The Washington Baseball Hall of Fame

JIM FOUTS (original member of Hall of Fame)

A legendary football and baseball coach from North Thurston High School.
Jim was an outstanding coach, mentor and human being and the school football facility is named after him.  He coached baseball for 40 years at North Thurston with 505 wins and is a member of the Saint Martin’s football and baseball and State Coaches Hall of Fame. He retired in 1992.

JIM PATON (original member of Hall of Fame)

Coach Paton coached at talent-rich Shadle Park and moved to Roger’s in Spokane in 1977.  He was an original member of the Coach’s Hall of Fame. He was truly “one of a kind” and put his heart and soul in the Roger’s baseball program and giving his players lifetime experiences they would never forget. Being a master fundraiser for his players, Jim took his players on baseball related trips to China, Russia, Alaska, Florida, the Cooperstown Hall of Fame and many others. He was a mentor and father figure for those he coached. Jim also dealt with Parkinson’s Disease the final 30 years of his life, and at the same time ran 13 marathons. In addition to being inducted into the baseball coaches HOF, Jim received many community awards for his works. Jim initiated the All-Star Feeder game in Spokane and also hosted the All State game for many years. Jim loved what he did was truly an icon in high school baseball.

Paton Fouts Large School Coach of the Year

Dave Johnson (original member of Hall of Fame)

After college coach Johnson taught and coached at Ephrata High School for his entire 36 years. He owned and operated T.B.I. Baseball Camps for 32 years with business partner Marty O’Brien. Johnson ended his career as the winningest baseball coach in Washington with 687 victories, and second in total state championships with eight. As a coach he led the Ephrata Tigers to 28 appearances in the state tournament and outscored opponents 489-239. In 36 years his teams won 25 league titles, 20 district titles, 16 regional titles and placed at state 16 times. Dave Johnson led by example through his work ethic, integrity, passion and devotion to the community. He was inducted into the Washington State Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. For his efforts and dedication to the Ephrata baseball program he was honored by having the baseball stadium at Ephrata High School named after him and coach, Marty O’Brien

Dave Johnson Small School Coach of the Year

Frank Osborne (original member of Hall of Fame )

There are not enough superlatives to say about “Frank.”  His affects and contribution went way beyond just coaching. He spent his last 27 years of education at Enumclaw High School before retiring in 1981. One of the most successful coaches in the country, Frank’s clubs won 11 division championships, 10 league titles and the 1977 state championship. During that time, the American Baseball Coaches Association awarded Frank the western US coach of the year three times, and he was also a finalist for national coach of the year. The USBCA more recently awarded him the national Meritorious Service Award for his contributions to coaching, and the thousands of hours he spent developing parks and baseball fields for his community, including the Boise Creek sixplex and the high school field Enumclaw later dedicated in his name. Frank was three times Washington State coach of the year, and a charter inductee into the Washington State Hall of Fame. The Washington State Baseball Coaches Association recently honored him with the establishment of the Frank Osborne Lifetime Achievement Award. He was honored as the Mariners fan of the year, and spearheaded a Mariners community participation program that helped keep the Mariners in Seattle. The Washington Recreation and Park Association honored him with the Citation of Merit, the highest recognition the WRPA can bestow on a citizen. There is not one high school or college baseball program in the State of Washington who has not been affected by his post coaching entrepreneurship business, Osborne Innovation Products. Starting in his garage, Frank invented, built and marketed baseball products, initially for professional teams and players. His business grew rapidly and expanded nationally to include colleges, high schools and players of all ages.

Frank Osborne Lifetime Achievement

WSBCA Player of the Year

Don Freeman

Dedication & Commitment to High School Baseball

Dan White (original member of Hall of Fame)

Coach White served as head baseball coach for 33 years (1971-2003) for Eastmont High School, only had two losing seasons and accumulated 600 wins. Coach White was inducted into the Washington State Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1988 and WIAA Hall of Fame in 2015. He hosted the WSBCA All-State Baseball Series for 25 years. In Coach White’s honor the Wildcat Baseball Stadium was named Dan White Field.

High School Assistant Coach Recognition

C.J. MITCHELL

C.J. Mitchell was one of the most respected umpires at all levels in Washington. Watching him umpire you can tell it is an act of love and he had the interaction skills with coaches to make them respect and “like” him. With that, the “Umpiring Award” was named in his honor.  C.J. comes from the Tri-City area and started umpiring in 1965. Has done the PAC-10/12 for 35 years, 4 college world series, 10 NAIA world series, 6 legion world series, 4 baseball state play-off games, and 12 years in the Class A Northwest League. In addition to baseball he has done many big games in basketball.

Umpire Service

Jim Reding

Jim was a high school sports coordinator for the Seattle Times and a workaholic who spent countless hours finding stories about high school athletes. To him no school was too small for attention to have their successes acknowledged. With him, everything had to be accurate and up-to-date. The “Jim Reding Award” is a tribute to those media people who best carry on that tradition.

Media Commitment to High School Baseball

Larry Linville

Former owner of Prostock Athletics in Bellingham, Larry donated the Hall of Fame inductees sweaters and was heavily involved in youth sports and making endless contributions for kids and sports. He will always be known for his wit and availability to helping those in need. He coached at all levels in Bellingham. Larry was a member of the 1967 Arizona State baseball team that won the College World Series.

Special Services to Baseball