Wallace approaching milestone 1,000th win
Spartanburg, SC – Spartanburg Methodist College Head Baseball Coach Tim Wallace sits one win away from his 1,000th career win. Wallace and the 7th ranked Pioneer Baseball squad(15-4) hope to achieve this milestone Saturday afternoon as they host long time Region X rival USC-Lancaster.
Wallace, who was recently announced as one of four members that will be inducted into theNJCAA Baseball Coaches Association 2014 Hall of Fame class has a record of 999-311
Wallace currently is in his twenty-third season at the helm of the SMC Pioneers baseball program while also serving his second stint as Athletic Director. His previous teams have produced a 984-307 record with NJCAA Region X Championships in 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 and 2013. His .764 winning percentage ranks him among the leaders of those actively coaching at the NJCAA level.
999 and Counting
Dr. Colleen Perry Keith, President of SMC elaborated on Coach Wallace, "He personifies what it means to be an excellent coach. If evidence of this is needed, one need look no further than the Slim Mooneyham Baseball Field at SMC on any given afternoon: he gets great players and he gets them to play great. He teases out the best in his players, and they respond by living up to the high standards he sets for them, both on and off the field. I don't think his players show up here because of who he is, though; they show up because of who they can become because of what he does. Could there be a better recommendation for a Hall of Famer than that?" Keith continued, "Coach Wallace is a winning coach, but beyond that, he is a coach who doesn't take shortcuts, he does things the right way, and he expects the same of his players. I see it time and time again. They admire him and whether or not they realize it, they learn far more from him than how to consistently hit well or how to steal a base. Almost without exception they become better baseball players but they also learn that they can become better men, who act with integrity and care. If he had a personal mission statement as it relates to who he is as a coach, it might read: 'to develop principled men.' His success comes not from what SMC is providing him (he coaches at one of the smallest colleges in the NJCAA, with one of the smallest budgets, and a coaching staff of only one other individual), it comes from his integrity, his determination, his commitment to his players, his principled leadership, and his knowledge of baseball."
Wallace has garnered many awards, included being named Region X Coach of the Year (1992, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2010), Carolina's Junior College Conference Coach of the Year (1992), Louisville Slugger Coaches Award (1993, 1996, 1997, 2001) and Diamond ABCA Regional Coach of the Year (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013) . In 2001, Wallace earned his first Eastern District Coach of the Year award as his 49-12 club sported the best record in Grand Junction, Colorado at the NJCAA World Series. He earned his second Eastern District Coach of the Year award in 2003, when his club posted a 50-16 record. His 2007 squad earned him his third by posting a school record 54 wins while finishing third at the Junior College World Series. A fourth was awarded after the 2009 squad finished 5th at JUCO with a school record 55 wins. Number five came after the 2012 Pioneers again earned a trip to Grand Junction for the Junior College World Series. 2013 made it back to back trips to the World Series and Wallace's sixth District coaching award.
Wallace was inducted into the Spartanburg Methodist College Athletic Hall of Honor in 2012. In addition to having successful teams, Wallace has helped individuals realize their potential. Three Pioneers have participated on the NJCAA All-Stars, a group put together to face international competition. Of the three All-Star participants, Derrick Clay and Marty Gantt were named Offensive MVP's of their respective groups. Sixteen players have been named NJCAA All-Americans during his tenure, while 68 have signed professional contracts. Of these 68, 114 are actively playing and pursuing a shot at the Major Leagues. In 2002 Coach Wallace had his first player reach the majors, 1998 graduate Orlando Hudson with the Toronto Blue Jays. Hudson was a three time Gold Glove winner and four time All-Star second baseman. A second Pioneer under Wallace, Lee Gronkiewicz, made an appearance at the big league level in 2007. Also during the Wallace era, players have signed letters of intent with or gone to play at major NCAA Division I institutions such as South Carolina, Clemson, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina State, College of Charleston, Coastal Carolina and East Carolina (just to name a few). Numerous others continued their careers at the NCAA Division II level.
Prior to his coaching career, Wallace was a standout player himself. A former second round pick of the St. Louis Cardinals, he played professionally for seven years. This included a two-year stint in Italy, where he led the league in hitting and homeruns. While playing in the States, Wallace was named an All-Star for both the Appalachian and Florida State leagues and also was team MVP for the 1983 St. Petersburg Cardinals. This continued a streak of team MVP awards that included two Lancaster High School, one Post 31 American Legion, one Baptist College and two Wofford College seasons. It was at Wofford where Wallace attracted professional scouts. During his two seasons there he posted records for career batting average (.456) and longest consecutive game hitting streak (37). He also led NAIA District 6 and the state of South Carolina in hitting as a sophomore with a .472 average. For his efforts, Wallace was inducted into Wofford's Hall of Fame in 2000.
Wallace returned to Wofford after his playing career and completed his B.A. in Sociology. He then earned an M.A. in Physical Education from Gardner-Webb University.