The Ohio State Varsity “O” Association will induct 12 members into the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame this weekend of Sept. 5-6, two of which come from the baseball program. An elite catcher from 50 years ago enters as John Edwards from the 1958 season is inducted in. Joining him is current Coach Bob Todd who is no stranger to awards and honors, making this his second induction into a Hall of Fame this year.
John Edwards was a stand-out catcher for the baseball team in 1958. That season, he made only three errors behind the plate, compiling a fielding percentage of .973. Edwards also led the team in hits with 24. He went on to have a successful 14-year career in the major leagues, where he was a three-time All-Star (1963-65) and two-time Gold Glove winner (1963-64) at catcher. Edwards competed in two World Series, 1961 with the Cincinnati Reds and 1968 with the St. Louis Cardinals. The 1969 season with the Houston Astros was Edwards’ best as he garnered votes for the National League MVP award.
Bob Todd has been the head coach of the Ohio State baseball team since 1988. In his 21 seasons at the helm, Todd has won 831 games, the most in school history, and he has led the team to 14 Big Ten Conference regular season or tournament championships. In January of 2009, he will be inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Ohio State has won six Big Ten regular season championships under Todd and eight Big Ten tournaments. He has led the program to 12 NCAA regional appearances (1991-95, 1997, 1999, 2001-03, 2005, 2007). He has coached Ohio State teams to 30 or more wins every season and his teams have made 20 of 21 Big Ten tournaments, including a Big Ten record 12 consecutive tournament appearances from 1997-2008. Todd guided the Buckeyes to two regional championships and appearances in super regionals in 1999 and 2003. The program won a school-record 52 games in 1991 and his teams have never had a losing season, winning 40 or more games 10 times. Todd is one of only two conference coaches to win more than 300 Big Ten games and he is 395-229 (.633) in Big Ten Conference play. Todd has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year four times (1989, ’94, ’99, and ’01), the most of any Big Ten coach. He was nominated for national coach of the year honors in 1991, ’94, ’99 and ’03 and was chosen National Coach of the Year in 1994 by the Columbus Touchdown Club. In 1994 and ’01, Todd was an assistant coach for Team USA.
2008 Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame Class
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