John Winkin
Encyclopedia
John W. Winkin, Jr. is a retired American baseball coach, scout, broadcaster, journalist and collegiate athletics administrator. Winkin led the University of Maine
Black Bears
baseball team to six College World Series
berths in an 11-year span. In 2007 at age 87, he was the oldest active head coach in any collegiate sport at any NCAA level. In all, 92 of his former players wound up signing professional baseball contracts. Elected to 11 different halls of fame, he finished his college baseball coaching career in 2008 with 1,043 total wins.
, the son of Cora Senner Winkin and John W. Winkin, Sr. His mother earned her medical degree at Columbia University and was a physician on the staff of Columbia Presbyterian Medical College before her death in 1932. His father was a linguistics professor at Columbia University
who spoke seven languages. Winkin attended Duke University
, where he played baseball for head coach Jack Coombs
as a 5-foot 6-inch left-handed hitting center fielder. He also played basketball and soccer and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Winkin graduated in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in education.
, spending 56 months at sea in the Pacific theatre
and rising to the rank of lieutenant commander
.
Winkin served as one of 158 crew aboard the USS McCall
, a destroyer assigned to protect aircraft carrier USS Enterprise
. After delivering marines to Wake Island
, the fleet was returning to port at Pearl Harbor
on the evening of December 6, 1941. However the McCall was unable to make it in because of hazardous weather. If not for that storm, the ship would have been berthed next to the USS Arizona
when Japanese forces attacked the next morning. Instead Winkin and his crewmates saw the entire attack unfold from the decks of the McCall in the waters outside the harbor.
, and authoring his pieces as Johnny Winkin. The connections developed through his reporting and interview work led to a broadcasting position with the New York Yankees
, where he hosted the first pre-game baseball TV show in the nation alongside Mel Allen
and Curt Gowdy
. Winkin became friends with Joe DiMaggio
, and he chose to wear jersey #5 at each of his college coaching stints in honor of the Yankee legend . Winkin also made his first foray into coaching, becoming manager of the American Legion
baseball team in Englewood.
In 1949 Dr. Harry Stearns, superintendent of Englewood schools and a friend of Winkin, suggested he revisit coaching. Winkin then became head football coach at Dwight Morrow High School
in Englewood. To appease his parents, Winkin resumed studies at Columbia University
, earning his Master's and Doctorate in education. His doctoral thesis was on the statistical probabilities of the double play
.
Among the rival schools Winkin coached against was St. Cecilia's, also in Englewood, where the head coach was Vince Lombardi
. Winkin and the future Green Bay Packers
legend became close friends and bridge partners.
. Winkin spent the next 20 years there as baseball coach and athletic director. As an administrator he served as president of the Eastern College Athletic Conference
, and also as a vice president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
.
Winkin was named National Baseball Coach of the Year in 1965. During his tenure he also served as an area scout for the Boston Red Sox
for several years. He also developed a friendship with Ted Williams
, and Winkin coached at Williams' summer youth baseball camps in Lakeville, Massachusetts
for 15 years.
Two of Winkin's players at Colby, Norm Gigon and Ed Phillips, went on to play in the major leagues.
As athletic director, Winkin hired Dick Whitmore as men's basketball coach in 1970. Whitmore compiled a 637-341 record and a .651 winning percentage over his 40-year career, and retired in March 2011 with the seventh-highest all-time victory total in NCAA Division III men’s basketball.
In 1973-74, Winkin's final year at Colby, he served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
. He compiled a record of 301-202-5 over his baseball coaching tenure with the school.
in 1975, taking over for the retired Jack Butterfield. His arrival spawned an era of great success for the Black Bears
that included six College World Series
appearances and a third-place finish. Winkin's teams, composed largely of players from Maine
and the other five New England
states, proved to be formidable competition for major southern and western universities that had substantially larger budgets and fielded superior talent.
Maine's success on the national stage was even more surprising given the state's long winters that often resulted in snow-covered ground well into April and muddy fields in May. Conditions often limited the Black Bears outdoor on-campus baseball activity to less than two months, while players for colleges in warm-weather climates were able to train outdoors year-round. Maine, like other northern schools, would head south early in the season, playing multiple weeks worth of games on the road against top-caliber teams. Winkin also pioneered an innovative system of indoor baseball training and workouts, which he detailed in one of his books. His Maine teams gained a broad following, initially as underdogs and later as respected upstarts, when ESPN
televised the College World Series to national audiences.
In 1975, Winkin's first season, the Black Bears set a school record with 25 wins and matched the team's best-ever .750 winning percentage, but lost in the NCAA regionals. Senior right-hander Fred Howard, a Butterfield recruit, went on to pitch in the majors with the Chicago White Sox
.
In 1976
the Black Bears won a new team record 29 games and earned their first CWS berth under Winkin. It was also the school's first appearance in Omaha since 1964
, when Butterfield led Maine to three wins and a third-place finish. Following a 3-2 loss to Eastern Michigan
, Winkin's team knocked off heavily favored Auburn
(9-8) and Washington State
(6-3) before being eliminated by Arizona State (7-0). The 1976 team included future major leaguer Bert Roberge
and future Clemson
baseball coach Jack Leggett
.
Maine returned to the CWS in 1981
, arriving in Omaha as winners of 30 games including a 20-game winning streak. Notable players on the team included future major leaguers Kevin Buckley
, Joe Johnson
and Bill Swift
. The Bears faced Miami
in the opener, playing the Hurricanes at an even 1-1 through the first six innings behind Swift's pitching. However Miami scored five runs in the final three frames to win it, 6-1. Maine next played South Carolina
in another tight game where the lead changed hands six times. The Bears gained a 7-6 edge with a pair of runs in the top of the 5th, but the Gamecocks scored six unanswered runs to win it, 12-7. Maine's loss eliminated them from the tournament, but their ability to play established power programs close impressed many observers.
The 1982 team had lost six of its first games that season, but had rattled off 22 wins in 23 games including sweeps in the ECAC
New England Playoffs and NCAA Northeast Regionals to again qualify for the CWS
. Maine faced another opening game against Miami, who knocked the previously unbeaten Swift out of the game with a seven-run onslaught in the second inning. The Black Bear relievers subdued the Hurricanes the rest of the way, but Maine's offense could only muster a pair of runs on the way to a 7-2 loss. Johnson led the Bears back to the winner's column with a 6-0 shutout over Cal State-Fullerton
, and Maine reached the final three with an 8-5 win over Stanford and John Elway
. Winkin's team found themselves in yet another matchup with Miami
, with a championship date against Wichita State
at stake. Maine stunned the Hurricanes early, knocking out starter Rob Souza with three runs, but reliever Eddie Escribano silenced the Bears' bats the rest of the way. Miami held a slim 4-3 lead but erupted for six runs in the top of the ninth to crush Maine's hopes. Winkin's Bears tacked on a futile run in the bottom half but were eliminated by the Canes, 10-4. First baseman Kevin Bernier became the first Maine player in the Winkin era to be named to the CWS All-Tournament Team.
Maine reached the CWS again in 1983
, entering play with a 29-14 record. Barry Larkin
had helped give Michigan
a 6-2 lead with a pair of doubles in the opener, but the Black Bears made a spirited comeback with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. However it wasn't enough as the Wolverines held on for a 6-5 victory. Winkin's team then faced Arizona State, led by Barry Bonds
. It was over early as the Sun Devils scored five times in the first two innings on the way to a 7-0 shutout that eliminated the Bears. Over the summer, Winkin coached the U.S. National Baseball Team
that included USC slugger Mark McGwire
.
Winkin's club got off to a dismal start in 1984, losing 11 of their first 13 games on a road trip that pitted them against powers such as Texas
and Oklahoma
. But Maine righted the ship, going 22-7 to once again reach the CWS
with a 33-18 record. In their opener against Oklahoma State
the Black Bears got off to a quick start, taking a 4-0 lead in the second inning. But the Cowboys stormed back behind the bats of Pete Incaviglia
and Randy Whisler, who each drove in 3 runs and led OSU to a 9-5 comeback win. Maine once again was paired against Miami
, their CWS nemesis. After losing 11 straight games to the Hurricanes, Winkin's Bears had finally beaten them by sweeping a two-game regular season series played earlier in the year on Maine's home field in Orono
. However in the tournament Miami again dominated, leading 8-1 after four innings and 13-3 through six. The Bears mounted a rally in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs, but UMaine was eliminated, 13-7.
The Black Bears set another school record for wins in 1985, going 38-17 with another win over Miami (Winkin's first when playing at the Florida
school). However Maine suffered a pair of embarrassing defeats in the ECAC North Playoffs, losing to La Salle
(10-2) and Long Island
(4-1). Winkin's club failed to qualify for the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 1979.
The 1986 season brought a return to Omaha
for the Black Bears. Despite losing 8 of their first 10 games, and 16 of 25, Maine won 40+ games for the first time in school history. The Bears arrived at the CWS sporting a 41-21 record under Winkin, led by future big leaguers Mike Bordick
and Jeff Plympton
. Plympton was joined in the Black Bears pitching rotation by Scott Morse, Steve Loubier and Dale Plummer, and all four would ultimately be drafted by major league clubs. The opening game of the CWS, against Arizona
, would result in perhaps the most heartbreaking loss of Winkin's career. Behind the ace stuff of Morse and the booming bat of catcher Bill Reynolds, Maine built a 7-0 lead and still held a 7-1 margin in the bottom of the eighth inning. But it all fell apart as the Wildcats scored four runs in that frame on a pair of two-run homers by Gar Millay and Gary Alexander. In the last of the ninth Arizona's Mike Senne
singled home a run, setting the stage for Dave Shermet to blast a two-out, two-run, game-winning home run that stunned the Bears, 8-7. The next game, Winkin's last in a College World Series, pitted Maine against Louisiana State
. The Tigers built an early 6-0 lead, riding the bat of Jeff Yurtin who went 4-for-4 with five RBI and his 10th home run of the season. Maine out-hit LSU 11 to 8, but the Tigers turned four double plays to quash any potential rallies and hang on for an 8-4 win that eliminated the Black Bears. Despite the pair of losses, Reynolds was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Maine would field other strong teams during Winkin's tenure, but changes in NCAA tournament seeding procedures helped prevent the Bears from earning another trip to Omaha. Instead of each regional bracket being stocked with teams from the region, two of the top 16 national seeds would be assigned to each regional. This virtually assured that all eight College World Series slots would be filled by the traditional southern and western power schools from warm weather climates. In 1999 the odds became even longer for Maine when the NCAA abandoned neutral site regionals and assigned the top eight national seeds as host schools for each regional.
Others who played under Winkin at Maine and reached the major leagues included Mark Sweeney
and Larry Thomas
. Stump Merrill
, an assistant coach at UMaine under Winkin, went on to manage the New York Yankees
.
Winkin’s tenure in Orono ended in 1996 when his contract was not renewed. His career coaching record at UMaine was 642-430-3.
in Sports and Leadership. Winkin became head coach of the Eagles in November 2003 after Kolasinski departed to take a similar position at Siena Heights University
.
On March 12, 2006, the 86-year-old Winkin became the 44th collegiate baseball coach to reach 1,000 career victories when Husson defeated Drew University
6-3 in Tampa, Florida
.
On December 10, 2007, Winkin suffered a stroke
while out on his daily walk in Bangor, Maine
. The illness left him with partial paralysis of his right side and inhibited his speech. Winkin remained Husson's head coach for the 2008 season, but with his return uncertain in January the school appointed Jason Harvey as interim coach. Winkin officially stepped after the season but remained as an assistant coach, with Harvey formally replacing him as head coach in July. While leading Husson, Winkin compiled an overall record of 100-74-8.
, and is affectionately nicknamed "Wink" by friends and former players.
Winkin developed close friendships with Red Sox CEO John Harrington and longtime Maine sports benefactor Harold Alfond
, who was a Red Sox minority owner. Alfond's grandchildren came to call Winkin "Papa".
In April 2007, Winkin, Mike Bordick, former UMaine player and assistant coach Mike Coutts, and Penobscot County commissioner and Bangor lawyer Peter Baldacci announced their intention to organize and fund a New England Collegiate Baseball League]] franchise that would play at Husson's Winkin Complex. Their efforts to date have been unsuccessful.
Prior to his stroke, Winkin was known to walk and jog three miles every day. Though he still uses a wheelchair, Winkin's speech has substantially recovered.
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
Black Bears
Maine Black Bears
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams which represent the University of Maine. They compete in NCAA Division I athletics, with the majority of the teams playing in the America East Conference...
baseball team to six College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
berths in an 11-year span. In 2007 at age 87, he was the oldest active head coach in any collegiate sport at any NCAA level. In all, 92 of his former players wound up signing professional baseball contracts. Elected to 11 different halls of fame, he finished his college baseball coaching career in 2008 with 1,043 total wins.
Early Life
Winkin was born July 24, 1920 in Englewood, New JerseyEnglewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
, the son of Cora Senner Winkin and John W. Winkin, Sr. His mother earned her medical degree at Columbia University and was a physician on the staff of Columbia Presbyterian Medical College before her death in 1932. His father was a linguistics professor at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
who spoke seven languages. Winkin attended Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, where he played baseball for head coach Jack Coombs
Jack Coombs
John Wesley "Jack" Coombs , nicknamed Colby Jack after his alma mater, was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Philadelphia Athletics , Brooklyn Robins , and Detroit Tigers...
as a 5-foot 6-inch left-handed hitting center fielder. He also played basketball and soccer and was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. Winkin graduated in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in education.
Military Service
Following graduation Winkin joined the U.S. Navy as an ensignEnsign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
, spending 56 months at sea in the Pacific theatre
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
and rising to the rank of lieutenant commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
.
Winkin served as one of 158 crew aboard the USS McCall
USS McCall (DD-400)
The second USS McCall was a in the United States Navy. She was named for Edward R. McCall.-History:McCall was laid down 17 March 1936 at the Union Plant, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, San Francisco, California; launched 20 November 1937; sponsored by Miss Eleanor Kempff; and commissioned...
, a destroyer assigned to protect aircraft carrier USS Enterprise
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
. After delivering marines to Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
, the fleet was returning to port at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on the evening of December 6, 1941. However the McCall was unable to make it in because of hazardous weather. If not for that storm, the ship would have been berthed next to the USS Arizona
USS Arizona
Arizona has been the name of three ships of the United States Navy. was laid down in 1858 and served in the American Civil War. was a steam frigate launched in 1865 as the USS Neshaminy...
when Japanese forces attacked the next morning. Instead Winkin and his crewmates saw the entire attack unfold from the decks of the McCall in the waters outside the harbor.
Post-War Life
Following his military discharge, Winkin returned to New Jersey. Though his college coach Coombs had suggested the coaching profession, Winkin knew his parents would scoff at such a decision as a waste of his education. Instead he pursued a career in journalism, joining McFadden Publications in 1946 as a writer and founding editor of Sport MagazineSport (magazine)
Sport is a free French and London-based weekly sports magazine. It specialises in football, rugby, and tennis, together with handball in France and cricket in London...
, and authoring his pieces as Johnny Winkin. The connections developed through his reporting and interview work led to a broadcasting position with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, where he hosted the first pre-game baseball TV show in the nation alongside Mel Allen
Mel Allen
Mel Allen was an American sportscaster, best known for his long tenure as the primary play-by-play announcer for the New York Yankees. During the peak of his career in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Allen was arguably the most prominent member of his profession, his voice familiar to millions...
and Curt Gowdy
Curt Gowdy
Curtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
. Winkin became friends with Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, and he chose to wear jersey #5 at each of his college coaching stints in honor of the Yankee legend . Winkin also made his first foray into coaching, becoming manager of the American Legion
American Legion Baseball
American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...
baseball team in Englewood.
In 1949 Dr. Harry Stearns, superintendent of Englewood schools and a friend of Winkin, suggested he revisit coaching. Winkin then became head football coach at Dwight Morrow High School
Dwight Morrow High School
Dwight Morrow High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Englewood, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Englewood Public School District. The school also serves students from Englewood Cliffs, who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship...
in Englewood. To appease his parents, Winkin resumed studies at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, earning his Master's and Doctorate in education. His doctoral thesis was on the statistical probabilities of the double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
.
Among the rival schools Winkin coached against was St. Cecilia's, also in Englewood, where the head coach was Vince Lombardi
Vince Lombardi
Vincent Thomas "Vince" Lombardi was an American football coach. He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight league championships and five in seven years, including winning the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and...
. Winkin and the future Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
legend became close friends and bridge partners.
Colby College
In 1954 Coombs recommended Winkin to his alma mater, Colby CollegeColby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
. Winkin spent the next 20 years there as baseball coach and athletic director. As an administrator he served as president of the Eastern College Athletic Conference
Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
, and also as a vice president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
.
Winkin was named National Baseball Coach of the Year in 1965. During his tenure he also served as an area scout for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
for several years. He also developed a friendship with Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
, and Winkin coached at Williams' summer youth baseball camps in Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville, Massachusetts
Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...
for 15 years.
Two of Winkin's players at Colby, Norm Gigon and Ed Phillips, went on to play in the major leagues.
As athletic director, Winkin hired Dick Whitmore as men's basketball coach in 1970. Whitmore compiled a 637-341 record and a .651 winning percentage over his 40-year career, and retired in March 2011 with the seventh-highest all-time victory total in NCAA Division III men’s basketball.
In 1973-74, Winkin's final year at Colby, he served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics is a professional organization for college and university athletic directors in the United States. NACDA boasts a membership of more than 6,100 individuals and more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico...
. He compiled a record of 301-202-5 over his baseball coaching tenure with the school.
University of Maine
Winkin became head baseball coach at the University of MaineUniversity of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
in 1975, taking over for the retired Jack Butterfield. His arrival spawned an era of great success for the Black Bears
Maine Black Bears
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams which represent the University of Maine. They compete in NCAA Division I athletics, with the majority of the teams playing in the America East Conference...
that included six College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
appearances and a third-place finish. Winkin's teams, composed largely of players from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
and the other five New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
states, proved to be formidable competition for major southern and western universities that had substantially larger budgets and fielded superior talent.
Maine's success on the national stage was even more surprising given the state's long winters that often resulted in snow-covered ground well into April and muddy fields in May. Conditions often limited the Black Bears outdoor on-campus baseball activity to less than two months, while players for colleges in warm-weather climates were able to train outdoors year-round. Maine, like other northern schools, would head south early in the season, playing multiple weeks worth of games on the road against top-caliber teams. Winkin also pioneered an innovative system of indoor baseball training and workouts, which he detailed in one of his books. His Maine teams gained a broad following, initially as underdogs and later as respected upstarts, when ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
televised the College World Series to national audiences.
In 1975, Winkin's first season, the Black Bears set a school record with 25 wins and matched the team's best-ever .750 winning percentage, but lost in the NCAA regionals. Senior right-hander Fred Howard, a Butterfield recruit, went on to pitch in the majors with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
.
In 1976
1976 College World Series
The 1976 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 11 to June 19. The thirtieth tournament's champion was the University of Arizona, coached by Jerry Kindall...
the Black Bears won a new team record 29 games and earned their first CWS berth under Winkin. It was also the school's first appearance in Omaha since 1964
1964 College World Series
The 1964 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 8 to June 18. The eighteenth tournament's champion was the University of Minnesota, coached by Dick Siebert...
, when Butterfield led Maine to three wins and a third-place finish. Following a 3-2 loss to Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan Eagles
The Eastern Michigan Eagles, formerly known as the Eastern Michigan Hurons, are the athletic teams for Eastern Michigan University. Altogether, they have won three NCAA Division II national championships and 13 NAIA Division I national championships in five different sports The Eastern Michigan...
, Winkin's team knocked off heavily favored Auburn
Auburn Tigers baseball
The Auburn Tigers baseball team represents Auburn University in NCAA Division I college baseball.Along with most other Auburn athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Western division of the Southeastern Conference...
(9-8) and Washington State
Washington State Cougars
The Washington State Cougars are the athletic teams at Washington State University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Washington State University is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
(6-3) before being eliminated by Arizona State (7-0). The 1976 team included future major leaguer Bert Roberge
Bert Roberge
Bertrand Roland Roberge is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Roberge pitched all or part of six seasons in the majors between until .-Sources:...
and future Clemson
Clemson Tigers baseball
The Clemson baseball team represents Clemson University in NCAA Division I college baseball. The team participates in the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Tigers are currently coached by head coach Jack Leggett and play their home games in Doug Kingsmore Stadium...
baseball coach Jack Leggett
Jack Leggett
Jack Leggett is the head baseball coach for Clemson University. In 17 seasons, he has led the Tigers to 767 wins . The Tigers have reached the NCAA Tournament in 16 of his 17 seasons as head coach, including the College World Series six times.He was named ACC Coach of the year in 1994, 1995 and 2006...
.
Maine returned to the CWS in 1981
1981 College World Series
The 1981 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from May 30 to June 8. The thirty-fifth tournament's champion was Arizona State University coached by Jim Brock...
, arriving in Omaha as winners of 30 games including a 20-game winning streak. Notable players on the team included future major leaguers Kevin Buckley
Kevin Buckley
Kevin Buckley is a retired baseball player. Buckley attended Braintree High School prior to attending the University of Maine. At Maine, Buckley appeared in the 1981 College World Series. Drafted in the 17th round of the 1981 Major League Baseball draft, Buckley made his major league debut with...
, Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson (baseball)
Joseph Richard "Joe" Johnson is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1985 to 1987....
and Bill Swift
Bill Swift
William Charles Swift is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher.After graduating South Portland High School, Swift attended the University of Maine. Swift pitched for the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and was a first-round draft pick by the Seattle Mariners following his senior year at Maine...
. The Bears faced Miami
Miami Hurricanes baseball
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team is the college baseball program that represents the University of Miami.Since 1973, the program has been one of college baseball's elite with 23 College World Series appearances, winning four national championships and advancing to the NCAA regionals a record 39...
in the opener, playing the Hurricanes at an even 1-1 through the first six innings behind Swift's pitching. However Miami scored five runs in the final three frames to win it, 6-1. Maine next played South Carolina
South Carolina Gamecocks baseball
The South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team represents the University of South Carolina in NCAA Division I college baseball. South Carolina has perennially been one of the best teams in college baseball since 1970, posting 27 NCAA Tournament appearances, 10 College World Series berths, and two...
in another tight game where the lead changed hands six times. The Bears gained a 7-6 edge with a pair of runs in the top of the 5th, but the Gamecocks scored six unanswered runs to win it, 12-7. Maine's loss eliminated them from the tournament, but their ability to play established power programs close impressed many observers.
The 1982 team had lost six of its first games that season, but had rattled off 22 wins in 23 games including sweeps in the ECAC
Eastern College Athletic Conference
The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 21 sports . It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina and west to Illinois...
New England Playoffs and NCAA Northeast Regionals to again qualify for the CWS
1982 College World Series
The 1982 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska from June 4 to June 12. The thirty-sixth tournament's champion was the University of Miami, coached by Ron Fraser...
. Maine faced another opening game against Miami, who knocked the previously unbeaten Swift out of the game with a seven-run onslaught in the second inning. The Black Bear relievers subdued the Hurricanes the rest of the way, but Maine's offense could only muster a pair of runs on the way to a 7-2 loss. Johnson led the Bears back to the winner's column with a 6-0 shutout over Cal State-Fullerton
Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball
The Cal State Fullerton Titans baseball team represents California State University, Fullerton in NCAA Division I college baseball. In 35 years of Division I play, the Titans have never had a losing season. They are supplied by DeMarini....
, and Maine reached the final three with an 8-5 win over Stanford and John Elway
John Elway
John Albert Elway, Jr. is a former American football quarterback and currently is the executive vice president of football operations for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He played college football at Stanford and his entire professional career with the Denver Broncos...
. Winkin's team found themselves in yet another matchup with Miami
Miami Hurricanes baseball
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team is the college baseball program that represents the University of Miami.Since 1973, the program has been one of college baseball's elite with 23 College World Series appearances, winning four national championships and advancing to the NCAA regionals a record 39...
, with a championship date against Wichita State
Wichita State Shockers
The Shockers are the athletic teams at Wichita State University, who compete in the NCAA Division I Missouri Valley Conference. Wichita State is well known for its fan support and its baseball program, which has the highest winning percentange of any college baseball team over the past 31 years...
at stake. Maine stunned the Hurricanes early, knocking out starter Rob Souza with three runs, but reliever Eddie Escribano silenced the Bears' bats the rest of the way. Miami held a slim 4-3 lead but erupted for six runs in the top of the ninth to crush Maine's hopes. Winkin's Bears tacked on a futile run in the bottom half but were eliminated by the Canes, 10-4. First baseman Kevin Bernier became the first Maine player in the Winkin era to be named to the CWS All-Tournament Team.
Maine reached the CWS again in 1983
1983 College World Series
The 1983 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 3 to June 11. The thirty-seventh tournament's champion was The University of Texas, coached by Cliff Gustafson...
, entering play with a 29-14 record. Barry Larkin
Barry Larkin
Barry Louis Larkin is a retired Major League Baseball player. Larkin played shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds from 1986 to 2004 and was one of the pivotal players on the 1990 Reds' World Series championship team...
had helped give Michigan
Michigan Wolverines baseball
The Michigan Wolverines baseball team represents the University of Michigan in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Michigan athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Big Ten Conference...
a 6-2 lead with a pair of doubles in the opener, but the Black Bears made a spirited comeback with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. However it wasn't enough as the Wolverines held on for a 6-5 victory. Winkin's team then faced Arizona State, led by Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
. It was over early as the Sun Devils scored five times in the first two innings on the way to a 7-0 shutout that eliminated the Bears. Over the summer, Winkin coached the U.S. National Baseball Team
United States national baseball team
The United States National Baseball team represents the United States in international baseball competition. The United States has won the previous two Baseball World Cups, having lost this title to the Netherlands in 2011, and is currently second in the IBAF World Rankings, behind Cuba.The team...
that included USC slugger Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
.
Winkin's club got off to a dismal start in 1984, losing 11 of their first 13 games on a road trip that pitted them against powers such as Texas
Texas Longhorns baseball
The Texas Longhorns baseball team represents The University of Texas at Austin and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.The Texas Longhorns are the winningest program in college baseball history in terms of win percentage with .740 and ranks second all-time in total wins to the...
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma Sooners baseball
Oklahoma Sooners baseball is the NCAA Division I collegiate baseball team of the University of Oklahoma based in Norman, Oklahoma.The Oklahoma Baseball tradition is long and storied, with two National Championships in 1951 and 1994, along with numerous All-Americans...
. But Maine righted the ship, going 22-7 to once again reach the CWS
1984 College World Series
The 1984 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, NE from June 1 to June 10. The thirty-eighth tournament's champion was California State University, Fullerton, coached by Augie Garrido...
with a 33-18 record. In their opener against Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball
Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball is the NCAA Division I collegiate baseball team of Oklahoma State University based in Stillwater, Oklahoma.The Oklahoma State baseball program is among the most storied and successful in the country. The program has won 30 conference championships as well as 19...
the Black Bears got off to a quick start, taking a 4-0 lead in the second inning. But the Cowboys stormed back behind the bats of Pete Incaviglia
Pete Incaviglia
Peter "Inky" Joseph Incaviglia is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was drafted in the 1st round by the Montreal Expos in the 1985 amateur draft out of Oklahoma State University, but was traded later the same year to the Texas Rangers...
and Randy Whisler, who each drove in 3 runs and led OSU to a 9-5 comeback win. Maine once again was paired against Miami
Miami Hurricanes baseball
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team is the college baseball program that represents the University of Miami.Since 1973, the program has been one of college baseball's elite with 23 College World Series appearances, winning four national championships and advancing to the NCAA regionals a record 39...
, their CWS nemesis. After losing 11 straight games to the Hurricanes, Winkin's Bears had finally beaten them by sweeping a two-game regular season series played earlier in the year on Maine's home field in Orono
Orono, Maine
Orono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
. However in the tournament Miami again dominated, leading 8-1 after four innings and 13-3 through six. The Bears mounted a rally in the top of the ninth, scoring four runs, but UMaine was eliminated, 13-7.
The Black Bears set another school record for wins in 1985, going 38-17 with another win over Miami (Winkin's first when playing at the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
school). However Maine suffered a pair of embarrassing defeats in the ECAC North Playoffs, losing to La Salle
La Salle Explorers
La Salle Explorers is the name of the athletic teams from La Salle University. The school's 23 varsity sports teams compete in the NCAA's Division I and are a member of the Atlantic Ten Conference. The American football team previously played in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football...
(10-2) and Long Island
Long Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
(4-1). Winkin's club failed to qualify for the NCAA playoffs for the first time since 1979.
The 1986 season brought a return to Omaha
1986 College World Series
The 1986 College World Series was played at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska, from May 30 to June 9. The fortieth tournament's champion was the University of Arizona, coached by Jerry Kindall...
for the Black Bears. Despite losing 8 of their first 10 games, and 16 of 25, Maine won 40+ games for the first time in school history. The Bears arrived at the CWS sporting a 41-21 record under Winkin, led by future big leaguers Mike Bordick
Mike Bordick
Michael Todd Bordick is an American retired professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball from 1990 to 2003 with four different teams: the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Toronto Blue Jays.-Early life:Bordick's father, Michael, was in the Air Force,...
and Jeff Plympton
Jeff Plympton
Jeffrey Hunter Plympton is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox during the season. Listed at 6' 2", 205 lb., Plympton batted and threw right-handed...
. Plympton was joined in the Black Bears pitching rotation by Scott Morse, Steve Loubier and Dale Plummer, and all four would ultimately be drafted by major league clubs. The opening game of the CWS, against Arizona
Arizona Wildcats baseball
The Arizona Wildcats baseball team is the intercollegiate men's baseball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. The baseball team had its first season in 1904...
, would result in perhaps the most heartbreaking loss of Winkin's career. Behind the ace stuff of Morse and the booming bat of catcher Bill Reynolds, Maine built a 7-0 lead and still held a 7-1 margin in the bottom of the eighth inning. But it all fell apart as the Wildcats scored four runs in that frame on a pair of two-run homers by Gar Millay and Gary Alexander. In the last of the ninth Arizona's Mike Senne
Mike Senne
Michael D. Senne was an outfielder who is most notable for winning the 1986 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award while a senior at University of Arizona. He is one of three players from University of Arizona to win that award...
singled home a run, setting the stage for Dave Shermet to blast a two-out, two-run, game-winning home run that stunned the Bears, 8-7. The next game, Winkin's last in a College World Series, pitted Maine against Louisiana State
LSU Tigers baseball
The LSU baseball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I college baseball.Along with the other LSU athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the West division of the Southeastern Conference...
. The Tigers built an early 6-0 lead, riding the bat of Jeff Yurtin who went 4-for-4 with five RBI and his 10th home run of the season. Maine out-hit LSU 11 to 8, but the Tigers turned four double plays to quash any potential rallies and hang on for an 8-4 win that eliminated the Black Bears. Despite the pair of losses, Reynolds was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Maine would field other strong teams during Winkin's tenure, but changes in NCAA tournament seeding procedures helped prevent the Bears from earning another trip to Omaha. Instead of each regional bracket being stocked with teams from the region, two of the top 16 national seeds would be assigned to each regional. This virtually assured that all eight College World Series slots would be filled by the traditional southern and western power schools from warm weather climates. In 1999 the odds became even longer for Maine when the NCAA abandoned neutral site regionals and assigned the top eight national seeds as host schools for each regional.
Others who played under Winkin at Maine and reached the major leagues included Mark Sweeney
Mark Sweeney
Mark Patrick Sweeney is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball. He is best known for his skill as a pinch hitter, where he ranks second in career pinch hits with 175 and first in career pinch hit runs batted in with 102....
and Larry Thomas
Larry Thomas (baseball)
Larry Wayne Thomas Jr. is an American retired professional baseball pitcher. He played college baseball at the University of Maine and, during his three seasons at the major league level, for the Chicago White Sox from 1995 to 1997. He was drafted by the White Sox in the 2nd round of the 1991...
. Stump Merrill
Stump Merrill
Carl "Stump" Merrill is a former manager in Major League Baseball who served as manager of the New York Yankees in and...
, an assistant coach at UMaine under Winkin, went on to manage the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
.
Winkin’s tenure in Orono ended in 1996 when his contract was not renewed. His career coaching record at UMaine was 642-430-3.
Husson College
In 1996 Winkin joined Husson College as an assistant under head baseball coach John Kolasinski. He also held the positions of senior lecturer and vice president for sports leadership as the school's first FellowFellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
in Sports and Leadership. Winkin became head coach of the Eagles in November 2003 after Kolasinski departed to take a similar position at Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University
Siena Heights University is a Roman Catholic postsecondary institution in Adrian, Michigan. It is affiliated with the St. Joseph Academy and Montessori Children’s House.-History:...
.
On March 12, 2006, the 86-year-old Winkin became the 44th collegiate baseball coach to reach 1,000 career victories when Husson defeated Drew University
Drew University
Drew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...
6-3 in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
.
On December 10, 2007, Winkin suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
while out on his daily walk in Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
. The illness left him with partial paralysis of his right side and inhibited his speech. Winkin remained Husson's head coach for the 2008 season, but with his return uncertain in January the school appointed Jason Harvey as interim coach. Winkin officially stepped after the season but remained as an assistant coach, with Harvey formally replacing him as head coach in July. While leading Husson, Winkin compiled an overall record of 100-74-8.
Personal
Winkin was married and divorced before being widowed by his second wife in 1983 after 23 years of marriage. His third marriage also ended in divorce. He has two children, David and Mary, and eight grandchildren. He is Roman Catholic, an avid fan of swing-era jazzSwing (jazz performance style)
In jazz and related musical styles, the term swing is used to describe the sense of propulsive rhythmic "feel" or "groove" created by the musical interaction between the performers, especially when the music creates a "visceral response" such as feet-tapping or head-nodding...
, and is affectionately nicknamed "Wink" by friends and former players.
Winkin developed close friendships with Red Sox CEO John Harrington and longtime Maine sports benefactor Harold Alfond
Harold Alfond
Harold Alfond was an American businessman who founded the Dexter Shoe Company and established the first factory outlet store.-Early life:...
, who was a Red Sox minority owner. Alfond's grandchildren came to call Winkin "Papa".
In April 2007, Winkin, Mike Bordick, former UMaine player and assistant coach Mike Coutts, and Penobscot County commissioner and Bangor lawyer Peter Baldacci announced their intention to organize and fund a New England Collegiate Baseball League]] franchise that would play at Husson's Winkin Complex. Their efforts to date have been unsuccessful.
Prior to his stroke, Winkin was known to walk and jog three miles every day. Though he still uses a wheelchair, Winkin's speech has substantially recovered.
Awards and Honors
- Winkin is a member of the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame, American Baseball Coaches AssociationAmerican Baseball Coaches AssociationThe American Baseball Coaches Association is a baseball coaching organization formed in 1945. It is the primary professional organization for baseball coaches at the amateur level.-History:...
Hall of Fame, Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, and Maine Sports Hall of Fame.
- New England Division I Baseball Coach of the Year in 1975.
- In 1987, Winkin received the James LynahJames LynahJames Lynah was an American businessman and sports administrator who is considered the principal founder of the Eastern College Athletic Conference....
Distinguished Achievement Award from the ECAC.
- In 1992, the Maine Baseball Coaches Association established the John W. Winkin Award, given annually to the best high school baseball player in the State of Maine.
- The University of Maine retired Winkin’s jersey number 5 in 1999, making him the third baseball figure to be so honored by the school.
- As part of a commemorative series covering every U.S. state, Sports Illustrated magazine ranked Winkin among The 50 Greatest Maine Sports Figures, placing him at #16.
- In 2000 and 2001 Winkin donated $250,000 to upgrade the Husson baseball facilities. The facility is now called the John W. Winkin Baseball Complex, and is part of the Winkin Sports ComplexWinkin Sports ComplexWinkin Sports Complex is a stadium in Bangor, Maine. It is home of the Husson University baseball, field hockey, and football teams. The ballpark has a capacity of 3,000 people and opened in 2004. It was formerly the home of Bangor Lumberjacks....
.
- Since 2007 he has been a five-time nominee for the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, established in 2006.
- On October 19, 2009, Husson University inducted Coach Winkin into its Sports Hall of Fame.
- Coach Winkin has served as chair at both the Regional and Super Regional sites for the NCAA over the past 10 years.
- On March 12, 2011, Colby College honored Winkin by retiring his jersey number 5.
Published Books
External Links
- VIDEO - Coach John Winkin's #5 Retired by Colby College (12 March 2011)
- VIDEO - WCSH News Center 6 profiles Coach John Winkin (30 July 2010)
- ARTWORK - From Orono to The Show; UMaine and the Big Leagues Under John Winkin (Neal Portnoy Studios, 2009)