Francis Marion University athletic officials recently announcedthat former head baseball coach and athletic director GeraldGriffin is the newest inductee into the FMU Athletic Hall ofFame.
The induction ceremony will take place during Homecomingactivities on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013, in the Smith UniversityCenter gymnasium at approximately 3:15 p.m. between the women's andmen's games of the FMU and Young Harris College basketballdoubleheader.
Griffin established the Francis Marion baseball program in 1972and guided the Patriots for 28 seasons until his retirement in2000. He registered more than 730 career victories, including22 years of 20-plus wins at the helm of the Francis Marionprogram.
Just this past spring (2012), he was honored by the universityas his name adorns the newly completed athletic complex, whichincludes baseball, softball, and soccer fields as well as a fieldhouse and lake.
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A native of Williamston, N.C., Griffin joined the Francis Marionstaff in 1972 as head baseball coach and assistant dean of studentaffairs. He was named athletic director in 1973 and servedcontinuously in that capacity while also coaching baseball, and ledan athletic program from mere existence to one of nationalprominence.
On the baseball diamond, he directed FMU to a 655-433-1 mark in28 seasons, including a trip to the 1993 NCAA regionaltournament. His career baseball coaching record, includingsix seasons at St. Andrews Presbyterian College, stands at animpressive 736-521-1.
Nine times in his career, Griffin garnered "coach of the year"honors, twice being named the South Carolina Baseball "Coach of theYear," and in 1993, he was elected to the NAIA Hall of Fame. That honor gained him formal recognition by the S.C. House ofRepresentatives with a house resolution congratulating andcommending him for the honor.
Between 1974 and 1999, he directed the Patriot summer baseballcamp, which was attended by countless area youths.
As athletic director, Griffin directed the Francis Marionathletic program as it moved from NAIA status to NCAA Division IIaffiliation in 1992. Under his leadership, the program grew fromseven sports (four men's and three women's) to 14 sports (seven forboth men and women). In 1997, the school received the highestmarks among all South Carolina institutions and Peach Belt AthleticConference members according to a gender equity report cardreleased by the Women's Sports Foundation.
Under Griffin, the school captured a pair of team nationalchampionships, both in women's basketball; won two NCAA women'stennis doubles titles; and earned back-to-back Peach Belt AthleticConference Commissioner's Cup trophies (1997-98 and 1998-99),signifying the most successful all-around athletic program in theconference. He was instrumental in the founding of thePatriot's Brigade (now the Swamp Fox Club), the fund-raisingorganization for FMU athletics.
In 1993, he inaugurated the Patriots Brigade Academic Honor Rollbanquet, annually honoring student athletes for academicachievement. In 1991, Griffin organized and directed the FMUAthletic Hall of Fame, which with his induction will now have 39members. In addition, he wrote the proposal to the NCAA forthe National Youth Sports Program (NYSP), which was awarded duringthe years of 1997, 1998, and 1999.
During the school's 20 years as a member of the NAIA DistrictSix (1972-92), Francis Marion won 38 district team titles,including at least one district championship in 17 of the 20years. During its final year as a NAIA member, FMU won fourdistrict titles. After joining the Peach Belt in 1992, FrancisMarion won four team championships, with eight sports earningnational poll rankings, prior to Griffin's retirement.
Griffin earned both the B.A. and M.A. degrees from theUniversity of North Carolina, where he was a four-year letterman onthe Tar Heel baseball team, twice earning All-Atlantic CoastConference honors. He later spent several seasons in thePhiladelphia Phillies minor league system.
Griffin joins 38 current members in the FMU Athletic Hall ofFame, which was formed in 1991.
