College Baseball Hall of Fame mourns Wayne Graham
LUBBOCK, Texas – Wayne Graham, a baseball coaching legend at San Jacinto College and Rice, and a 2012 inductee into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, died last night at the age of 88.
“I am saddened by the news of coach Graham’s passing,” said Mike Gustafson, Director Emeritus of the College Baseball Foundation. “Over the years, our encounters were always so interesting. I remember sitting with him once during a game at Minute Maid and our conversation drifted from his meticulously handwritten lineup cards to his interpretation of recurring dreams that ballplayers have. He was so unique. Behind that gruff exterior was a deeply interesting and thoughtful man, and he will be missed. We extend our sympathies to his family and friends and all who were touched by his time in baseball.”
As a player, Graham starred at Texas before several years of professional baseball that included stints in the big leagues with the Phillies and Mets.
After 10 years as a high school coach in the Houston area, he landed the job at San Jacinto College in 1981. He quickly turned San Jac into a junior college baseball juggernaut, making seven straight trips to Grand Junction, Colo., for the NJCAA World Series, winning three consecutive national titles from 1985-87 and two more in 1989 and 1990.
In 1992, he took the helm of the Rice baseball program, which had experienced only seven winning seasons in 78 years of Southwest Conference play and had only finished above fourth place once. In his 27 years at Rice, Graham’s teams made 23 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and didn't have a losing season until his final year in 2018.
His 2003 Rice Owls won the national championship and he led six other Rice teams to College World Series appearances.
Graham was named Junior College Coach of the Century by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. He finished his career with more than 1,800 wins as a college head coach.
For more information on Graham’s contributions to college baseball, click here.
