Diamond Memories

By Stacey Walters

If you are a baseball fan in Eastern Kentucky, then Johnnie LeMaster is easily recognized as a local diamond legend. A former professional baseball player who served as the head baseball coach for the Pikeville College Bears between 1994 and 2006, LeMaster set records and inspired many on and off the field.

A Paintsville, Ky., native, he began his baseball career in high school and jumped to the big-leagues as the sixth overall pick in the 1973 Major League Draft by the San Francisco Giants.

LeMaster played shortstop for four major league teams over 12 seasons (1975-1985 and 1987), 10 of them for the San Francisco Giants. He set a major league record, hitting an inside-the-park home run in his first at-bat as a Giant during a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of only two players to ever accomplish the feat.

He recalls playing in historic Wrigley Field and Fenway Park as “pure, unadulterated baseball.”

After his major league career, LeMaster returned home to Kentucky. Soon after that, he accepted a head coaching position at then Pikeville College and built upon the Bears baseball program for 12 seasons and became the all-time leader in career coaching wins with 277.

More than that, LeMaster wanted to positively influence Appalachia’s youth, and serving as the head baseball coach at Pikeville College gave him that opportunity.

“God had blessed me with a talent to teach baseball, and I did not want to bury that talent,” said LeMaster. “I wanted to have a positive effect on young people to help guide them in better ways in this world.”

Ron Damron, dean of students and athletics director during that period, praised LeMaster for establishing a successful program and serving as a role model for Eastern Kentucky athletes.

“Johnnie was a great caliber person that a small career institution like Pikeville College needed at the time. He recruited many local players and brought diversity to the baseball program,” said Damron. “He is a tremendous person; I believe his faith in God guided him to give something back to the university and invest his time to positively impact the futures of his players.”

UPIKE alum Gary Justice ’96, MBA ’13 had the pleasure of playing for LeMaster during his first two years as the head coach and expressed that they not only had success on the field, but LeMaster taught the players meaningful life lessons.

“Coach LeMaster was a players’ coach and cared about us outside of playing baseball,” said Justice. “Johnnie taught us that your teammates would be your lifelong friends support them on and off the field.”

A former pitcher for the Bears, Tommy Chamberlin ’96 fondly remembers his years playing for LeMaster.

“As a person who loved baseball, it was great playing for a former big leaguer. I loved listening to his stories about his time in the major leagues and his experiences there. However, what I remember most about Coach LeMaster is that he cared about his players,” said Chamberlin. “He didn’t need the job as a small college baseball coach but chose to invest his time in us and our futures. He had such a positive impact on my life.”

LeMaster was the 1997 Coach of the Year in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletics Conference and led the Bears to a school-record 40 wins during the 2000 season. His career as a baseball coach was highlighted by helping four players sign contracts to play professional baseball with Major League affiliates.

He spent his summers watching games and scouting players to ensure that the baseball program was a success.

“Recruiting players is 90 percent of what your program will look like,” said LeMaster. “It was not easy, but recruiting locally really helped support the program.”

Attributable to the program’s success, in the early 2000s, the university honored LeMaster by officially naming the facility the Johnnie LeMaster Baseball Field.

“I have had a lot of great things happen to me in my lifetime, but there is no bigger honor than to have the UPIKE baseball field named after me,” said LeMaster. “I have so many wonderful memories and emotions that run through me every time I come near the field.”

Former UPIKE Head Softball Coach (1995-2000) Bill Baird ’66 says that LeMaster is an influential coach and a devoted Christian, husband, father and grandfather.

“LeMaster always set the bar high. He encouraged me and was my go-to for advice about the mechanics of the game,” said Baird. “He has been a leader of many Christian mission trips to South America as well as serving his church and community in many capacities.”

Now retired, LeMaster resides in Paintsville. He spends most of his time doing mission work worldwide, serves as an elder for the Paintsville Church of Christ and can be found swinging a golf club instead of a bat.