1954 Michigan State Spartans baseball team

The 1954 Michigan State Spartans baseball team represented Michigan State University in the 1954 NCAA baseball season. The head coach was John Kobs, serving his 29th year. The Spartans finished the season in 3rd place in the 1954 College World Series.

1954 Michigan State Spartans baseball
Big Ten Conference
College World Series, 3rd
Conference	Big Ten Conference
1954 record	25–10–1 (11–2–1 Big Ten)
Head coach	John Kobs (29th season)
Assistant coach	Frank Pellerin
Captain	Jack Zeitler
Home stadium	Old College Field

1954 Big Ten Conference baseball standings
	Conf									Overall
Team	W		L		T		PCT			W		L		T		PCT
Michigan State  ‍†‍‍^y	11	–	2	–	0		.846			25	–	10	–	0		.714
Wisconsin  ‍‍‍	10	–	3	–	0		.769			17	–	7	–	1		.700
Ohio State  ‍‍‍	10	–	5	–	0		.667			20	–	11	–	0		.645
Michigan  ‍‍‍	10	–	5	–	0		.667			22	–	9	–	0		.710
Northwestern  ‍‍‍	7	–	6	–	0		.538			15	–	11	–	0		.577
Minnesota  ‍‍‍	6	–	9	–	0		.400			17	–	14	–	0		.548
Iowa  ‍‍‍	5	–	10	–	0		.333			10	–	15	–	1		.404
Indiana  ‍‍‍	4	–	9	–	0		.308			12	–	14	–	0		.462
Purdue  ‍‍‍	4	–	11	–	0		.267			13	–	13	–	0		.500
Illinois  ‍‍‍	4	–	11	–	0		.267			16	–	15	–	0		.516
† – Conference champion y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament As of June 30, 1954[1][2]; Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

Roster

1954 Michigan State Spartans baseball team
Players	Coaches
# Pos. Name Bats/Throws Height Weight Year Home town OF Chuck Bodary / — — Dan Brown / — — OF Ray Collard / — — P Ernie Erickson / — — P Walter Godfrey / — — P Charles Gorman / — — RHP Ed Hobaugh R/R 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 176 lb (80 kg) Kittanning, Pennsylvania Bill Hopping / — — RHP Dick Idzkowski R/R 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) INF Chuck Matthews / — — William Mansfield / — — John Matsock / — — C Don Moffett / — — INF Earl Morrall / — — OF John Polomsky / — — RHP Leroy Powell R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Flint, Michigan OF Jack Risch / — — Bud Rollier / — — OF Jim Sack / — — INF George Smith / — — Ron Stead / — — RHP Mike Wallace R/R 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) Jack Wenner / — — INF Bob Williams / — — C Tom Yewcic R/R 5 ft 11 in (1.8 m) 180 lb (82 kg) East Conemaugh, Pennsylvania INF Jack Zeitler / — —	Head coach John Kobs Assistant coach(es) Frank Pellerin Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Current redshirt

Schedule

1954 Michigan State Spartans Baseball Game Log
Regular Season
March (2–2) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Big Ten Record 1 March 26 at Duke Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 3–6 0–1 0–0 2 March 27 at Duke Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 8–2 1–1 0–0 3 March 29 at North Carolina Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2–6 1–2 0–0 4 March 30 at NC State Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina 5–3 2–2 0–0
April (5–2–1) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Big Ten Record 5 April 2 at Fort Eustis Unknown • Newport News, Virginia 4–12 2–3 0–0 6 April 3 at Fort Eustis Unknown • Newport News, Virginia 4–5 2–4 0–0 7 April 3 at Fort Eustis Unknown • Newport News, Virginia 4–0 3–4 0–0 8 April 17 Wayne State Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 4–2 4–4 0–0 9 April 21 Detroit Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 9–3 5–4 0–0 10 April 23 at Northwestern Rocky Miller Park • Evanston, Illinois 4–0 6–4 1–0 11 April 24 at Wisconsin Guy Lowman Field • Madison, Wisconsin 3–3 6–4–1 1–0–1 12 April 30 Illinois Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 17–3 7–4–1 2–0–1
May (13–2) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Big Ten Record 13 May 1 Purdue Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 12–0 8–4–1 3–0–1 14 May 1 Purdue Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 2–5 8–5–1 3–1–1 15 May 5 Notre Dame Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 8–1 9–5–1 3–1–1 16 May 7 at Iowa Unknown • Iowa City, Iowa 6–3 10–5–1 4–1–1 17 May 8 at Minnesota Delta Field • Minneapolis, Minnesota 8–5 11–5–1 5–1–1 18 May 8 at Minnesota Delta Field • Minneapolis, Minnesota 6–2 12–5–1 6–1–1 19 May 14 Michigan Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 6–4 13–5–1 7–1–1 20 May 15 at Michigan Ray Fisher Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan 8–4 14–5–1 8–1–1 21 May 15 at Michigan Ray Fisher Stadium • Ann Arbor, Michigan 8–9 14–6–1 8–2–1 22 May 19 at Wayne State Unknown • Detroit, Michigan 6–2 15–6–1 8–2–1 23 May 21 Indiana Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 5–2 16–6–1 9–2–1 24 May 22 Ohio State Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 6–4 17–6–1 10–2–1 25 May 22 Ohio State Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 6–5 18–6–1 11–2–1 26 May 26 at Notre Dame Unknown • Notre Dame, Indiana 6–4 19–6–1 11–2–1 27 May 29 at Detroit Unknown • Detroit, Michigan 6–3 20–6–1 11–2–1
Postseason
District 4 Tournament (2–1) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Big Ten Record 28 May 31 Ohio Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 14–10 21–6–1 11–2–1 29 May 31 Ohio Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 0–7 21–7–1 11–2–1 30 June 1 Ohio Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 5–3 22–7–1 11–2–1
June (0–1) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Big Ten Record 31 June 5 Western Michigan Old College Field • East Lansing, Michigan 4–5 22–8–1 11–2–1
1954 College World Series (3–2) # Date Opponent Site/Stadium Score Overall Record Big Ten Record 32 June 10 vs Massachusetts Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 16–5 23–8–1 11–2–1 33 June 11 vs Arizona Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 2–1 24–8–1 11–2–1 34 June 12 vs Rollins Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 4–5 24–9–1 11–2–1 35 June 13 vs Rollins Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 3–2 25–9–1 11–2–1 36 June 14 vs Missouri Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 3–4 25–10–1 11–2–1

References

1. 2012 Big Ten Baseball Record Book (PDF). Big Ten Conference. p. 101. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
2. "College Baseball Conference Standings -- 1954". Boyd's World. Retrieved June 16, 2020.