Mel Krause

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Mel Krause
Title Head coach
College Oregon
Sport Baseball
Born February 4, 1928(1928-02-04)
Place of birth Portland, Oregon
Died June 13, 2008 (aged 80)
Place of death Wilsonville, Oregon
Career highlights
Overall 218-220-1
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1970-1981 Oregon

Mel Krause (February 4, 1928 – June 13, 2008) was a former college baseball coach and player at the University of Oregon. Krause also played professional baseball in the Northwest League. Krause also played college basketball for Oregon and coached two different high school basketball teams to Oregon state basketball championships. Prior to its planned reinstatement in 2009, Krause was the last Ducks baseball coach when the university canceled the sport in 1981.

Contents

[edit] Early life and playing career

Krause grew up in Portland, Oregon. He attended Commerce High School (now Cleveland High School) where he played football, basketball, and baseball and was named to All-City teams in all three sports.[1][2]

After graduating from high school, Kirsch attended the University of Oregon, where he played baseball and basketball.[3] Krause pursued a professional baseball career, playing in the minor league Northwest League for the Salem Senators from 1954 to 1956 and the Eugene Emeralds from 1957 to 1961.[3]

[edit] Coaching career

Following his graduation from Oregon, Krause began coaching high school sports in 1952 at Milwaukie High School in Milwaukie, Oregon.[4] Krause would coach two high school basketball teams to the Oregon state basketball championship: Franklin High School in 1956 and North Eugene High School in 1963.[5] He also coached Sheldon High School's baseball team to the state championship in 1966.[6]

In 1970, Krause was named head baseball coach at Oregon, replacing his former coach Don Kirsch. In 11 seasons, Krause's teams won two Northern Division championships.[3] In 1981, due to budgetary concerns, the university dropped its baseball program along with several other sports.[7] Krause returned to high school coaching, ending his coaching career at Newberg High School in 1992.[4] Following his coaching career, he worked as a baseball scout for the San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers.[2]

[edit] Illness

In November 2007, Krause was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and given two to six months to live.[8] Shortly before his diagnosis, the University of Oregon announced that they will be reinstating baseball for the 2009 season and began plans to build a new baseball stadium in Eugene.[9] A fundraising effort is underway to name stadium entrances for Krause as well as for his predecessor, Don Kirsch.[10]

[edit] Legacy

Krause was a member of the Portland Interscholastic League Sports Hall of Fame,[1] the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame,[2] and the University of Oregon Athletic Hall of Fame.[3] He lived with his wife Jan in Wilsonville, Oregon.[11]

[edit] Death

Krause died on June 13, 2008


[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Mel Krause. Portland Interscholastic League Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  2. ^ a b c Mel Krause. Oregon Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  3. ^ a b c d Mel Krause. GoDucks.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  4. ^ a b Hoglund, Pat. "Krause has earned his claim to Hall of Fame", The Oregonian, 2002-08-09. 
  5. ^ OSAA Boy's Basketball Championships. Oregon School Activities Association. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  6. ^ OSAA Baseball Championships. Oregon School Activities Association. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  7. ^ Kelley, Steve. "Apple pie gets the boot", The Oregonian, 1981-05-10. Retrieved on 2008-06-03. 
  8. ^ Jaynes, Dwight. "Coach's coach is in for the full fight", Portland Tribune, 2008-02-01. Retrieved on 2008-06-03. 
  9. ^ Mims, Steve. "Baseball's big comeback", The Register-Guard, 2007-07-14. Retrieved on 2008-06-03. 
  10. ^ Moseley, Rob. "Alumni stepping up to the plate", The Register-Guard, 2008-05-27. Retrieved on 2008-06-03. 
  11. ^ Schroeder, George. "Opinions on Sports", The Register-Guard, 2008-02-06. Retrieved on 2008-06-03. 
v • d • e
Oregon Ducks Head Baseball Coaches
Knapp • Bezdek • Leonard • Kelly • Bezdek • Walker • Huntington • Bohler • Reinhart • Hobson • Kirsch • Krause • Horton