January 18, 2022

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The trip from Ellensburg, Wash. to Lewiston, Id. is 208 miles or 3 1/2 hours as a team convoy lists.

The team leaving Ellensburg -- home of the Central Washington Wildcats -- heading to Lewiston was the Lewis-Clark State College Warriors. There may have been a bump or a pot hole here or there as the two vans and a car, driven by the head coach, headed east.

There may also have side-to-side movement in the vans, even some squirming because of the players inside. Lewis-Clark had split its doubleheader — it was a game that happens once in a while to good teams: the Warriors beat themselves.

Coach Ed Cheff was furious. He told the team to bag up the gear and get into the vans. There would zero time for showers or even changing out of uniforms into street clothes.

“We were convinced when we arrived home he was going to turn on the lights and make us practice,” said Larry Downes (Niagara On-The-Lake, Ont.) who was riding inside a van that night. “Instead he told us practice was at two tomorrow and don’t be late.”

You think that was a surprising gesture by a hardened coach who won more titles than he lost, well, you could have knocked the Warriors over the hummingbird’s feather the next day.

“The next day we all stretched and played catch military-style awaiting Ed and God knows what,” Downes remembers. “Ed stepped on the field at 2:05 and called us all over to the dugout. He calmly pointed out some mistakes we made in the previous game and what we needed to do to improve as a team. Then, unbelievably, he told us to go home. No practice. Go home and think about what happened the day before. Stunned and surprised we walked off the field.”

Under Cheff, the Warriors captured 16 NAIA national titles in a 25-year span, won at least 40 games for 30 straight seasons, and produced 114 players — seven Canadians — who were selected in the draft, including 16 who made it to the majors.

“We never lost another game the rest of the season on our way to the 1982 NAIA World Series,” Downes said. “That was Ed.”

* * *

They were telling Ed Cheff stories in Idaho, California, Washington, Oregon and Niagara On-the-Lake. Cheff, 78, passed away Saturday at his home in Sequim, Wash., after an extended illness.

Cheff is the NAIA’s all-time leader in victories at one school thanks to his 1,705-430-2 record in 34 seasons at the LC State helm. He began his Warrior coaching career in 1977 and retired after the 2010 season. At the time of his retirement, his win total ranked fourth all-time among all college ball coaches and was second only to Wichita State’s Gene Stephenson in wins with the same program, also among all levels of college baseball.

Lewis-Clark State Gary Picone (Trail, BC) an L-C Hall of Famer after coaching and serving as athletic director.

Taking over for Cheff was Gary Picone (Trail, BC), the former Team Canada centre fielder. He attended Lewis-Clark, taught school in the Barrhead District in Alberta from 1976 to 1980 and Trail. He then returned to his college as an assistant coach (1983 to 1989), was athletic director (2006 to 2010), was pitching coach at Washington State University (2000, 2001), was pitching coach at Lewis-Clark (2002 to 2005), athletic director (2006 to 2010) and took over for Cheff.

He managed the Warriors for two years going went 79-29 (.731 win percentage), taking the team to the 2011 and 2012 NAIA College World Series before stepping down to focus on his duties as athletic director. He was an assistant coach on eight NAIA College World Series champions. Yet when he went recruiting Picone wore his ring from John Haar’s Junior National Team which won the Worlds in 1991.

Picone is regarded as the one of the best athlete to come out of Trail — some say — behind John Ircandia (Calgary, Alta.) behind Jason Bay (Trail, BC).

Downes played for Canada at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles -- Canada’s first team -- a squad that knocked off eventual gold medal winner Japan. In 1980 he was inducted onto the Niagara Falls, Ontario Sports Wall of Fame

* * *

Seven Canucks went on from Lewiston to the pro ranks ...

_ C-INF Emerson Frostad (Calgary, Alta.) was selected in the 13th round of 2003 by the Texas Rangers.

Frostad played for class-A Clinton, class-A Bakersfield, double-A Frisco, triple-A Oklahoma City and double-A Corpus Christi for a total of 722 games in the Rangers’ organization. As well he played for the Lancaster Barnstormers in the independent Atlantic League for 112 games and the Trois-Rivieres Aigles for 76 games in the independent Canadian-American Association.

He played for the Junior National Team in 2001 and was with the 2011 Pan Am champs who beat Team USA in Mexico in the gold medal final.

_ RP Mark Wooden (Paris, Ont.) was selected in the seventh round of the 1986 draft by the Seattle Mariners.

Wooden pitched at class-A Bellingham, class-A Wausau, double-A Chattanooga, double-A Vermont and double-A Williamsport working in 163 games in five seasons.

He pitched for the senior national team from 1983 to 1985, including at the Los Angeles Olympics.

_ RP Chris Kissock (Fruitvale, BC) chosen in the ninth round of the 2007 draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Kissock pitched at class-A Williamsport, class-A Lakewood, class-A Clearwater and double-A Reading, working 198 games in the Phillies’ system, plus 97 games for the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the independent American Association.

Kissock was with the Canadian senior team from 2009 to 2012.

_ RHP Jeff Duda (Surrey, BC) signed as a free-agent with the Victoria Seals of the independent Golden League in 2010.

Duda pitched in 91 games with Victoria and Les Capitales de Quebec of the independent Canadian-American League in four seasons. Duda went 15-1 with a 2.09 ERA and one save in 20 games -- 17 starts -- in 2012. Now, he is the top pitching dog with the Okotoks Dawgs.

He was with the Junior National Team in 2003.

_ OF Mike House (Victoria, BC) went in the 18th round of the 1989 round to the Minnesota Twins in 18th round from the Hawaii Pacific University Sea Warriors.

He played 151 games with rookie-class Elizabethton Twins and the Visalia Oaks in 151 games in the Twins organization.

House earned NAIA All American and won the Appalachian Rookie League Batting title with a .376 average with Elizabethton.

_ C-1B Matt Mason (Kelowna, BC) went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 70th round in the 1996 draft.

Mason played three games with the Winnipeg Goldeyes in the independent Northern League and 22 with the Kelowna Heat in the independent Canadian League.

_ RP Steven Hodges (Sidney, BC) was signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Braves in 1990.

Hodges pitched in 25 games during his one season in the Atlanta system with rookie-class Idaho Falls.

Before attending Lewis-Clark State College, he played at Hawaii Pacific University and also with the 1984 Canadian Junior National Team.

His son Jesse Hodges (Victoria, BC) who attended Grayson College followed his father to the Junior National Team and was a free-agent sign by the Chicago Cubs in 2013. Jesse suited up with the rookie-class Arizona League Cubs, class-A Boise, class-A South Bend, class-A Myrtle Beach and double-A Tennessee, playing 579 games in the Cubs’ system. He played another 131 -- including 80 in 2021 -- with the Équipe Québec and Les Capitales de Quebec.

* * *

And then there were others who learned from Cheff and went on to contribute, thanks to our George Farelli for his excellent research:

_ Alan Mauthe (White Rock, BC), who served as a hitting coach five years in the Boston Red Sox system.

Mauthe worked two years with the Rookie-class Gulf Coast League Red Sox (2003-04) and the class-A Lowell Spinners (2005-07). In 2008 was active as a Coach with Draci Brno in the Czech Extraliga, and the Czech National Team. He was the founder and chief instructor since 2008, at the Baseball Academy in Vancouver, BC

In his playing days he was active with Team Canada as a player at the 1985 Intercontinental Cup, again two years later in Cuba, the 1987 Pan Am Games in USA, and the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea.

_ Dale Tilleman (Hays, Alta.) now of the Alberta Amateur Baseball Council.

Tilleman has been involved with the Prairie Baseball Academy since it’s inception in 1993.

Tilleman was active as a coach for various Youth teams, as well as being a scout for several years with the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers. In 2015, was Inducted into the Taber, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

_ Keith Van De Keere (Trail, BC)

Van De Keere never played in the pro ranks but was active in local BC Senior and Semi Pro Leagues.

The LHP Van De Keere was active with Team Canada in 1980 at Amateur World Series held Japan.

His son Devery was drafted and signed in 2007 by the Kansas City Royals, and played

two seasons in their minor league system.

He followed that up with an nine year career playing and/or Coaching in Europe, in Austria (2010-2016) and in Germany (2017-18).

Dennis Springenatic (Surrey, BC).

In 1978 he was a member of the Surrey, BC Little League team which represented Canada at the Little League World Series held in Williamsport, Penn.

In 1987 he played with Team Canada, at the Pan Am games held in Indianapolis, Indiana USA.In 2020 was named by Baseball Canada as National Coach of the Year. And he coached LHP Adam Lowen (Surrey, BC) who went fourth over-all to the Baltimore Orioles, the highest Canadian ever selected in the draft.

Brian Abrey (Richmond, BC).

Never played pro ball. bit after his College career ended he made the switch to fast pitch Softball, and since 2013 has been a member of Canada’s National senior men’s fast pitch team.

Will Thorp (Surrey, BC).

Never player pro ball in North America, but has enjoyed a long and successful career playing for pay over eight seasons, active in regular and/or winter league seasons between 2014-2021 in Australia, Austria and Germany.

Canadians who played for coach Ed Cheff

Year First Last Hometown Home Province

1977 Lawrence Niven, Edmonton, Alta.

1977 Dale Tilleman, Hays, Alta.

1977 Keith Van De Keere, Trail BC

1978 Gordie Johnson, Burnaby BC

1981 Kevin Byers, Peace River, Alta.

1981 Larry Downes, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont.

1983 Chris Hairell, Vancouver, BC

1985 Steve Hodges, Sidney, BC

1985 Brian Hoshowski, Edmonton, Alta.

1985 Galen Sonntag, Brandon, Man.

1985 Dennis Springenatic, Surrey, BC

1986 Mike House, Vicoria, BC

1986 Alan Mauthe, Vancouver, BC

1986 Bernie Van Brabant, Lac La Biche, Alta.

1986 Mark Wooden, Windsor, Ont.

1987 Richard Dean, Surrey, BC

1988 Byron Tate, Courtney, BC

1989 John Allan, Nanaimo, BC

1989 Ryan Scott, Minnedosa, Man.

1994 Matt Foran, Vancouver, BC

1995 Travis Johnson, Port Coquitlam, BC

1997 Matt Mason, Trail BC

1998 Tad Desimone, Vernon, BC

1999 Garnet Jensen, Prince Albert, Sask.

2001 Emerson Frostad, Calgary, Alta.

2003 Ryan Sallaway, Victoria, BC

2005 Chris Kissock, Fruitvale, BC

2006 Jeff Duda, Surrey, BC

2006 Thomas Lees, Edmonton, Alta.

2007 Ashton Florko, Trail, BC

2009 Bryan Abrey, Richmond, BC

2010 Will Thorp, Surrey, BC

After Cheff ... Canadians with the Lewis-Clark program included: Clark Bacala (Saskatoon, Sask.), Laszlo Horvath (Windsor Ont.), David Jablonski (Calgary Alta.), Tom Mauthe (Vancouver BC), Mark Sutherland (Cranbrook BC) and John Sutherland (Cranbrook BC).

* * *

Cheff’s teams also produced 72 NAIA All-Americans and three NAIA Players of the Year.

And you thought the Yankees were dominant - nothing like winning 16 NAIA national titles in a 25-year span,

During Cheff’s tenure, LC State played in 11 consecutive World Series championship games and won eight. To put this in perspective, no other program has won more than four NAIA Series titles in its 64-year history. LC State has been to the Series a record 39 times, more than double than any other NAIA program, including 28 under Cheff. Of those 28 appearances, the Warriors finished fourth or higher 25 times.

Cheff has also been inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame, the American Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and been selected the winner of the ABCA’s Lefty Gomez award for his lifetime contributions to amateur ball. He was named the NAIA Coach of the Year eight times. In 2011, he was inducted into the North Idaho Athletic Hall of Fame.

In 2011, Cheff became the first inductee of the Warrior Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame. The WAA Hall of Fame now includes a number of his former teams and players. LC State also honoured Cheff in 2017 with the naming of Ed Cheff Stadium, the home to the Warrior team along with Harris Field. The college held a dedication ceremony to honour the legendary coach in April of that year.

Cheff, who was raised in Butte, Mont., played football and baseball at Lewis & Clark College in Portland. While there, he was named the ball team’s MVP and also was named to the National Intercollegiate Athletic Association’s All-America team.

Cheff came to LC State after a successful coaching career at Lower Columbia Community College in Longview, Wash. He replaced Ramon Hooker at the Warrior helm following the 1976 season when the Warriors made their first appearance in the NAIA World Series and finished second to Lewis College in Illinois. Cheff was also inducted in the Lower Columbia CC Hall of Fame in 2002.

One of the trademarks of Cheff’s teams was their mental toughness. LC State lost more than 20 games once in a season and during his final seven years, his teams averaged 50 wins and only 8.6 losses.

Cheff not only built successful collegiate baseball teams but also worked to instill a sense of pride and work ethic in each Warrior that came through his program. Warrior baseball is valued by the local community for its dedication to active involvement with local events, fundraisers, and volunteer programs. The impact of the program is noteworthy both on and off the field.

During his time at LC State, Cheff was also on the coaching staff for Team USA in 1991 and again in 1994 when he served as hitting and third-base coach at the World Championships. He also spent seven summers coaching baseball in the Alaska Collegiate League, which features college baseball players from across the United States.

Cheff often was asked to address coaching clinics outside of the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley, including the American Baseball Coaches Association on six occasions.

On May 11, 1996, Cheff captured his 1,000th career victory with a doubleheader sweep over Central Washington, becoming only the third coach in NAIA history to win 1,000 games. He became only the fourth coach at any level to win 1,500 games during the 2006 NAIA World Series.

After he retired, Cheff and his wife Karen, a retired elementary school teacher, moved to western Washington. Cheff regularly returned to Lewiston for the WAA Hall of Fame inductions, which take place every other year.

Cheff is survived by Karen and their three sons, Trevor, Tyler and Toby.

Sympathies are extended.

-- With files from Lewis-Clark State