Fraser, who led the Hurricanes to the 1982 and 1985 College World Series titles, coached Miami from 1963-92, amassing a 1,271-438-9 record and ended his career as the third-winningest coach in NCAA history. He was the NCAA Coach of the Year four times while at the helm at ‘The U’.
“Coach Fraser was like a father to me,” University of Miami head baseball coach Jim Morris said. “He was the most influential man in my career and a great friend who I knew I could always rely on. He played such a significant role in the history of college baseball and of this program and we will always be a tribute to him.”
During the early 1970s, Fraser developed a friendship with George Light, which forever changed the face of college baseball. Mark Light Stadium was built and was considered the best college stadium in the country, starting a trend in college baseball facilities that would change the game forever.
“Coach Fraser had a tremendous impact on the baseball program at the University of Miami at a pivotal time in our history,” UM President Donna E. Shalala said. “His love of the sport and the program can still be felt, years after this legendary tenure at ‘The U’.”
Fraser's mastery of marketing the game helped develop the sport into a major player in college athletics. From ESPN covering games in Miami to his "Dinner on the Diamond", from creating the batgirls with “The Sugarcanes” to developing a mascot, The Miami Maniac, Fraser made Mark Light Stadium the premier family entertainment spot in South Florida.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Coach Fraser,” UM Interim AD Blake James said. “The impact he had on our University, on college baseball and on the game itself worldwide is immeasurable. His legacy will live on through the lives of those whom he touched and through the innovations he incorporated into America's pastime.”
Fraser led Miami to 20 consecutive NCAA Regional berths and 12 College World Series appearances. More than 100 of his former players went on to play professionally in Major League Baseball. In 1990, he was named “Coach of the Decade” for the 1980s by Collegiate Baseball. Fraser also enjoyed international success in leading the U.S. National Team to a Silver Medal at the 1987 Pan American Games. He also served as head coach of the first U.S. Olympic baseball team in 1992.
Fraser's uniform No. 1 was officially retired on April 24, 1993, at Mark Light Field. He was a 26-time Coach of the Year and a member of 10 Halls of Fame, including the inaugural class of the College Baseball Foundation Hall of Fame in 2006.
RON FRASER WIZARD FUND
In recognition of his lifetime accomplishments and a distinguished legacy of helping others, the University of Miami has created the Ron Fraser Wizard Fund to honor the Hall of Fame coach with a bronze statue to be placed at Alex Rodriguez Park.
Friends and fans of the man nicknamed can make contributions to the Ron Fraser Wizard Fund by clicking on this link: DONATE TO THE RON FRASER WIZARD FUND. All contributions are tax-deductible.
For more information, contact Rick Remmert, UM's Director of Alumni Programs, at 305-284-9517, or by e-mail at [email protected].
rip coach
Posted by: laquinton | January 20, 2013 at 04:58 PM
Rip Coach.
Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | January 20, 2013 at 05:02 PM
gore
Posted by: HurricaneWarrior | January 20, 2013 at 05:08 PM
back to that commit that miami just got. remember Muhammad Wilkersom ? no star to 1st rounder.
Posted by: laquinton | January 20, 2013 at 05:10 PM
RIp, Coach.
Laquinton, I hear ya. But I also remember Jeremy Brown, Kelvin Cain, Jimmy Gaines signing that one year. Two out of three contributed to a weak D, but we really need more than that. And that's usually about the best you can expect out of these unheralded kids.
Posted by: j.w. | January 20, 2013 at 05:13 PM
Tough weekend to be a Hurricane with this news no matter how well a recruiting weekend it turns out to be since that's tempered with the Fisch jumping out the pan already.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | January 20, 2013 at 05:21 PM
Posted by: laquinton | January 20, 2013 at 04:54 PM
Not a guarantee, but still helps our chances. Bryant's mom wants him to stay in FL.
Bostwick's mom....
"I had a great time - it's nice," Jay-Ann said. "I know the U is a school he always wanted to go to since he was a little boy. I had a great time with the players and coach Golden also. They were wonderful. Like I told them, we moved from Miami and I never even dreamed Jaynard would have gotten this far in football. Back then it was coming back wasn't an option. But now have reconsidered everything. I explained to coach Golden that I'm okay with his decision (if Bostwick picks UM). The visit put everything in a whole different light."
"I'd said Miami wasn't an option, but now I visited - I saw how he interacted with all the players and it seemed he fit in," Jay-Ann Bostwick said. "And his heart is at the U. I really do believe he'll wind up at Miami."
Golden has an in-home with Bostwick on Thursday
Posted by: TLuv | January 20, 2013 at 05:23 PM
those were Shannonites. gaines is a mess. kain shouldn't be on the team and brown is a rapist
Posted by: laquinton | January 20, 2013 at 05:29 PM
Frank Gore! 2nd TD of the day!
Posted by: TLuv | January 20, 2013 at 05:36 PM
so nobody has any comments about the new NCAA changes??
Posted by: raizecane | January 20, 2013 at 05:37 PM
RIP coach.
Go Niners!! It has been along time!
Go Ravens!
GO CANES!!!!!
Posted by: Triangle cane | January 20, 2013 at 06:06 PM
Raize...I commented on it yesterday...the NCAA doesnt care about how it will effect the kids, its going to get real dirty
Posted by: UMike | January 20, 2013 at 06:06 PM
RIP Ron Fraser!
Posted by: Canesteeler | January 20, 2013 at 06:15 PM
I fully expect to get many of these last few recruits and think we will end up with a solid class. I am VERY bummed out that we lost Fisch. The "optimists" can say whatever they want, but losing your OC hurts. Losing Fisch hurts right now A LOT! He was a damn good OC. Could we get an even better one? Sure. But with Fisch we were guaranteed to have a top 10 offense. Now we only have question marks.
Also congrats to Frank Gore, he will be a beast in the Super Bowl. Go Canes!
Posted by: The Dude | January 20, 2013 at 06:31 PM
I think I want no part of Ray Lewis tonight.
Posted by: The Dude | January 20, 2013 at 06:39 PM
If I were an NFL QB, instead of saying "52 is the Mike" I would say "The greatest LB ever is the Mike" when I played the Ravens.
Posted by: The Dude | January 20, 2013 at 06:45 PM
Congrats Frank Gore.
Posted by: Terrance Sullivan | January 20, 2013 at 06:53 PM
Excellent article 86
Posted by: Montreal-Cane | January 20, 2013 at 06:55 PM
Nice job 86. Ron Fraser, what an innovator and influence he had at The U, (and College Baseball as a whole.)
He will be missed...
Posted by: roachcane77 | January 20, 2013 at 07:07 PM
Has there been discussion about Kurt Roper from Duke being courted by AG?
(I've been offline most of the day & heard this in a phone call... )
Posted by: roachcane77 | January 20, 2013 at 07:09 PM
Monty and Roach...thanks!
Posted by: 86Cane | January 20, 2013 at 07:22 PM
Bad day to be a baseball fan. RIP to all 3 legends who passed on. I can see y'all in that field of dreams upstairs.
Posted by: DeployedDiehardCane | January 20, 2013 at 07:31 PM
Rashard Robinson quietly was a surprise visitor to UM last night. His 2nd time on campus
86, U see that? LOL, I love news like this!
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | January 20, 2013 at 07:32 PM
Stan, Earl and Ron all in one weekend.
God's gonna be fielding one heavenly team.
Assuming, Earl doesn't kick dirt on St. Peter's shoes.
Posted by: Old Skool | January 20, 2013 at 07:32 PM
I'm curious. Did anybody else see that twitter about Jermain Grace and how it was an "even" two team race. I'd post the link but I'm at work and can't go to twitter. Thought that was enjoyable.
Posted by: DeployedDiehardCane | January 20, 2013 at 07:34 PM
Rashard Robinson quietly was a surprise visitor to UM last night. His 2nd time on campus
86, U see that? LOL, I love news like this!
Posted by: Ohio_Cane | January 20, 2013 at 07:32 PM
-------------------------------------------
Considering everyhting else that's happened this weekend, that is AWESOME news. Benn waiting all weekend to hear some news like that. #Flipmode#
Posted by: DeployedDiehardCane | January 20, 2013 at 07:38 PM
Just hire someone thoroughly committed to run the ball four times from inside the 10 yard line of the opponent. Jedd always got cute with the double reverse passes and other tricks too often for my liking down there.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | January 20, 2013 at 08:02 PM
Tom Brady just took a cheap shot on Ed Reed.
Posted by: The Dude | January 20, 2013 at 08:03 PM
Ima give brady the benefit of the doubt on that because he has the ultimate respect for reed and lewis. Its brady being a bad runner and clumsy at slidig ....
Posted by: UpNorthCane27 | January 20, 2013 at 08:06 PM
Just hire someone thoroughly committed to run the ball four times from inside the 10 yard line of the opponent. Jedd always got cute with the double reverse passes and other tricks too often for my liking down there.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | January 20, 2013 at 08:02 PM
I agree 100%.
Posted by: roachcane77 | January 20, 2013 at 08:06 PM
DL Ufomba Kamalu, 6'5 280
WELCOME TO DA U!!!!!
Posted by: WWIN | January 20, 2013 at 08:07 PM
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | January 20, 2013 at 08:02 PM
True. But our OL got soft within the 10 yard line a few times too. I didn't always have faith in them in short yardage situations. They've let us down a few times. There's no excuses for that this year.
Posted by: TLuv | January 20, 2013 at 08:07 PM
B.S. They should have flagged Brady for that shot... Personal Foul, he could have caused a hyperextended knee on Ed!
Posted by: roachcane77 | January 20, 2013 at 08:08 PM
Rock,
How did I miss out on Erin Andrews in Nashville?? Damn!!
Posted by: WWIN | January 20, 2013 at 08:08 PM
Just hire someone thoroughly committed to run the ball four times from inside the 10 yard line of the opponent. Jedd always got cute with the double reverse passes and other tricks too often for my liking down there.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | January 20, 2013 at 08:02 PM
OMG, I might post this comment 1,000 times!
Posted by: 86Cane | January 20, 2013 at 08:13 PM
I agree Roach, cheap shot by Brady!!
Posted by: Jack | January 20, 2013 at 08:15 PM
I feel like Ed Reed will return one for a TD in the 2nd half
Posted by: Montreal-Cane | January 20, 2013 at 08:18 PM
After the 49ers game Frank Gore went out to the sidelines with all of the commentars. The first thing he did was throw up the U. Then they asked him his mind set coming into the game and he said i am from da U and i do what i do. I love that guy.
Posted by: mhcanesfan | January 20, 2013 at 08:23 PM
"and he said i am from da U and i do what i do."
I smell royalties! Frank might buy himself a pair of stem cell grown knee joints with the additional proceeds to replace the ones he's still getting by on now and be too fast to catch until he's ran past the dancing star at the top of the rushing record in the pros.
Of all the Hurricanes who have never won a Super Bowl yet, Frank might be at the top of which one I'd like to see do so at the others expense. Him or Reed, really tough call.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | January 20, 2013 at 08:59 PM
OGV...the way it went down was like this:
Jimmy Johnson: "Frank we talked before the game and I asked U what U were going to do and what did U say?"
Frank Gore: "I said I was from the U and I was gonna do my thing."
That was the exact quote I heard. Should be on U tube right?
Posted by: 86Cane | January 20, 2013 at 09:07 PM
Pollard is a killer out there.. Reminds me of deon bush. Can't wait to watch him this year.
Posted by: Brevardcane | January 20, 2013 at 09:11 PM
Thought this was a great read. Needed this to calm my nerves, lol.
http://www.stateoftheu.com/2013/1/20/3898044/miami-hurricanes-recruiting-weekend-a-roundup-of-the-recruits
Posted by: DeployedDiehardCane | January 20, 2013 at 09:23 PM
:( boo
Lt. Philip Nolan @TheStateOfTheU
Unfortunately, according to @Jon_Bastian, the Rashard Robinson news appears to be untrue. He hung out with people on the visit, 100% LSU
Posted by: Panamacitycane | January 20, 2013 at 09:25 PM
:( boo
Lt. Philip Nolan @TheStateOfTheU
Unfortunately, according to @Jon_Bastian, the Rashard Robinson news appears to be untrue. He hung out with people on the visit, 100% LSU
Posted by: Panamacitycane | January 20, 2013 at 09:25 PM
------------------------------------------
I'll still keep my eye on that until it's down on ink certified, lol. I was more concerned with the outlook on the uncommitted recruits that came in.
Posted by: DeployedDiehardCane | January 20, 2013 at 09:36 PM
Here comes the Harbowl
Posted by: TLuv | January 20, 2013 at 09:39 PM
RAVENS!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Jack | January 20, 2013 at 09:51 PM
Raaaaay Lewis!
Ed Reeeeeeed!
Posted by: Jack | January 20, 2013 at 09:52 PM
Of all the Hurricanes who have never won a Super Bowl yet, Frank might be at the top of which one I'd like to see do so at the others expense. Him or Reed, really tough call.
Posted by: orange 'n green in the vein | January 20, 2013 at 08:59 PM
I agree 100%
Posted by: WWIN | January 20, 2013 at 09:58 PM
A Harbaugh Bowl - thank you thank you....:-D
Posted by: CGNC | January 20, 2013 at 10:07 PM
Check it:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1493878-miami-football-5-hurricanes-who-still-havent-lived-up-to-the-hype
Posted by: 86Cane | January 20, 2013 at 10:10 PM