Baseball Coach

After 14 years as Dunbar's baseball coach, Don Gilbert has decided to take a break. "I have decided to leave now and watch my son, who is a rising senior baseball college prospect player at Glen Burnie High School," Gilbert said. "I have not had the opportunity to see him play that much, so I need to leave coaching at Dunbar to do so. " The Poets went 17-1 this past season and ranked No. 15 in The Baltimore Sun's final baseball poll. Gilbert said it was his best "team" because it had "a little less talent, but great chemistry.

The season didn't start the way Bel Air baseball coach John Swanson hoped. But maybe it will end more to his liking. By the time the Bobcats could catch their collective breath this season they were a 3-8 team. But what Swanson has discovered is that he has capable leaders in senior captains Zack Stout and Tyler Riedal and junior Tyler Norcross. They showed their character by leading their teammates through the building process. Now, Bel Air is 9-11 heading into the Class 3A postseason, which begins this weekend (MPSSAA brackets are expected to be unveiled Wednesday)

Severna Park baseball coach Jim McCandless, who guided the Falcons to three state championships in his 12 seasons coaching his alma mater, died Tuesday. He was 43. The state's medical examiner confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Thursday that McCandless' death was ruled a suicide. "Jimmy meant everything to our program," said Wayne Mook, Severna Park's athletic director. "He ran a first-rate baseball program. He was always a first-class individual who made sure his players always did things the right way. " McCandless was also general manager of the Greater Severna Park Athletic Association, a youth sports organization that commonly goes by the name the Green Hornets.

Most varsity baseball games and many other sports events scheduled for Monday are being postponed in the area because of the heavy rain over the weekend. At No. 7 C. Milton Wright, baseball coach Joe Stetka said his team's game with Harford County rival No. 8 Patterson Mill is being rescheduled for Tuesday. The same is true at No. 11 Hereford, where the Bulls will now play Dulaney on Tuesday and No. 13 River Hill will be at No. 3 Glenelg tomorrow, as well. Other sports are also being moved.

Archbishop Curley High School will join the list of schools looking for a new baseball coach for next season after Jack Thomas resigned. Thomas, 60, led the Friars to a record of 104-88 in seven seasons. His most successful year was 2008, when the Friars finished 23-8, third in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and ranked No. 5 in the state. "I loved my years coaching at Curley and am grateful to have had the opportunity to coach in the MIAA A Conference," Thomas said.

Bryan Harman will have a quiet spring this year. But he's a busy man this winter. Last weekend, he was honored as the 2011 Maryland High School Coach of the Year by the Maryland Oldtimers Baseball Association at the Del Capri Restaurant, in Dundalk. And on Feb. 18, the former Westminster High baseball coach will be inducted into the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame at a Camden Yards ceremony. At that same event, Harman will also receive the MSABC District One Coach of the Year award.

Roger Wrenn, Patterson's football coach and athletic director, has retired as the school's baseball coach after 27 seasons "for health reasons," he said yesterday. His replacement is former assistant Keith Robinson. Wrenn, who will begin his 29th year as football coach in the fall, said he did not make his decision until Monday, after consulting with his doctor about being unable to shake flu-like symptoms, including of congestion and fatigue, that continued most of the winter. "I'm not getting any younger, I guess, and I think I just need a break," said Wrenn, 55. "I'm still going to coach football, but I just have to slow down.

As expected, the Rules and Infractions Committee yesterday upheld an allegation that Mount Hebron baseball coach Pat Crouse violated a state rule by conducting an out-of-season practice Feb. 9.The committee, consisting of Wilde Lake principal Bonnie Daniel, Atholton athletic director Don Van Deusen and Centennial baseball coach Ron Martin, voted, 2-1, that it was an illegal practice and imposed the following penalties:* Mount Hebron must forfeit the first...

Joe Duff, baseball coach at the Naval Academy since 1962, will retire from the job at the end of next season, Navy athletic director Jack Lengyel announced yesterday.Duff will remain with the program for another year to assist his successor, University of Washington coach Bob MacDonald."I'm just about there. You can't go on forever," Duff said. "All I want to do is make sure the program keeps up and help in the transition."Duff began with the Midshipmen in 1953 as an assistant coach under Max Bishop.

North County athletic director Mike Baker announced yesterday morning that the Linthicum school is seeking a baseball coach for its inaugural season after the sudden resignation of Dennie DeWitt.DeWitt,39, said he surrendered the position nearly two weeks ago because of personal health problems. He would not comment further on his condition.A physical education teacher at Overlook and Belle Grove elementary schools, DeWitt said he has not been at work for a month, and probably would not be back by March 1, the first day of baseball tryouts.

Et cetera Salisbury's Fleetwood is Coach of the Year Salisbury baseball coach Doug Fleetwood has been named the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches College Coach of the Year. Fleetwood guided the Sea Gulls to the third NCAA Division III College World Series in school history and a 34-14 record. Fleetwood also earned College Coach of the Year honors from the MSABC after the 2001 season. Frostburg State pitcher Greg Ross will receive the organization's honor for Amateur Player of the Year.

Bryan Harman will have a quiet spring this year. But he's a busy man this winter. Last weekend, he was honored as the 2011 Maryland High School Coach of the Year by the Maryland Oldtimers Baseball Association at the Del Capri Restaurant, in Dundalk. And on Feb. 18, the former Westminster High baseball coach will be inducted into the Maryland State Association of Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame at a Camden Yards ceremony. At that same event, Harman will also receive the MSABC District One Coach of the Year award.

Severna Park baseball coach Jim McCandless, who guided the Falcons to three state championships in his 12 seasons coaching his alma mater, died Tuesday. He was 43. The state's medical examiner confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Thursday that McCandless' death was ruled a suicide. "Jimmy meant everything to our program," said Wayne Mook, Severna Park's athletic director. "He ran a first-rate baseball program. He was always a first-class individual who made sure his players always did things the right way. " McCandless was also general manager of the Greater Severna Park Athletic Association, a youth sports organization that commonly goes by the name the Green Hornets.

Joseph Eugene Hamilton Sr., who coached baseball teams at the Community College of Baltimore and Essex Community College, died Nov. 17 of pancreatic cancer at Harbor Hospital. The lifelong Locust Point resident was 77. Born in Baltimore, Mr. Hamilton, who was known as "Pete," was raised on Fort Avenue in Locust Point. After graduating from Southern High School in 1954, he went to work as a building superintendent at Whitman Requardt Associates. During his 46-year career with the Baltimore engineering company, Mr. Hamilton, who retired in 2000, missed only four days of work, family members said.

In the 1980s, many were captivated by the Baltimore Orioles and their future Hall of Fame shortstop Cal Ripken. Growing up in Essex and playing shortstop for Calvert Hall, Rich Bielski was one of them. Now the coach at Archbishop McCarthy High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - and this year's USA Today National Baseball Coach of the Year - Bielski remembers a meeting with Ripken that helped shape his aproach to the game. "I made the state all-star team, and our game was played in old Memorial Stadium after an Oriole game," said Bielski, now 44. "It was 1984 and the Orioles had won the World Series in 1983, and Cal was MVP. It was a great time to be an Orioles fan, and he came into our dugout and asked who the shortstop was. "He sat down with me and we talked.

Archbishop Curley High School will join the list of schools looking for a new baseball coach for next season after Jack Thomas resigned. Thomas, 60, led the Friars to a record of 104-88 in seven seasons. His most successful year was 2008, when the Friars finished 23-8, third in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association and ranked No. 5 in the state. "I loved my years coaching at Curley and am grateful to have had the opportunity to coach in the MIAA A Conference," Thomas said.

Today the baseball season ends for a lot of kids, including the Comets, the team of 7- and 8-years-olds I coached in the Roland Park Baseball Leagues. Years ago kids played Little League baseball until Labor Day. But nowadays with summer camps, swim teams and family vacations slicing up the summer, many leagues wind up their baseball seasons in June.The end of monsoon season is a fitting time for me to step down as manager. For while the Comets had a good year (seven wins, three losses, two "others")

Joppatowne baseball coach Al Zelinski had a plan that began three years ago with a handful of sophomores.Zelinski threw the youths into varsity competition."

After 14 years as Dunbar's baseball coach, Don Gilbert has decided to take a break. "I have decided to leave now and watch my son, who is a rising senior baseball college prospect player at Glen Burnie High School," Gilbert said. "I have not had the opportunity to see him play that much, so I need to leave coaching at Dunbar to do so. " The Poets went 17-1 this past season and ranked No. 15 in The Baltimore Sun's final baseball poll. Gilbert said it was his best "team" because it had "a little less talent, but great chemistry.