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Chuck Brayton

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Chuck Brayton
Biographical details
BornOctober 20, 1925
Vancouver, Washington, U.S.
DiedMarch 28, 2015 (aged 89)
Pullman, Washington, U.S.
Alma materWashington State, 1950
Playing career
1944, 1946–1948Washington State
PositionInfielder
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1951–1961Yakima Valley JC
1962–1994Washington State
Head coaching record
Overall1,162–523–8 (.689) (WSU)
Military career
AllegianceUnited States
Branch
U.S. Army Air Forces
Service years
1944–1945

Frederick Charles Brayton (October 20, 1925 – March 28, 2015), alternately known as Chuck or Bobo, was an American college baseball head coach. Brayton led the Washington State Cougars baseball teams over 33 seasons, from 1962 to 1994.[1] Brayton was the winningest coach in WSU history, with a record of 1,162 wins, 523 losses and eight ties—the fourth-best total in NCAA history at the time of his retirement.[2]

Early life

Chuck Brayton was born on October 20, 1925 in Vancouver, Washington to parents Herbert and Hazel (Miller) Brayton. One of six children, Brayton moved with his family in October 1927 from Vancouver to central Skagit County in the northwestern part of the state. Settling in the small community of Birdsview, six miles west of Concrete, Washington, Brayton attended grade school in Birdsview and high school in Hamilton, Washington, lettering in varsity sports.

Following graduation in 1943, Brayton hitchhiked across the state to Pullman as an incoming freshman at Washington State College (later Washington State University).[3][4]

At the end of his freshman year, Brayton enlisted in the Army Air Forces during the second half of World War II, serving for 18 months.[1][5] Upon completion of his service, Brayton returned to college in Pullman where he was a three-sport varsity athlete at Washington State. In baseball during 1944, Brayton played the position of shortstop for interim coach Jack Friel and then during the 1946 to 1948 seasons for Buck Bailey.[1] Brayton was named the college's first baseball All-American in 1947.[6]

Coaching career

After graduation from WSC, Brayton became head baseball coach for over a decade at Yakima Valley Junior College,[7][8] in Yakima, Washington. Brayton also served as the school's head football coach for five seasons.[9][10] His baseball coaching record at Yakima was 251–68 (.787) with ten championships over 11 seasons.[4] While at Yakima, a line drive nearly killed him and he was hospitalized for a month; he wore a helmet the rest of his coaching career.[1][11]

Brayton joined the coaching staff for WSC Cougar baseball in 1961. During his tenure there, Brayton's teams won 21 conference titles (two Northern Division and 19 Pac-8/10), including 11 in a row from 1970 to 1980. He led the Cougars to the College World Series in 1965 and 1976, and was the fifth baseball head coach in NCAA history to exceed a thousand wins.[12] Win number 1,000 came in 1990 in his 29th season, at home on April 11,[13][14] Following that milestone, he coached for four more years.[15]

Legacy

Brayton's #14 jersey was retired by the school in 2003;[16][17][18][19]he was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.[2][20]

Bailey–Brayton Field, the Cougars' home stadium since 1980, is named for Brayton and his predecessor, Buck Bailey (1896–1964).[21] When the old field was displaced by the new Mooberry track, Brayton constructed the new stadium on a budget, using items salvaged from Sick's Stadium in Seattle, as well as donated materials and volunteer labor.[3][4] Formerly Buck Bailey Field, Brayton's name joined his mentor's in January 2000.[22]

Personal life

Brayton married Eileen Lyman on December 21, 1947, in Kirkland, Washington. After his move from Yakima Community College, the couple made their home in Pullman beginning in 1961, where they raised their three sons. The couple was married for 67 years until his death at age 89 in 2015. He was buried at Pullman City Cemetery.[23][24][25]

Head coaching record

Record table
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Washington State Cougars (AAWU/Pac-8/Pac-10) (1962–1994)
1962 Washington State 18–12–18–53rd (North)
1963 Washington State 24–87–73rd (North)
1964 Washington State 31–910–62nd (North)
1965 Washington State 33–814–41st (North)College World Series
1966 Washington State 35–8–115–11st (North)NCAA Regional
1967 Washington State 22–107–66th (North)
1968 Washington State 29–911–73rd (North)
1969 Washington State 27–158–13t-6th (North)
1970 Washington State 30–11–19–61st (North)Pac-8 Tournament
1971 Washington State 34–157–81st (North)Pac-8 Tournament
1972 Washington State 29–1314–4t-1st (North)Pac-8 Tournament
1973 Washington State 40–1515–31st (North)Pac-8 Tournament
1974 Washington State 38–914–4T-1st (North)
1975 Washington State 33–1813–51st (North)NCAA Regional
1976 Washington State 43–1516–21st (North)College World Series
1977 Washington State 39–1714–41st (North)NCAA Regional
1978 Washington State 41–1715–31st (North)NCAA Regional
1979 Washington State 40–1112–31st (North)Pac-10 Tournament
1980 Washington State 36–10–211–31st (North)Pac-10 Tournament
1981 Washington State 27–25–111–7T-2nd (North)
1982 Washington State 34–1616–8t-1st (North)
1983 Washington State 40–16–116–82nd (North)
1984 Washington State 41–2015–6T-1st (North)NCAA Regional
1985 Washington State 45–2216–81st (North)Pac-10 North Tournament
1986 Washington State 35–2411–124th (North)Pac-10 North Tournament
1987 Washington State 44–1918–61st (North)NCAA Regional
1988 Washington State 52–1418–41st (North)NCAA Regional
1989 Washington State 37–2016–81st (North)Pac-10 North Tournament
1990 Washington State 48–1919–51st (North)NCAA Regional
1991 Washington State 37–2514–61st (North)Pac-10 North Tournament
1992 Washington State 31–23–116–142nd (North)
1993 Washington State 34–2416–13T-3rd (North)
1994 Washington State 35–2611–195th (North)
Washington State: 1162-523-8423–218
Yakima Valley JC: 251–68(1951–1961)
Total:1413-591-8

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

See also

References

  1. Stalwick, Howie (April 25, 2012). "WSU's Bobo Brayton: 'Old-school dude' larger than life". Kitsap Sun. Bremerton, Washington. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  2. "Ex-Cougars honored in college baseball Hall of Fame". Seattle Times. April 11, 2007. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  3. Goodwin, Dale (April 22, 1979). "Bobo: from hitchhiker to legend". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C6.
  4. "A winner in Pullman". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. April 1, 1980. p. 4C.
  5. Fry, Dick (May 1994). "Brayton leaves unparalleled legacy at WSU". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 2, End of an Era.
  6. Stalwick, Howie (February 5, 1990). "Admirers salute venerable Brayton". Spokane Chronicle. Washington. p. C1.
  7. "Chuck Brayton seeks meal from hand that fed him". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. March 30, 1962. p. 17.
  8. Price, Jim (March 21, 1965). "Cougars have experience, winning habit in baseball". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. 3, sports.
  9. "Brayton is named to succeed Bailey". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. April 20, 1961. p. 39.
  10. "WSU's Bobo says bye-bye". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. January 15, 1994. p. 1D.
  11. Brown, Bruce (March 10, 1977). "Brayton 'slow changer'". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. p. 28.
  12. Clark, Bob (April 27, 1990). "This Cougar's still on prowl". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. p. 1C.
  13. Stalwick, Howie (April 12, 1990). "WSU's Brayton wins 1,000th game". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. D1.
  14. Schulte, Chris (April 12, 1990). "Bobo gets 1,000". Idahonian. Moscow. p. 1C.
  15. Miedema, Laurence (May 19, 1994). "Bobo era: It's all over Friday". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1D.
  16. "Brayton's treasured #14 to be retired May 24". Washington State University Athletics. May 18, 2003. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  17. Missildine, Harry (May 26, 2003). "WSU retires Brayton's No. 14". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Idaho-Washington. p. 1B.
  18. Norris, Stephen A. (May 25, 2003). "Cougs crush UCLA". Lewiston Morning Tribune. Idaho. p. 5B.
  19. Caraher, Pat (Fall 2003). "Brayton has his day in the sun, as WSU retires his number". Washington State. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  20. "Eleven elected to College Baseball Hall of Fame". ESPN. Associated Press. April 10, 2007. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
  21. "Buck Bailey, wife die in smash". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. October 28, 1964. p. 1.
  22. Blanchette, John (January 23, 2000). "All the right tools". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. p. C1.
  23. Underwood, Roger (April 6, 2015). "WSU coaching legend Brayton dies at 89". Yakima Herald. Washington. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  24. "Bobo Brayton, longtime WSU baseball coach, dies". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. March 28, 2015. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
  25. Stalwick, Howie (March 28, 2015). "Cougars' coaching legend Bobo Brayton dies". Sports Press Northwest. Retrieved January 5, 2016.