Hall of Fame
Rodger George will be the fourth recipient of the Athletic Hall of Fame Honor Award, which recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in assisting Wayne State Warrior Athletics. The WSU Athletic Hall of Fame is in its 31st year.
George, the all-time leader for baseball coaching victories (272), spent 14 seasons as Wayne State's head baseball coach (1989-2002), equaling the longest tenure of any WSU baseball coach. Before coming to WSU, he spent eight years as head coach at Henry Ford Community College, winning 197 games and compiling a .582 winning percentage. The Hawks won two Michigan Community College Athletic Association Eastern Conference titles in 1984 and 1988.
His 1988 HFCC squad set a school record for victories (42) and were runners-up in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) regionals. The 1984 team also finished second at the NJCAA regionals.
His 1998 Wayne State team won the GLIAC title with a mark of 17-7-1 and finished one game behind conference champion Ashland in 1999. The 1998 conference title was the first for Wayne State baseball in 16 years and for his efforts, George was selected GLIAC Coach of the Year, the award which now bears his name.
On April 25, 1999, George reached a coaching milestone at Wayne State with his 200th victory when the Tartars defeated Saginaw Valley, 17-13.
A native of Altadena, Calif., George received his bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from West Coast University in 1962. He received his master's from Wayne State in 1974 and completed coursework for a doctorate in engineering at the University of Detroit. George previously was an engineer with American Motors Corporation.
George, who passed away on Oct. 15, 2002, after a courageous 10-month battle against brain cancer, was 63 years old.
He is survived by his wife, Joette, and two sons, Bradley and Glen.
