Legendary UM Baseball Coach Fraser Dead at 79

[ncargat1]

Holy crap, what an awful weekend for baseball.

scUM coach or not, this guy was one hell of a baseball coach and built a machine down at scUM. Sorry to hear of his passing.

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Legendary University of Miami baseball coach Ron Fraser, know by many as “The Wizard of college baseball” has died at the age of 79.

In his 30 years with UM, Fraser amassed a 1,271-438-9 record at UM from 1963 through ‘92, at the time behind only the late Southern Cal’s Rod Dedeaux (1,332-571-11), according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.

One of the best know moments of his storied career occurred on Sunday, Memorial Day, 1992 when his team was one defeat away from elimination in the NCAA baseball tournament which would have made it his last game.

Fraser delivered a pep talk to rally the team after they blew a 3-0 lead to North Carolina State and were tied, 4-4, in the eighth inning.

“What the hell are you guys doing to me?” Fraser pleaded. “Remember, if we lose this game, it’s over and I don’t get paid anymore! I want to play more because tomorrow’s a holiday, and I get paid time-and-a-half!”

The Canes rallied to victory and Fraser went to his 12th College World Series before retiring that summer....

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/01/20/legendary-um-coach-ron-fraser-has-died/#.UPxWD8dXQ94.facebook

[Maillot Jaune]

I'm no fan of UM, but this guy shifted the center of college baseball to the south. Prior to him, the west coast and TX won it all the time.

[Class of '78]

A great baseball coach, a guy we could never seem to beat. RIP, coach.

[Dugaboy]

Great baseball coach. Did everything for UM's baseball program when he came out of FSU...even passed out programs and line up cards. Put UM and college baseball on the map in the south.

I was his banker for several years in Miami, he had a picture over his desk of the Gator's outfielder, Rodney Brewer, dropping the pop fly that allowed UM to win the game in the regionals and put Miami in the CWS which they finally won their first CWS..he always pointed hat picture out to me when I made a call on him at the baseball complex.

Good guy and a good friend.

A few years later, when he announced his retirement, UM was scheduled to play the Gators at McKeithan; before the game the Gators halted the proceedings to honor Coach Ron Fraiser, the retiring UM coach with a plaque and kudos....Fraiser was so surprised, it brought tears to his eyes; he said afterwards, "Dids you see what those Gators did for me?" For years he talked abou that...

Saludos, Jefe..

[Okeechobee Joe]

Great baseball coach. Did everything for UM's baseball program when he came out of FSU...even passed out programs and line up cards. Put UM and college baseball on the map in the south.

I was his banker for several years in Miami, he had a picture over his desk of the Gator's outfielder, Rodney Brewer, dropping the pop fly that allowed UM to win the game in the regionals and put Miami in the CWS which they finally won their first CWS..he always pointed hat picture out to me when I made a call on him at the baseball complex.

Good guy and a good friend.

A few years later, when he announced his retirement, UM was scheduled to play the Gators at McKeithan; before the game the Gators halted the proceedings to honor Coach Ron Fraiser, the retiring UM coach with a plaque and kudos....Fraiser was so surprised, it brought tears to his eyes; he said afterwards, "Dids you see what those Gators did for me?" For years he talked abou that...

Saludos, Jefe..

Thanks for the story. Gives a more three-dimensional picture of Rod Fraser than we otherwise would have had. Nice gesture on the part of the Gators to recognize his achievements. He was instrumental in raising the bar for college baseball although Florida State and Florida were already pretty good in baseball, Fraser's success at Miami just made it better. Florida is a great state for baseball.