Don Brandon

{{Infobox college coach

| name = Don Brandon

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Circa|{{birth year and age|1941}}}}

| birth_place = Vinemont, Alabama, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| alma_mater = {{ubl|

|Anderson University (1963)

|Ball State University (1967)

|Springfield College (1976)

}}

| player_sport1 = Football

| player_years2 = 1959–1962

| player_team2 = Anderson (IN)

| player_sport3 = Basketball

| player_years4 = 1960–1963

| player_team4 = Anderson (IN)

| player_sport5 = Baseball

| player_years6 = 1960–1963

| player_team6 = Anderson (IN)

| player_positions = End (football)
Pitcher (baseball)

| coach_sport1 = Football

| coach_years2 = 1964

| coach_team2 = Anderson (IN) (JV)

| coach_years3 = 1965–1966

| coach_team3 = Anderson HS (IN) (assistant JV)

| coach_years4 = 1967

| coach_team4 = Anderson HS (IN) (JV)

| coach_years5 = 1968–1975

| coach_team5 = Anderson (IN) (assistant)

| coach_years6 = 1976–1977

| coach_team6 = Anderson (IN)

| coach_sport7 = Basketball

| coach_years8 = 1968–?

| coach_team8 = Anderson (IN) (assistant)

| coach_sport9 = Baseball

| coach_years10 = 1965–1967

| coach_team10 = Anderson HS (IN) (assistant)

| coach_years11 = 1968–1971

| coach_team11 = Anderson (IN) (assistant)

| coach_years12 = 1972

| coach_team12 = Anderson (IN)

| coach_years13 = 1973

| coach_team13 = Anderson (IN) (assistant)

| coach_years14 = 1974–2010

| coach_team14 = Anderson (IN)

| coach_sport15 = Track and field

| coach_years16 = 1965–1967

| coach_team16 = Anderson HS (IN)

| admin_years1 = 1975–1978

| admin_team1 = Anderson (IN)

| overall_record = 1,110–588 ({{winpct|1110|588}}) (college baseball)
6–12 (college football)

| tournament_record =

| championships = NCCAA National Championship (1991)

| awards = Football
2× All-Hoosier Conference (1961–1962)
Baseball
2× All-Hoosier Conference (1962–1963)

}}

Donald P. Brandon (born {{Circa|1941}}) is an American former college baseball head coach and former college athlete. He coached at Anderson University in Indiana for 38 seasons.

Biography

Brandon served as head coach of the Anderson Ravens baseball team in 1972 and from 1974 to 2010. He recorded 1,110 wins and 588 losses, for a {{winpct|1110|588}} winning percentage. He led the Ravens to 13 conference titles, 12 NAIA District titles, 5 NAIA World Series appearances (1984, 1987, 1993, 1998, and 2003) and the 1991 National Christian College Athletic Association National Championship.{{cite web |last=Foley |first=Brian |title=Longtime Anderson University Coach Don Brandon Announces Retirement |url=http://www.collegebaseballdaily.com/2009/09/12/longtime-anderson-university-baseball-coach-don-brandon-announces-retirement/ |website=collegebaseballdaily.com |date=September 12, 2009}}

Brandon attended Anderson University and Ball State University, where he earned degrees in 1963 and 1967, respectively. He later earned a doctorate at Springfield College in Massachusetts in 1976. While a student at Anderson, Brandon earned varsity letters in baseball and football, and also played on the basketball team. Anderson's baseball coach at that time was former Brooklyn Dodgers player Carl Erskine.

Brandon first coached at Anderson in 1968, as an assistant with the football and basketball teams.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58744625/don-brandon-named-to-ac-athletic-staff/ |title=Don Brandon Named To AC Athletic Staff |newspaper=Anderson Daily Bulletin |location=Anderson, Indiana |page=9 |date=July 19, 1968 |accessdate=September 6, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}} He later was an assistant baseball coach under Erskine. Brandon served as head coach of the baseball team in 1972, with Erskine coaching a final season in 1973.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/58744317/anderson-names-former-raven-star-head/ |title=Anderson Names Former Raven Star Head Coach |agency=AP |newspaper=The Indianapolis Star |page=30 |date=June 2, 1973 |accessdate=September 6, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}} Brandon then was head coach from 1974 through 2010.

Born in Vinemont, Alabama, Brandon graduated from high school in Cullman, Alabama, in 1959.{{cite news |url=https://www.cullmantimes.com/sports/local_sports/cullman-county-sports-hall-of-fame-brandon-led-ravens-to-14-hcac-titles/article_b2faa745-44d6-5eb8-a6b4-6c452e049c99.html |title=CULLMAN COUNTY SPORTS HALL OF FAME: Brandon led Ravens to 14 HCAC titles |first=Justin |last=Graves |website=The Cullman Times |date=April 18, 2011 |accessdate=September 6, 2020}} He was inducted to the Cullman County, Alabama, Sports Hall of Fame in 2011, and the Anderson University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.{{cite web |url=https://aua.prestosports.com/hof/brandon?view=bio |title=Dr. Don Brandon – 2010 Coach/Athlete |website=prestosports.com |accessdate=September 6, 2020}} Brandon married in 1962; he and his wife have two children.