[00:00:14] Speaker A: Today, we don't just celebrate a name being etched into a stadium. We honor a legacy that forever changed the landscape of college baseball.
[00:00:22] Speaker B: Hello, welcome to the Roundhouse Podcast with Paul Solentrop of Wichita State University Strategic Communications. As always, thanks very much for listening. I'm going to bring you some comments from Saturday's Gene Stevens park unveiling ceremony. That voice you heard just a few seconds ago was Wichita State athletic director Kevin Saul getting things started. Gene and his family were there, former players, coaches, friends, family. Very nice morning at X Stadium. So to recap, Stevenson coached wichita State from 1978 to 2013, led the Shockers to the 1989 NCAA title in addition to six other College World Series appearances. He was inducted into the National College Baseball hall of fame in 2014. On Saturday morning, WSU added his name to the facade at X Stadium, which is now known as X Stadium, home of Tyler Field at Gene Stevenson park. Since it's been 12 years since Gene coached the Shockers, I thought it worthwhile to give some perspective on Stevenson's tenure beyond the wins and the losses. As his spot in the National College Baseball hall of Fame indicates, he belongs in the conversation as one of the sports pioneers, along with coaches such as Ron Frazier, Skip Burtman, Augie Garrido and others. Those are the people who took the sport that was not taken very seriously at many schools and ushered it into its current era of popularity. One example, the SEC didn't win a College World Series title until Georgia did so in 1992. Quick points about Stevenson's tenure that might help you put it in perspective. From 1982 to 1993, the Shockers won a national title, finished second three times and tied for third once. Hard to find a more successful, successful run for over 11 seasons at any other NCAA Division I program. In 1977, Wichita State hired Stevenson, bringing baseball back after it had been shuttered in 1970, and he entered a college baseball world dominated by California, Arizona, Florida and Texas schools. From 1967 to 1988, schools from those four states won every College World Series title. Here's some more thoughts on Gene Stephenson and Shocker baseball from the people who know him.
Phil Stevenson is Gene Stevenson's younger brother. Played first base for the Shockers. He was inducted into the College Baseball hall of Fame in 2007. Collegiate baseball named Phil Player of the Century. He played in the big leagues. Here's Phil talking about the early days of the program.
[00:02:48] Speaker A: We are in finals week and we're playing a doubleheader and Joe Carter and I have the same economics class.
And we tell Gene, look, we need some extra time to do this, okay? One of us will DH in game one, the other will DH in game two. And we could go to the locker room and study in between.
Well, the locker room was our cars and somehow we still managed to win both games. And Joe and I passed the test. So that worked out pretty good with this.
When Gene was recruiting Joe, of course, Joe came in as football player. Gene had to convince him not to sign a 5,000 doll contract, free agent contract with the Red Sox. Right.
And he came here to play football. His first spring he hit 20 home runs and football was done.
So he, you know, Gene had recruited him here and he promised him all these things, including the stadium and everything else. And what Joe comes to say later is what Gene didn't tell him is that Joe was going to have to pay for some of that stadium.
And he did, he did help do that.
Great players came through this program over 36 years.
And Gene instilled the belief, not only with the help of his assistant coaches, that when we stepped on the field, nobody could beat us. Nobody.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: Marilyn and Craig Banning are longtime Shocker baseball fans. Here they are talking about what got them hooked on the program.
[00:04:38] Speaker C: We had moved here from St. Louis, St. Louis area, and we were huge Cardinals fans. So we had heard about the baseball team and how good they were. So we decided one spring day in 94 to come and, you know, watch the game. We got hooked immediately.
[00:04:55] Speaker A: Yeah, we heard a lot of good.
[00:04:57] Speaker C: Things about this, a lot of good things about. We heard a lot of good things about Gene. Gene, he's just, Gene is just a wonderful person. He is. I mean, we have known him, we've had dinner with him on the road when we've been traveling with the team.
He cares so much about his players and making sure that they are getting what they need to be successful in life. And that was one of the things that I was just always so impressed with because you could just tell, you know, and so the more we got to know him and it's just he cares a lot of, a lot of people and I know he's very happy to be, to have gotten his honor.
[00:05:52] Speaker B: Brent Chemnitz came to Wichita State as graduate assistant in charge of the pitchers in 1978. He had pitched at Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma. He became a full time assistant at, in 1981, served as pitching coach throughout Stevenson's tenure.
[00:06:06] Speaker A: It all started for me my senior year at Phillips University, Enid, Oklahoma.
1977 fall reality kicked in. Brett Kimnitz is not going to be a major league pitcher. He's probably not even going to play professional baseball. The dream we all have.
So I started looking for a place to go to grad school.
So I write Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Arkansas. It's the old handwritten note. Okay, well, I told my coach, Joe Record, who was a legend, NAIA hall of Fame guy, he said, you know what? That's great. He said, but I would also write Gene Stevenson at Wichita State.
He said, if they hired Gene Stevenson, they must be serious.
So I wrote Gene, of the four people I wrote, I did hear back, but he wrote a very personal.
Something that took time to do. Attention to detail was big on. So to speed up story, I came up here in December of 1977. I'm a senior in college. He took a Saturday to come up and meet me. We met and he offered me a position. So this is now my 47th year at Wichita State. He gave me an opportunity, I like to say, when I was seven years old.
Remember riding my bicycle up here, up the interstate.
Sorry, I'm getting off track. Anyway. But Gene had a vision.
Gene, I remember the very first time. And he had been the Oklahoma assistant for five years when they went to the College World Series every year. My dream was to play there. And he reminded me, that's great, but you weren't good enough. And he was right.
But anyway, his first conversation, he laid down, what's gonna happen?
Here's what we're gonna do. It wasn't if we do this, this and this. No, nothing was gonna get in Gene's way. Okay? And he laid it out. Here's what's gonna happen. And like Mike said, year five, we're playing in the College World Series.
[00:08:17] Speaker B: Shane Dennis pitched for the Shockers from 1991 to 1994. He earned NCAA All American honors in 94 Missouri Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year that season. Also served as director of operations for the baseball program and is the current Shocker TV voice.
[00:08:33] Speaker A: One of the things I learned, many, many things as player here, but one, was to truly know how to compete.
And when you play baseball at Wichita State, you're thrown into the deep end. You're playing with the best of the best, regardless of when you got here as a freshman or as a transfer.
And the big thing that Gene instilled in me is to learn how to pass the baton.
Impart your knowledge and wisdom to those that come after you. Freshmen, sophomore, regardless, and to expect greatness. But know there's not a shortcut to get there.
And by the time I got here, Gene's story was well documented. We all knew about it. Those my age and older had heard all about the 1989 national championship team.
And it was all about competing, having a sense of pride and never quitting. I was full set each. Even into the 90s and especially into the 90s. There was no team that stepped on the field against Wichita State and truly expected to beat us, especially here.
[00:09:46] Speaker B: John Slaba, a longtime Shocker fan, was at Saturday's ceremony.
[00:09:50] Speaker A: Probably just the consistency and that he always brought in good talent. I'm from South Dakota originally, so he even recruited South Dakota kids here. Dusty Coleman, Aaron Labrie. So it was kind of good to get that home state feeling down here for me as well.
[00:10:11] Speaker B: Chris Lamb was hired as Wichita State volleyball coach in 2000.
[00:10:15] Speaker A: I just like how quickly he accepted me. He'd bring the baseball. The one year. One of my favorite memories is just the one year we were playing in the Heskett center when we were rebuilding the arena. I mean, I'm like, look over Gene and all the baseball players. I mean, all of a sudden, it's kind of a regular deal. It's like maybe, maybe he was just waiting to see if the young kid, me, was, you know, worth something. And once I approved, we got a chance. Because I used to ask him, how do you sell Wichita? He's like, I sell. I sell me. I sell my energy. I'm like, I got that. I can do that. You know, if I can make this about me, you know, it turns out, which, not so bad. Anyway, I didn't know, but I'm literally asking all the coaches. But he was so accessible for me, you know, and he'd come sit down in the coaches meetings, like, he had a lot to say, he had opinions. I always had a lot to say. I mean, I'm like, okay, he's not tired and grumpy. Been there, done that. He still wants to see changes in the conference changes around here. Like he was still a young fighter.
Yeah, mad respect for the old man.
[00:11:31] Speaker B: Cheryl Weatherby grew up going to shocker baseball games, sitting on the outfield hill, as she will tell you. She was at Saturday's ceremony along with her husband, Tony.
[00:11:41] Speaker A: Getting to know Gene over the years, how passionate he was about the baseball.
This was his life. This was his baby. It's almost like it was more important to him than anything else in the world. You knew that with him being the coach, you would have a chance to win. No Matter what.
[00:12:02] Speaker C: And the players, you know, very dedicated, but also just very fan friendly, you know.
You know, you heard about the Bluma that would eat the bugs, you know, down in the pitching area.
[00:12:16] Speaker B: Jamie Bluma, the reliever. Yeah, the closure.
[00:12:18] Speaker C: I mean, it was just. It was entertaining, but it was like, at least to us, the best baseball program you could watch. You know, just. And now we're bringing our grandkids up on.
[00:12:30] Speaker B: Tammy Cutler is currently associate athletic director at Wichita State. She worked with baseball for 18 years as their sports information director.
[00:12:38] Speaker C: I think what surprised me the most, like, first meeting Gene is very intimidating. Obviously, he's this, you know, hugely successful coach. And, you know, I'm this little GA coming in and had really no idea what to expect. And, you know, right from the start, he was just a normal person, somebody that, you know, you could just sit down and have a chat with. And, you know, he took me under his wing and taught me everything I know about baseball. And he never, I don't know, he never got on you for asking a dumb question. There was, you know, I always said he always kind of treated me, you know, like another daughter.
He just, I don't know, I would tell people that, you know, he has this really, well, suppliers would say a crusty demeanor, I guess, but really, you know, once you get to know him, he's really a big teddy bear. And I think, you know, obviously not everybody gets see that side of him, but, you know, just, he really embraces, like the family of Shocker Baseball. Like, that was another thing that just stuck with me how, you know, moving, you know, here from another state and really Shocker Baseball was like my second family. And not just, you know, him and, you know, it was the whole program, you know, everybody associated with it, all the players all, you know, it was just one big family. And it still that way, you know, you still see people and you're still, I mean, you know, everybody's excited to see each other and I mean, he created that. That's, you know, that atmosphere and that culture.
I mean, I think that's just, you know, one of the reasons that, you know, he's a special person.
[00:14:35] Speaker B: Tad Rada is a former Shocker infielder, played for Gene Stevenson, and current director of operations for the baseball team.
[00:14:41] Speaker A: Gene was a guy that his expectations and the way he held you accountable was something you never experienced. And honestly, anybody that has played for him, it just sticks with you long term. I think it makes you successful. But yeah, he was tough, but he was also very fair in terms of how he worked. And as long as you performed and gave the effort, that's really what he cared about.
[00:15:07] Speaker B: Another former Shocker in attendance on Saturday morning, former pitcher Kyle Bannock.
[00:15:12] Speaker A: I went to Valley center, so there's quite a few Valley center alum, so Greg Drumright and Mike Drumright and those type of players.
[00:15:22] Speaker B: Mike Anderson.
[00:15:23] Speaker A: Yep, yep. So Timber Lee, Casey, Walkup. So lots of guys. So then I would actually go watch them play, you know, when I was in school.
So I knew the Drumwright family pretty well, and so I actually went to some games with them and everything like that. So for me, like the guys, it was like you got to see Darren Drifer and Braden Looper and guys like that. And so for me, you know, it was kind of an unattainable place. Like, this is just like it'd be our big leagues, you know, to be able to play there. So I was very fortunate to get a phone call. And that was just a preferred walk around. And so comparing what I was gonna go do, it was like, of course I'll go do that. So for me, I tell everyone I was very fortunate to be able to play, you know, and so I truly hold those years at a very high regard.
[00:16:18] Speaker B: Radio voice Mike Kennedy served as emcee at Saturday's ceremony. Mike has been there for all the long bus rides to Evansville and Carbondale and Normal, Illinois, as well as all the great moments in Shocker baseball history.
[00:16:32] Speaker A: Jay, I have said it kind of occurred to me a few years ago that here in the state of Kansas, we have been witness to two of the absolutely most incredible coaching accomplishments in the history of college athletics. Certainly top five, maybe top two. One was Bill Snyder taking a Kansas State football program that was an absolute national laughingstock and turning it into a perennial top 25 program playing in bowl games every year. But consider, no matter how bad it was and what had to be improved, he did inherit a stadium, equipment, scholarships, a budget.
[00:17:12] Speaker B: When Gene Stevenson was hired here as.
[00:17:15] Speaker A: The head baseball coach, nothing existed. There had been no program for seven years. There not only wasn't a stadium, there was no practice field, no balls and bats, nothing. In his third year, he had the Shockers in the first regional in program history. And in year five, they were in the championship game of the College World Series.
[00:17:37] Speaker B: The last word in our podcast goes to Gene Stevenson.
[00:17:41] Speaker A: I had a really good job as an assistant coach at Oklahoma and I was recruiting football, and it was a big time deal.
Baseball coaches were not getting any opportunities at head coaching jobs around the country. Because frankly, most colleges didn't care about their baseball program. It's just not necessary either.
I don't want anybody to think I'm very smart, okay? Because I'm not. And the most important thing to remember is that I'm the guy that left Oklahoma at Oklahoma University, being assistant baseball coach, an assistant football coach. We've been to the College World Series five years in a row. We were like top of the line.
I was making more money there than probably any other baseball assistant in the country. But I couldn't get a head job because baseball coaches were staying for 40 years. And I'll have prices and 50 cents.
Anyway, to make a long story just a little bit longer, I'll just say this.
I left that job there at Oklahoma for a one month contract at Wichita State. A program that did not exist.
A field that was not there, no money. But I left it for $1,000 a month, for one month at a time.
Wow.
Some kind of stupid, you know, and so if every month it could have been ended right there.
And.
But I believe, people around us all believe. And it was a wonderful run for so many years. And we built, we raised money every year to build something, add on this and add on that.
And it was just a work of love. I mean, because we wanted to do something nobody else had done.
Great insight as always. Thanks for listening to the Roundhouse podcast.
[00:20:32] Speaker B: Courtesy of Wichita State University Strategic Communications.
[00:20:36] Speaker A: We encourage you to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can always find more roundhouse
[email protected] down to a three two pitch with two men on. Two outs in the ninth.
The stretch by Tyler Green. Here it comes. Struck him out. A no hitter for Tyler Green.
A strike three call on the outside corner and Tyler Green has pitched the fourth no hitter in Wichita State history, the second in as many years as he joined fellow classmate Charlie Jindrome as the author of a Wichita State no hitter and in the process struck out a career high 13, including all three outs in the ninth inning. Tyler Green completes a no hitter and Wichita State defeats New Mexico 12 to nothing.
