Former Logansport coach Don Baldini dies at 82

Jun. 18—Donald "Don" Baldini gave players the confidence that they could do anything if they worked hard and listened.

"Your players would've run through a brick wall for you because you made them believe in themselves," Joe Ness said of the late Logansport football coach in a June 10 letter to the editor.

Logansport coach Mike Johnson said Baldini was, "probably the master at taking young men that don't fit the mold as typical football players and getting them to play above and beyond their capabilities.

"More importantly he got them to believe in themselves and believe if they work hard and prepare, they can win," he said.

Perhaps that's why Baldini became the winningest coach in the program's history.

Baldini, 82, died Wednesday, June 9, at McKinney Place. He amassed a 92-79 record including two sectional and one North Central Conference championships. He was the longest-tenured coach at the school serving for 17 years before retiring in 1994.

Baldini was born in Logansport on Sept. 17, 1938, and graduated from Logansport High School in 1956. He went on to get an undergraduate degree from Indiana State University and a master's from Ball State.

He married Janet Young on June 10, 1961, who preceded him in death on Jan. 23, 2005. He affectionately referred to her as "Saint" Janet.

The family, including their daughter and three sons, got by on Baldini's teaching and coaching salary.

"Whether it be football or at home we were taught to respect your elders, be honest, work hard," his son, Greg Baldini, said. "You can attain things by working hard and sticking with it. He never gave up on coaching when he was younger even when some people might've thought it was a long shot back then."

Baldini grew up in Peru in the 1960s where Sunday afternoon football games with his cousins were a fixture. After teaching at several schools, Baldini ended up back at Logansport High School teaching and coaching in 1977.

Baldini treated everyone the same whether it was the star player or the last guy on the bench, according to Ness.

"He noticed little things and tried to cater to their strengths," Ness said. "As a coach, he was a nervous nelly and almost got sick before every game, he was intense and wanted his players to be intense."

More importantly, he wanted everyone to belong.

"He was a players coach, as long as you tried and listened you were going to play and if you broke rules you didn't play," Ness said. "He treated everybody the same."

Ness, who retired in December as dean of students at Logansport High School, played under Baldini and eventually returned to coach with him.

Ness said Baldini was like a magnet and the older he got, the closer he got to him. One of Baldini's greatest contributions was the stories he left behind that bring smiles to people's faces, he said.

"Anyone who knows Baldi has at least one or two stories when they were with him or by him," he said. "As a friend, coach, parent and grandparent he left a lot of positive memories. He made people laugh and feel comfortable."

During the summers, Ness would paint houses with a crew that included him, Baldini and coach Lee Gaumer, among others. Ness said Baldini would always bring day-old donuts and cause some mischief by applying a fresh coat of paint wherever people were sitting.

Gaumer said a fond memory he had of the coach was after the team didn't play well during a game in Anderson.

"Of course after the game, we took the kids to eat and he was kind of upset," Gaumer said. "Well, he didn't come in to eat, instead he rode home in the back of the meat wagon which was our big box truck we carry all the equipment in."

Gaumer said up until Baldini got sick, Baldini would stop by his house most evenings to chat and have a drink. They would also go on fishing trips together and, of course, go see the Berries play.

A testament to his impact as a coach was former players and friends surprising him for his 70th birthday party. Baldini penned a guest column about seeing many of his old students again.

"Many players attended and it was the highlight of my day to see them," he said. "Many of the ex-players came forward and said nice things about me. A guy would have to be crazy not to enjoy that. Coaches are often given too much credit for impacting the lives of the young people they coach. The impact players have on their coaches is greatly underestimated."

Baldini added he was blessed to have a great family, so many friends and was fortunate to coach so many special young men. Some of his favorite memories were spending time with his grandchildren and taking them to the river to swim as well as Sunday spaghetti dinners with his family.

Ness said Baldini made time for all his kids and grandkids games.

"He may have shown up late, but he was there and you can point him out because he always wore his bib overalls," he said.

Mike Johnson said the longer he serves as head coach, the more of Baldini's impact he has seen through stories and anecdotes shared by his player's parents or members of the community.

"I think it was because he was born and raised here," Greg Baldini said. "He came from humble beginnings and he could relate to the kids whether they were from well to do families, or rode their bikes to practice.

"They could see themselves in him to some degree and got a sense he cared what happened to them," he said.

Baldini was the winningest coach in Logansport history. As of 2016, his 92 wins represented more than 20% of the school's all-time victories and his nine winning seasons accounted for 20% of the winning seasons at the school.

But if you asked, he would say he's also the biggest loser, said Gaumer.

"He was very humble and never expected anything in awards," said Gaumer who worked with Baldini for 21 years including as his assistant coach for 17 of them. "He just enjoyed coaching and teaching kids football as well as what life is about."

He said Baldini always worked for what he achieved and his upbringing as the grandson of immigrants who lived a modest life made him that way.

Greg Baldini said despite the obvious legacy of his father, the long-time coach would also want to give credit to other legendary coaches like Jim Turner and Joe Patacsil as well as all the assistant coaches and mentors he worked with along the way.

When Gaumer took over as coach of the Berries, he asked Baldini to come help him.

"I don't know if there will ever be another one (like him)," he said. "I think it's a legacy and he's just going to live on in our memories. I asked him to come coach when I was coach because I wanted the kids exposed to him. It's one reason I wanted him to come back (because) I don't think anybody will match up."

In 2016, Baldini was honored with a trophy named after him which goes to the winner of the Peru-Logansport football game each season. The mayors of Peru and Logansport chose him due to the close ties Baldini had with both cities. At one point, a Peru-Logansport game included six of his cousins on the combined rosters.

"I know the current Logan players and coaches understand his legacy," Johnson said. "We plan to honor his memory and legacy in the fall when we play for the Baldini (trophy). We'll remind (Peru) that he was our coach. We are going to play hard for that trophy and get the trophy back."

The matchup between the two schools is the oldest continuous state football rivalry.

"I wish we could split one more order of gizzards and liver with a cold beer," Ness said. "Those days are gone, but what memories."

Reach Jonah Hinebaugh at jonah.hinebaugh@pharostribune.com