RTD FEATURE / BOLDING DAY PHOTO GALLERY / LNA FEATURE / BUDDY BOLDING TRIBUTE VIDEO (YouTube)
Charles Buddy Bolding retired as the head coach of the Lancers following the 2013 season, his 35th year at Longwood University. He attained an outstanding overall collegiate coaching record of 953-544-4 since taking over during the fall of 1978, including 31 winning seasons as mentor of the tradition-rich program. Coach Bolding's teams posted 32 overall 20-win campaigns and 25 seasons with at least 25 wins. The Lancers finished 26-28 overall, and 12-12 in their first season as members of the Big South Conference during 2013. The No. 7 seed for the Big South Baseball Championship, Longwood was 2-2 while advancing to the semifinals of the conference tournament.
“All good things must end … and having served as Longwood's baseball coach from the obscurity of Division III, to Division II, to Independent Division I, and finally to Division I, Big South Conference member, has been a great thing in my life,” said Bolding. “My wife, Andrea ('Mama' to my players), and I have given our best to Longwood day after day, year after year, and we have done so in a way that we trust has made six Longwood presidents, their administrations, the student body and alumni, faculty and greater Southside Community we have served, proud of us, and prouder still of the 339 young men who came to play our special style of baseball for the past 34 years -- a style that has been predicated upon the simple maxims of leveraging a 34-inch baseball bat, top-half style, against a 5-ounce leather spheroid, bunting with precision, ands throwing early strikes, year in and year out, arguably better than any other college team in America.
“We have few regrets, and I am cognizant of the ancient quote, 'All glory is fleeting!' We now stand at the threshold of a new day for Longwood's rich athletic history and for Longwood's well-conceived ambitions for a bright future. The prudent time for me to pass the baseball torch along to another is at hand, and I joyously extend that torch forward while it yet burns bright. Countless professional scouts, opponent coaches and others have over the years said that Buddy Bolding possessed the greatest batting practice arm known to man; and even I might agree with that assertion; but as that arm is now seven-plus million pitches well-worn, it cannot continue to develop great Lancer batsmen for a successful future in the Big South Conference, as will be needed. In short, I cannot be Buddy Bolding forever, and my standard, and the pride I have had in throwing that BP, is such that I cannot suffer to offer my hitters less than they deserve. I, therefore, walk away from the ball yard having given my best and having left nothing on the diamond for the crows to pick over. In scriptural terms, I have fought the good fight.”
Bolding coached Longwood to 26 consecutive winning seasons (1979-2004), including a remarkable run of 24-straight, 20-win seasons (1981-2004). His tenure is highlighted by six appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament, including two trips to the Division II College World Series, most recently in 1991 that featured a program-best 41-8 record while advancing to the final four of the national championship. Bolding earned his milestone 900th collegiate coaching victory on May 10, 2011 in a 6-4 road win at James Madison. Longwood dedicated its baseball facility as 'Charles Buddy Bolding Stadium' on October 3, 2009.
“Charles Buddy Bolding is a Longwood University legend,” said Longwood Director of Athletics Troy Austin. “Coach Bolding built a dominant baseball program virtually from scratch. More importantly, through his great sacrifice and dedication, Buddy successfully mentored and developed countless young men because he cared about their personal well-being and achievements.
“Personally, this announcement is bittersweet. Buddy has been extremely supportive of me and I am thankful for his friendship. I have had the opportunity to learn from one of the great professors of life and I will miss him when he steps down at the end of the year. That said, Buddy has more than earned this time to spend with his family and I am extremely happy for he, Andrea, Lauren, Suzanne and Brad.
“I offer Coach Bolding sincere gratitude and appreciation for his tireless leadership on behalf of Longwood University. We all wish Buddy all the best.”
Longwood finished 2011 with a final record of 28-18, following a winning record of 28-20 in 2010, after a 26-22 campaign during 2009, that came after a 2008 season during which Coach Bolding reached his milestone 800th career coaching victory on March 8, 2008 with a 6-5 come-from-behind home win past Binghamton. The Lancers finished that year (2008) with a record of 23-26-1. Longwood posted a winning record of 34-19 during 2007, the program’s 12th 30-win season overall, following a 23-27 record during 2006.
Prior to playing its first Division I schedule in 2005, as required during the school’s four-year Division I Reclassification, Bolding had coached Longwood to the 26 consecutive winning seasons (1979-2004). In 2005, however, the Lancers finished 16-32. Longwood had enjoyed a very successful campaign during 2004 with a record of 31-16 that capped a remarkable run of 24-straight 20-win seasons (1981-2004).
Longwood was third in the North Atlantic Region Tournament in 1993 after winning seven games in a row at season's end, finishing 26-9-1. Bolding teams have also notched third-place finishes in the North Atlantic in 1992 and the South Atlantic Region Tournament in 1984 and 1987. Bolding reached the 700-victory milestone March 9, 2004 with a 12-0 victory past Elizabeth City State at home during a doubleheader sweep (12-0, 7-6). Bolding reached 600 victories in 2000, 500 victories in 1997, 400 victories in 1993, 300 victories in 1990, 200 victories in 1986, and 100 victories in 1983.
Nine of Bolding's former players have been chosen in the Major League Baseball Draft (MLB) since 1988. Kansas City chose Longwood outfielder Frankie Watson (7th-R) and shortstop Kelvin Davis (24th-R) in 1988. The Royals drafted Lancer shortstop Michael Tucker (1st-R, #10 overall) and catcher Scott Abell (37th-R) in 1992. Outfielder LaRon Wilson (17th-R) was drafted by the New York Mets in 2002. Catcher Jeremy Knicely (42nd-R) was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2003. First baseman Charlie Yarbrough (7th-R) was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2006. Third baseman Phil Cerreto (40th-R) was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010. Most recently, Mark Montgomery was an 11th round pick by the New York Yankees in 2011, and finished the 2012 minor league season between the Class A Florida State League and the Class AA Eastern League while named the best pitcher in the New York farm system by Baseball America. He went to spring training this year with the Yankees. Additionally, outfielder Brian Medley signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Padres in 2004, and right-handed pitcher Paul Heidler II signed a free agent contract with the New York Yankees in 2009.
Tucker, the first-ever and only Olympic athlete from Longwood University, enjoyed a 12-year (1995-2006) career in Major League Baseball. He spent time with eight different teams, including Kansas City, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago (Cubs), San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington, and New York (Mets). Tucker was the 10th overall pick in the 1992 draft and played on the United States Olympic team that summer.
Bolding served as one of just 31 coaches nationwide on The USA TODAY/ESPN Board of Coaches from 2008-10 for the weekly national poll. He is a former member of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division II National Committee, and was an area representative for the North Atlantic Region of the ABCA -- one of eight nationwide as a liaison between the region’s coaches and the ABCA advisory committee.
Highly regarded by his peers, Bolding has served on NCAA regional selection committees nine times. In 1983 he was a member of the Olympic baseball tryout staff for Virginia. He was voted South Atlantic Region Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1982, and Virginia College Division Coach of the Year in 1997, 1993, 1991, and 1984. Bolding has been chosen Longwood Male Coach of the Year a record seven times.
The Hardy, Virginia native has built the program at Longwood by recruiting mostly in-state players. An estimated 30-plus former Lancer baseball players are now involved in coaching on the high school or college level, the majority in the Commonwealth. Bolding is known to be close to his players.
“I feel he's a player's coach,” former All-American shortstop John Sullivan ’84 once told a sportswriter. “He gets the most out of you he possibly can. When I got there I was a decent player and when I left I was an All-American.”
A highly successful high school coach, Bolding guided Staunton River High in Bedford County to a 47-22 mark in three years before coming to Longwood.
Bolding served as a U.S. Army medic in Vietnam, then received his bachelor of science degree in health, physical education and recreation from Milligan (Tenn.) College in 1973, and earned his master of science degree from the University of Tennessee in 1974.
Bolding was inducted into the Milligan College Athletics Hall of Fame in Tennessee on October 26, 2012. He was a multi-event standout in track and field at the school located just minutes from Elizabethton and near the Tri-Cities region of Johnson City, Kingsport and Bristol. Bolding set school records in the 440, pole vault, discus and javelin, and he posted an impressive 47.8-second outdoor 440 at the 1972 Davidson Relays.
“I feel very honored and humbled to be included with such a special group of people, including guys like Del Harris and Sonny Smith, at Milligan College,” said Bolding.
The following is an excerpt from the Milligan College Athletics Hall of Fame induction dinner on October 26. After graduating, Bolding went on to earn a master's degree at UT and began what has been an illustrious 39-year coaching career to date. He cites his Milligan Track Coach, Duard Walker, as well as the overarching Milligan College experience, as the primary inspirations that led him to serve God and humanity through the ministry of coaching.
Buddy and his wife, Andrea, have three children: Lauren, Suzanne and Brad -- all of whom attended and two who graduated -- from Longwood (Brad also played as a Lancer before graduating from Old Dominion University) and two grandchildren: Sage and Charles.
