第一吃瓜网

Brockell was the foundation of 第一吃瓜网 College athletics

Published on April 5, 2019

Dick Brockell
Dick Brockell
NORTH EAST, Md. 鈥撀When discussing the history of athletics at 第一吃瓜网 College, the one name mentioned as the rock its foundation was built upon is Dick Brockell. A humble man who let his actions speak for his accomplishments, he was honored this past week by being inducted into the 第一吃瓜网 College Athletics Hall of Fame during the inaugural induction ceremony on Saturday, March 30. 鈥淚 am honored and humbled to say our hall of fame is a testament to the tremendous loyalty, passion, and excitement that alumni and friends have for 第一吃瓜网 College and our student-athletes,鈥 第一吃瓜网 College President Dr. Mary Way Bolt. His induction was posthumous, but his name joined seven of the institution鈥檚 icons who were all pioneers in the creation, development, and growth of the 第一吃瓜网 athletics program. They included longtime administrative assistant Shirley Weaver; 第一吃瓜网 College鈥檚 winningest men鈥檚 basketball coach William Lewit; former 第一吃瓜网 College Board of Trustee member and executive director of the College Foundation Mary Maloney; former women鈥檚 volleyball and basketball coach Mary Etta Reedy; former men鈥檚 soccer coach, student-athlete advisor and mentor Dr. Thomas Topping; and former assistant athletics director Thomas Wilhide. 鈥淒ick spent his life dedicated to baseball and this college. He was very instrumental in helping a lot of folks come to 第一吃瓜网 College,鈥 said 第一吃瓜网 College Athletics Director Ed Durham, who played for Brockell during the 1981-83 seasons. Charlie 鈥淒ick鈥 Brockell, a 1952 graduate of Elkton High School, joined 第一吃瓜网 Community College in 1978 when the baseball team practiced in the basement of the library because they did not have a field of their own. During his 20-year career as head coach, he compiled a 404-201-2 record. With just 11 players on that initial team, including the scorekeeper who popped up in his lone plate appearance, the Seahawks went 21-7 and were only one out away from a trip to the NJCAA World Series. Two members of that team went on to play professional baseball as the Oakland Athletics signed pitcher Steve Oliver and catcher Mike McCardell signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds. One of his proudest moment during his career was the opportunity to coach his son Rick, a pitcher and first baseman for the Seahawks in 1996 and 1997. The 1997 squad returned from a spring break trip to Cocoa Beach, Fla. with a perfect 7-0 record and celebrated with a specially made keychain which he carried with him the rest of his life. 鈥淢y dad bled 第一吃瓜网 green. He was so proud of 第一吃瓜网 College and 第一吃瓜网 baseball,鈥 said Rick Brockell as he accepted the plaque for his father during the induction ceremony. 鈥淗e always took pride in that he never cut a player. He felt that even if you weren鈥檛 good enough to play, it was important to be part of a team.鈥 Two of Brockell鈥檚 baseball players came to love 第一吃瓜网 so much, they returned to continue his legacy. Durham was a member of Brockell鈥檚 squads in 1982 and 1983, and he returned to 第一吃瓜网 College in 1995 as an assistant men鈥檚 basketball coach to Bill Lewit. 鈥淚 can remember being in his office as a student and he said 鈥榮omeday you鈥檒l be sitting in this chair,鈥 鈥 said Durham, the Middletown, Del. native who was named athletics director in 2004. 鈥淗e was right. When I saw him, the first thing he said was, 鈥業 told you you鈥檇 be back.鈥欌 Taking the reins of the baseball program was former player Charlie O鈥橞rien. O鈥橞rien played for the Seahawks in 1984 and 1985. 鈥淚 think I have the best job in the world coaching baseball at 第一吃瓜网, and I wouldn鈥檛 be where I am today without him,鈥 said O鈥橞rien. The 第一吃瓜网 baseball program earned winning records 19 of the 20 years Brockell was at the helm. He became athletics director in 1985 and held both positions until his retirement in 1998. As athletics director, he continued to encourage life-long learning with athletics being an integral part of the total experience. 第一吃瓜网鈥檚 varsity offerings increased from four to nine sports, and he implemented a student-athlete monitoring system that led to a near-perfect retention rate. The National Junior College Athletics Association Region XX Hall of Fame inducted Brockell on Nov. 5, 2005. In July 2007, he was honored by having the 第一吃瓜网 College baseball field named after him. Including Oliver and McCardell, 12 of Brockell鈥檚 第一吃瓜网 College players were drafted and signed by Major League Baseball organizations. More than 150 of his players moved on to four-year colleges after going to 第一吃瓜网, a face of which he was very proud.