Video Links:
Induction Speech (by son, Matt Oestrike and Bowling Green Baseball Coach Danny Schmitz)
Hall of Fame Video
Ron Oestrike - Eastern Michigan (baseball):
A 1954 Eastern Michigan graduate, Ron Oestrike was the University's head baseball coach for 23 years (1965-87), directing the baseball program to unprecedented heights and leading the team to a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship in 1970, a runner-up spot in the 1976 NCAA College World Series, a fifth-place finish in the 1975 NCAA College World Series, four MAC championships, and five NCAA Regional appearances on the way to a 657-508-8 overall record.
Oestrike began his college career as a two-sport standout at Eastern Michigan, lettering in both baseball and football. After graduating 1954, Oestrike went on earn a master's degree from the University of Michigan, serve a two-year tour with the U.S. Army and become a high-school football coach at Trenton High School. Oestrike returned to Eastern Michigan in 1963 and spent the next 24 years developing the Eagles baseball program into one of the very finest in the nation.
During his tenure, Oestrike coached six All-Americans and 22 All-MAC First Team members. The coaching legend was also tabbed as NCAA Regional Coach of the Year ('75, '76, '78, '81) and MAC Coach of the Year ('75, '76, '78, '82) four times each throughout his career. He developed numerous future Major League Baseball players including: Bryan Clutterbuck, Glenn Gulliver, Chris Hoiles, John Martin, Bob Owchinko, Ron Rightnowar, Pat Sheridan, Bob Welch and Mickey Weston along with long-time manager Terry Collins.
His 1970 team produced a record of 41-11 en route to a NAIA National Championship. As the program made the transition from NAIA to the NCAA, it wasted no time getting to the upper echelon of the NCAA.
In 1975, Eastern Michigan posted a 37-20-1 mark to capture a MAC championship before advancing to the College World Series for the first time in school history. One year later, Eastern Michigan built off the success to make a return trip Omaha. In arguably Eastern Michigan's all-time best season, the team went 46-16 to collect another conference championship and advance to the finals of the College World Series, finishing runner-up to national champion Arizona.
Oestrike was singled out as the NCAA National Coach of the Year in 1976 by The Sporting News and went on to become the president of the American Baseball Coaches Association in 1985. He was inducted into the E-Club Athletics Hall of Fame in 1979 and was selected to the ABCA Hall of Fame in 1990.
Oestrike was preceded in death by Shirley, his wife of 55 years, and is survived by his five children, Jeffrey, Daniel, Elizabeth, Nancy and Matthew, and five grandchildren.
