Brad Babcock
{{Short description|American baseball player and coach (1939–2020)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Brad Babcock
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1939|3|10}}
| birth_place = Virginia, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|6|2|1939|3|10}}
| death_place = Appomattox, Virginia, U.S.
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1960–1963
| player_team1 = Lynchburg
| player_positions = Shortstop
| coach_years1 = 1971–1989
| coach_team1 = James Madison
| overall_record = 555–251–4
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record = NCAA D1: 10–13
CAA: 6–8
| championships =
| awards =
| coaching_records =
}}
Bradley Littleton Babcock (March 10, 1939 – June 2, 2020) was an American college baseball coach, the head coach of James Madison (JMU) from 1971 to 1989.{{Cite web |title=Bradley Babcock Obituary - Appomattox, Virginia |url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/bradley-babcock-obituary?pid=196291722 |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=Legacy.com}} Under him, the Dukes appeared in five NCAA tournaments (four in Division I) and the 1983 College World Series. His overall record in 19 seasons was 555–251–4, including a home record of 339–71–1.{{cite news |last1=Proffitt |first1=Stephen |title=1,000th Home Game Draws Crowd but Not Success for Baseball |url=http://www.breezejmu.org/sports/article_5d422182-7c7b-11e1-87cf-001a4bcf6878.html |access-date=August 10, 2014 |work=BreezeJMU.org |date=April 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090813/http://www.breezejmu.org/sports/article_5d422182-7c7b-11e1-87cf-001a4bcf6878.html |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=McCallum |first1=Jack |title=Madison's Ave. to Success |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1982/12/27/626077/madisons-ave-to-success |access-date=August 10, 2014 |work=SI.com |date=December 27, 1982 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812211236/http://www.si.com/vault/1982/12/27/626077/madisons-ave-to-success |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
Coaching career
After graduating from Lynchburg College in 1963, Babcock worked as a high school baseball coach in Colorado, New Hampshire, and Vermont.{{cite news|last1=Hulver|first1=John|title=Babcock Signs to Manage Turks in Shenandoah Valley League|url=http://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1172&context=i19701979|access-date=August 10, 2014|work=Genesis II|date=March 12, 1971|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221625/http://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1172&context=i19701979|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}
James Madison started its baseball program in 1970, shortly after it became co-educational. Babcock took over in 1971, its second season. It started out as an NCAA Division II program but joined Division I for the 1977 season.
In addition to being JMU's baseball coach, Babcock held several other positions in the early 1970s. At the university, he was an assistant football coach, junior varsity basketball coach, physical education instructor, and intramural director. He also served as the head coach of the Valley League's Harrisonburg Turks for several summers.{{cite web|title=JMU Athletics Hall of Fame: Brad Babcock|url=http://jmusports.com/hof.aspx?hof=30&path=administration&kiosk=|website=JMUSports.com|access-date=August 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812212854/http://jmusports.com/hof.aspx?hof=30&path=administration&kiosk=|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 12, 2014}}{{cite news|title=Former Post 290 Player Roger Lee Emerges from the Shadows|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19780503&id=Hw0QAAAAIBAJ&pg=2228,318937|access-date=August 10, 2014|work=The Free Lance-Star|date=May 3, 1978}}{{dead link|date=August 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
In 1983, the Dukes became the first Virginia school to make the College World Series (CWS). The Dukes opened the season with an exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals. After losing in the ECAC Tournament, many players returned home, thinking the season was over, but the team was given an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. JMU went 4–0 in the East Regional to reach the CWS, where it lost games to Texas and Stanford in Omaha.{{cite book|last1=Irwin|first1=James|title=Midnight in Chattanooga: The Game, the Team, and the Dream Behind the Rise of JMU Football|date=2010|publisher=Author House|isbn=978-1449081904|page=209|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mWO1JeZ-f2cC&q=%22brad+babcock%22+baseball&pg=PA209|access-date=August 10, 2014}}{{cite web |title=NCAA Division I Baseball Championship Record Book |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_champs_records/2013/d1/d1.pdf |website=NCAA.org |access-date=June 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140606211826/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_champs_records/2013/d1/d1.pdf |archive-date=June 6, 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |title=College World Series Baseball Team |url=http://www.jmu.edu/centennialcelebration/baseball.shtml |website=JMU.edu |access-date=August 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906131152/http://www.jmu.edu/centennialcelebration/baseball.shtml |archive-date=September 6, 2006 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |date=1983-06-03 |title=College World Series Begins |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-palm-beach-post-college-world-series/163375105/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |work=The Palm Beach Post |page=55 |via=Newspapers.com |agency=Associated Press}}
Head coaching record
Below is a table of Babcock's yearly records as a collegiate head baseball coach.{{cite web |title=2014 CAA Baseball Record Book |url=http://www.caasports.com/documents/2014/6/16/recordbook14base.pdf |website=CAASports.com |access-date=July 13, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714205611/http://www.caasports.com/documents/2014/6/16/recordbook14base.pdf |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|title=Baseball Coaches Career: Brad Babcock|url=http://web1.ncaa.org/stats/StatsSrv/careercoach|website=NCAA.org|access-date=August 8, 2014}}
{{CBB yearly record start | type = coach }}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = Madison Dukes
| conference= Independent
| startyear = 1971
| endyear = 1976
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1971
| name = Madison
| overall = 12–5
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1972
| name = Madison
| overall = 11–14
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1973
| name = Madison
| overall = 12–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1974
| name = Madison
| overall = 23–11
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1975
| name = Madison
| overall = 23–7
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1976
| name = Madison
| overall = 32–10
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = James Madison
| conference= Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference – Division I
| startyear = 1977
| endyear = 1985
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1977
| name = Madison
| overall = 32–9
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1978
| name = James Madison
| overall = 30–13
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1979
| name = James Madison
| overall = 31–13
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1980
| name = James Madison
| overall = 32–13
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1981
| name = James Madison
| overall = 40–18–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1982
| name = James Madison
| overall = 40–15–1
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1983
| name = James Madison
| overall = 37–13
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = College World Series
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1984
| name = James Madison
| overall = 38–13
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason = ECAC Tournament
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1985
| name = James Madison
| overall = 24–21
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
| name = James Madison
| conference= Colonial Athletic Association
| startyear = 1986
| endyear = 1989
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1986
| name = James Madison
| overall = 35–14
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = CAA Tournament
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1987
| name = James Madison
| overall = 28–21
| conference = 6–9
| confstanding = 5th
| postseason = CAA Tournament{{efn|name=caaall|In this season, each member of the Colonial Athletic Association qualified for the conference tournament.}}
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship = conference
| season = 1988
| name = James Madison
| overall = 43–11–2
| conference = 13–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Regional
}}
{{CBB yearly record entry
| championship =
| season = 1989
| name = James Madison
| overall = 32–21
| conference = 7–6
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = CAA Tournament
}}
{{CBB yearly record subtotal
| name = James Madison
| overall = 555–251–4
| confrecord = 39–21
}}
{{CBB yearly record end
| overall = 555–251–4
}}
Administrative career
After stepping down from the baseball coach position following the 1989 season, Babcock worked in JMU's athletic department. He was added to the department's Hall of Fame in 1998. He retired as executive association athletic director in 2003.{{cite news |title=College Baseball: At a Glance |url=https://www.dailypress.com/1989/03/05/college-baseball-at-a-glance/ |access-date=August 10, 2014 |work=DailyPress.com |date=March 5, 1989 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812203335/http://articles.dailypress.com/1989-03-05/sports/8903040058_1_bases-colonial-athletic-association-mark-newman |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Transactions |url=http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-04-13/sports/1991103063_1_milwaukee-brewers-montreal-canadiens-hiram |access-date=August 10, 2014 |work=BaltimoreSun.com |date=April 13, 1991 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812210835/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-04-13/sports/1991103063_1_milwaukee-brewers-montreal-canadiens-hiram |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |title=Looking Back |url=http://www.timesvirginian.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_c2c32df7-7456-51e5-a2ad-7828193f8a4f.html |access-date=August 10, 2014 |work=TimesVirginian.com |date=May 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190630022921/http://www.timesvirginian.com/arts_and_entertainment/article_c2c32df7-7456-51e5-a2ad-7828193f8a4f.html |archive-date=June 30, 2019 |url-status=dead }}
Personal
Babcock's son Whit is the athletic director at Virginia Tech; he previously held the same position at Cincinnati. Whit was the batboy on the 1983 College World Series team and played for Babcock in 1989, his final season as JMU's head coach.{{cite news |last1=Barber |first1=Mike |title=Tech Hires Cincinnati's Babcock as New AD |url=http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/college/virginia-tech/tech-hires-cincinnati-s-babcock-as-new-ad/article_c6b1c80c-854d-11e3-ab30-001a4bcf6878.html |access-date=August 10, 2014 |work=TimesDispatch.com |publisher=The Richmond Times-Dispatch |date=January 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812042638/http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/college/virginia-tech/tech-hires-cincinnati-s-babcock-as-new-ad/article_c6b1c80c-854d-11e3-ab30-001a4bcf6878.html |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |last1=Driver |first1=David |title=Diamond Duke Leads University of Cincinnati Athletics |url=http://www.mydigitalrendition.com/article/Diamond+Duke+leads+University+of+Cincinnati+athletics/1376344/0/article.html |access-date=August 10, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812203306/http://www.mydigitalrendition.com/article/Diamond+Duke+leads+University+of+Cincinnati+athletics/1376344/0/article.html |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |url-status=dead }} Babcock died on June 2, 2020, at the age of 81.{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2020 |title=JMU Hall of Fame baseball coach Brad Babcock passes away |url=https://www.wsls.com/sports/2020/06/03/jmu-hall-of-fame-baseball-coach-brad-babcock-passes-away/ |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=WSLS}}
Notes
{{Notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{James Madison Dukes baseball coach navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Babcock, Brad}}
Category:Baseball coaches from Virginia
Category:Baseball players from Virginia
Category:High school baseball coaches in the United States
Category:James Madison Dukes baseball coaches
Category:James Madison Dukes football coaches