Working closely with private sector helped Ward grow baseball programs — By Andrew Glover
O
klahoma State University baseball coach Gary Ward is considered a legend. His jersey No. 20 is painted on the outfield fence at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. He won 953 games from 1978-96 and led the Cowboys to 16 straight conference championships and 10 trips to the College World Series. Ward said his success began where his career began at Yavapai Junior College in Prescott, Ariz., in 1971. “(Yavapai) hadn’t had an athletic tradition for years,” Ward said. “I had good people around me. I went out a developed a solid community support base, connecting a college to a community. That experience taught me how to work with the private sector.” Ward led Yavapai to a 240-83 record and two national championships in 1975 and 1977. The coach was honored as the National Junior College Athletic Association Coach of the Year. Ward said he wanted to develop a culture of excellence. “I knew I could coach the game,” Ward said. “I don’t think baseball is an easy game. It’s a strategy and finesse game. I started out as a defensive coordinator and head basketball coach at high school. It gave me a good understanding.” During his seven seasons at Yavapai, community support and funding increased. When Ward left for Oklahoma State in 1977, several of his players went with him. Ward said he wanted to bring his philosophy to Oklahoma State and represent the city well. “Behavior and habits create character,” Ward said. “...I surrounded myself on my staff with good men that wanted to compete at the highest level.” When Ward came to Oklahoma State, the baseball program wasn’t well-funded. Just as he did in Arizona, Ward connected with the community. “I never turned down an opportunity to speak in Stillwater,” Ward said. “(The team) needed that local relationship. I had control of the media guide and got sponsors for $1,500 and $2,000 14
Stillwater Style | Spring 2013
a piece. We wanted to get season ticket holders.” One of the things Ward said Oklahoma State needed to be successful was an elite facility. Ward played a big role in the planning, funding, design and construction of Allie P. Reynolds Stadium. “I walked in with two checks of $200,000 dollars,” Ward said. “The athletic director asked what I was going to use it for and told him, ‘We are going to put up Major League Baseball lights. To be able to host a regional you need lights. Hosting a regional increases your chances of making a College World Series by 50 percent.”’ The Cowboys hosted regionals from 1982-1986. Ward said that started to fade in the early 1990s. “Some of the pieces weren’t executed,” Ward said. After the 1996 season, Ward dealt with back problems and had to retire. In 2001, Ward came out of his retirement and joined his son at his alma mater New Mexico State. Like Ward’s other stops, New Mexico State’s athletics were underfunded. “We made sure we gave a labor of love to the community and got more high donors,” Ward said. “We got up to a million in funding until a new athletic director wanted to spread funds to other than baseball.” Now Ward and his wife, Cathy, are back in Stillwater where he started a winning tradition with Oklahoma State. Ward said his role is different. “My wife got ill when I was in New Mexico and went into a coma,” Ward said. “She’s back where she raised her family. My job is to be her caretaker and help get her back on her feet.”