCSC athletic department and the Warrior Athletic Association. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to honor former Warrior coaches, athletes, and supporters, who by virtue of their outstanding accomplishments, service or performance, are of such significant stature that they are considered to be among the most highly regarded to be associated with Warrior athletic programs. Every individual honored has made a major contribution to the tradition of LCSC athletics, to the college, and to the community.
Cheff announced his retirement last summer after coaching the Warriors for 34 seasons. He led the Warriors to an unprecedented 16 NAIA World Series titles and is the NAIA’s all-time leader in victories at one school. He posted a 1,705-430-2 record with LCSC for a .799 winning percentage. His win total ranks second only to Wichita State’s Gene Stephenson’s 1,724 wins with the same program in all of college baseball. His win total also is fourth all-time among all college baseball coaches.
Cheff’s accomplishments are nothing short of amazing. Under his leadership, the Warriors captured 16 NAIA national titles during a 25-year span, won at least 40 games for 30 straight seasons, and produced 114 players who were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including 14 who have made it to the big leagues thus far.
During Cheff’s tenure, LCSC played in 11 consecutive NAIA World Series championship games and won eight. To put this in perspective, no other program has won more than four NAIA Series titles in its 54-year history. LCSC has been to the Series a record 29 times, more than double than any other NAIA program, including 28 under Cheff. Of those 28 appearances, LCSC finished fourth or higher 25 times.
Cheff also has been inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and been selected the winner of the ABCA’s Lefty Gomez Award for his lifetime contributions to amateur baseball. He was named the NAIA Coach of the Year eight times.
Cheff’s teams also produced 72 NAIA All-Americans and three NAIA Players of the Year.
Cheff, who was raised in Butte, came to LCSC after a successful coaching career at Lower Columbia Community College in Longview, Wash. He replaced Ramon Hooker at LCSC following the 1976 season when the Warriors made their first appearance in the NAIA World Series and finished second to Lewis College in Illinois.
One of the trademarks of Cheff’s teams was their mental toughness. LCSC lost more than 20 games only once in a season and during the past seven years, his teams averaged 50 wins and only 8.6 losses.
Cheff’s teams also were regularly involved in the community and with community projects. Players regularly served as mentors at area elementary schools, helped with cleanup at the Lewiston Roundup, and also did work at an animal refuge, among being involved with other local events, fundraisers, and volunteer programs.
During his time at LCSC, Cheff also was on the coaching staff for Team USA in 1991 and again in 1994 when he served as hitting and third-base coach at the World Championships. He also spent seven summers coaching baseball in the Alaska Collegiate League, which features college baseball players from across the United States.
Cheff’s accomplishments are nothing short of amazing. Under his leadership, the Warriors captured 16 NAIA national titles during a 25-year span, won at least 40 games for 30 straight seasons, and produced 114 players who were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft, including 14 who have made it to the big leagues thus far.
During Cheff’s tenure, LCSC played in 11 consecutive NAIA World Series championship games and won eight. To put this in perspective, no other program has won more than four NAIA Series titles in its 54-year history. LCSC has been to the Series a record 29 times, more than double than any other NAIA program, including 28 under Cheff. Of those 28 appearances, LCSC finished fourth or higher 25 times.
Cheff also has been inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and been selected the winner of the ABCA’s Lefty Gomez Award for his lifetime contributions to amateur baseball. He was named the NAIA Coach of the Year eight times.
Cheff’s teams also produced 72 NAIA All-Americans and three NAIA Players of the Year.
Cheff, who was raised in Butte, came to LCSC after a successful coaching career at Lower Columbia Community College in Longview, Wash. He replaced Ramon Hooker at LCSC following the 1976 season when the Warriors made their first appearance in the NAIA World Series and finished second to Lewis College in Illinois.
One of the trademarks of Cheff’s teams was their mental toughness. LCSC lost more than 20 games only once in a season and during the past seven years, his teams averaged 50 wins and only 8.6 losses.
Cheff’s teams also were regularly involved in the community and with community projects. Players regularly served as mentors at area elementary schools, helped with cleanup at the Lewiston Roundup, and also did work at an animal refuge, among being involved with other local events, fundraisers, and volunteer programs.
During his time at LCSC, Cheff also was on the coaching staff for Team USA in 1991 and again in 1994 when he served as hitting and third-base coach at the World Championships. He also spent seven summers coaching baseball in the Alaska Collegiate League, which features college baseball players from across the United States.
