Messer

This is the third in a series of seven articles profiling the 2009 inductees into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame.SLIPPERY ROCK This was supposed to be a one-year stop for Jeff Messer.It turned into a Hall of Fame career.In his 24th season, the longtime Slippery Rock University baseball coach is being inducted into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame at the 44th annual banquet April 25 at the Butler Days Inn."When I first came to Slippery Rock, getting on the exit ramp off I-79, I saw what looked like a portrait of 200 hubcaps," Messer said. "I didn't know how long we were going to be here."I figured we'd be around for a year or two, but the town and the people just grew on us. It turned out to be a great place to raise a family."Messer, 50, began this season with a career record of 724-416-4, the most wins among active college baseball coaches in Pennsylvania.Only retired Temple University coach James Wilson, with 1,034 wins in 46 seasons, has more."Recruiting has been a big part of his success," said SRU athletic director Paul Lueken. "And he knows how to get results out of his players."Messer's resume includes 15 PSAC West titles, two PSAC championships, four NCAA Division II regional crowns and four appearances in the Division II World Series. SRU has finished below .500 only once during Messer's tenure.Messer's teams have been ranked among the top five nationally three times and he has been selected PSAC Coach of the Year on 10 occasions. His best record was 48-13 in 2003 and his career-winning percentage of .634 ranks 22nd among all active NCAA D-II baseball coaches.The World Series trips came in 1989, 1997, 2000 and 2003."That first year we went, 1989 ... we were down to two outs and an 0-2 count in the last inning of a game to determine if we'd even get into the playoffs for the state," Messer recalled. "We found a way to get all the way to the Series."I remember soaking up every second of that postseason. You never know if you're going to make it back."The World Series appearances rank among Messer's favorite memories at SRU. So do having his two sons, Matt and Billy, play for him at The Rock.Matt was an outfielder at SRU and Billy is in his third year as the team's starting second baseman.Messer becomes the second current longtime SRU coach to be inducted into the Butler Area Sports Hall of Fame. Football coach George Mihalik gained induction in 2001.Neither Messer nor Mihalik was born or raised in Butler County."It speaks volumes for their achievements once they got here and it speaks volumes for the Hall of Fame committee to consider them and recognize their accomplishments," Lueken said.Messer has coached 45 players who played in professional baseball. Nearly a dozen of his former players wound up in coaching, including Matt Jones at Shippensburg, Knoch graduate Chase Rowe at La Roche College and Mike Sikorski at Sharpsville High School.One of his former players is Dom Viola, now a regional scout for the Baltimore Orioles.Messer has gone to weddings and baptisms involving many of his players. He said one of the advantages to longevity is getting recruiting help from alumni."An extremely high percentage of players who have come through here had positive experiences here," he said. "They become recruiting tools after a while."We've gotten a number of bona fide Division I caliber players to come here because of our reputation.""Jeff Messer is still in the prime of his career," Lueken said. "He's going to have over 1,000 wins before he's through. And the best part is, they're all going to come at Slippery Rock."Tickets for the banquet are available at Bill's Beer Barn or from any Hall of Fame committee member.