National News

 January 24, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Jan. 24, 2011

Contact: Mark Krug, NJCAA Director of Media Relations &
Assistant Executive Director
p: 719-590-9788
f: 719-590-7324
e: mkrug@njcaa.org
w: www.njcaa.org

2011 NJCAA Baseball Hall of Fame Class Announced

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The 2011 Baseball Hall of Fame class has been released by the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association. 

This year's class includes former Monroe Community College (N.Y.) player and head coach Dudley Bailey, former New Mexico Junior College (N.M.) head coach Ray Birmingham, Jr. and current head coach Tom Frizzell, Sr. of Massasoit Community College (Mass.). The 2011 class also includes longtime NJCAA Division I World Series Tournament Chair and volunteer Jamie Hamilton of Grand Junction, Colo.

Dudley "Skip" Bailey
Head Coach
Monroe Community College (N.Y.)

Dudley "Skip" Bailey has enjoyed a successful career as player, head coach and administrator at Monroe Community College.  As head coach from 1996 to 2007, `Skip' finished with a record of 451-204. During his 12 seasons at Monroe, Bailey was named East District Coach of the Year (2007) and Region III Coach of the Year on several occasions (1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007). His teams won six Region 3 Championships and his 2007 squad advanced to the 2007 NJCAA Division II World Series. He was named to the Monroe Community College Hall of Fame in 1991.

Bailey started at Monroe Community College as a baseball player in the mid-1970's. At Monroe he helped the Tribunes earn a spot in the 1976 NJCAA JUCO World Series in Grand Junction, Colo. He later transferred to the University of Colorado and was named an All-Big Eight honoree in 1978.

Bailey is currently the athletics director at Monroe and also serves as NJCAA Region 3 Men's Assistant Director and chairs the NJCAA Division III baseball committee. In addition, he is currently President of the WNY Athletic Conference and chair of the NJCAA Swimming & Diving committee.

In his spare time, Bailey participates as a Youth Clinic lecturer and is the director of the Midwest Baseball Academy.

A longtime member of the American Baseball Coaches Association, Bailey has served on numerous committees, including 15 years on the Exhibitor's Committee.  

Ray Birmingham, Jr.
Head Coach
New Mexico Junior College (N.M.)

Ray Birmingham, Jr. heads to the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame after 19 successful seasons as head coach at New Mexico Junior College. During his 19 seasons he amassed a career mark of 765-255-2. He was named the WJCAC Coach of the Year several times (1995, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2005 - 2007), Region 5 Coach of the Year twice (2005, 2007) and was crowned the NJCAA Division I Coach of the Year in 2005. He guided the Thunderbirds to six conference titles, two Region 5 Championships and two appearances at the NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series where his clubs finished as national champions in 2005 and runner-up in 2007.

At NMJC `Coach B' consistently had the Thunderbirds as one of the top hitting clubs in the nation each year. In 2001 his team set the NJCAA record for team batting average (.438).

During his tenure with the Thunderbirds he led efforts that resulted in a new baseball field erected for the college and championed mandatory drug testing for NMJC student-athletes.

Birmingham served on the NJCAA Region 5 baseball committee, was the director of the Region 5/Southwest District tournament and helped coordinate the annual Region 5 All-Star Game. He also twice served as an assistant on NJCAA All-Star teams (2004, 2007).

Off the field he has given his time and energy to non-profit organizations like the United Way, Boys Club of America, Special Olympics and Toys for Tots. He also led his Thunderbird teams as honorary coaches in the Challenger Program at the NJCAA DI JUCO World Series.

Birmingham is currently in his fourth season as head coach at the University of New Mexico.

Tom Frizzell, Sr.
Head Coach
Massasoit Community College (Mass.)

Tom Frizzell, Sr. has put in 20 years as the head coach at Massasoit Community College and his 594-241 record proves he has what it takes to be successful. Frizzell has led his teams to nine conference championships, eight regional championships, and five district championships over his tenure. He guided Massasoit to two NJCAA Division II World Series appearances (1993, 1995) where his team won a national title and also three appearances at the Division III World Series (2004, 2005, and 2007). He has coached 20 NJCAA All-Americans and saw 120 players continue on to four-year institutions.

Frizzell has been honored many times by the NJCAA throughout his career. He has been named the Region 21 Coach of the Year eight times (1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2003 - 2005, 2007), District H Coach of the Year five times (1993, 1995, 2004, 2005, 2007) and NJCAA Division II Coach of the Year in 1993. He also received the Coach of the Tournament Award at the 2005 DIII World Series.

Being part of the NJCAA and his community is important to Frizzell and he has shown it through his action over the last two decades. He served on the NJCAA Region 21 Baseball Committee from 1991 to 1995 and was the Director of the Brockton Invitational Tryout Camp from 1980 to 2007, as well as the Vice President of the Brockton Pony/Colt League for more than 20 years. His dedication to his community earned him the "Man of the Year" by the Brockton Boys and Girls Club in 1993.

Jamie Hamilton
Special Contributor
NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series
Grand Junction, Colo.

Since 1986 the NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series, held in Grand Junction, Colo., has benefited greatly from the service of Jamie Hamilton. His hard work, dedication and commitment to the NJCAA led the JUCO World Series in becoming one of the best championship baseball events in the United States.

Hamilton was a great baseball player throughout his career and has since given more than 30 years of service to the baseball community. He attended Mesa Junior College where he earned All-Conference accolades in 1975. After his first two years, Mesa Junior College became a four-year institution at which time it was renamed Mesa State College. An All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honoree both his junior and senior year at Mesa State, he was also named Academic All-American NAIA, All-Region NAIA, and Most Valuable Player.

Hamilton signed as a free agent with the California Angels and played with the Golden West Baseball Club until 1982. Following his career as a player, he became an assistant baseball coach at Mesa State from 1982-85. From 1988-1993 he was an infield instructor for the Milwaukee Brewers minor league system and held the same position for the Chicago Cubs in 1995.

In 1986 Hamilton began his service with the JUCO World Series, serving as Co-Director of Tournament Play. In 2003 he moved up to his current position as Tournament Chair. His efforts have led to increased exposure of the event through internet, radio and television and an upcoming renovation of Sam Suplizio Field. A project that will ensure Grand Junction, Colo., remains the home of the NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series indefinitely.  

Hamilton also was instrumental in bringing on the Challenger Program as a key feature of the JUCO World Series experience for the community of Grand Junction and participating student-athletes.

In 1997 he was inducted into the Mesa State College Hall of Fame and has been honored for his service to his community on numerous occasions. He was named the State of Colorado Volunteer of the Year in 1995, Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year in 1999, and was awarded the Meritorious Service Award by the American Baseball Coaches Association in 2002. Hamilton is also a 2011 inductee into the Colorado Dugout Club Hall of Fame.

Hamilton is currently the Chairman and CEO of Home Loan Investment Company while also serving as Associate Athletics Director at Mesa State College.

ABOUT the NJCAA
The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) is the governing body of two-year college athletics, offering endless athletic and academic opportunities to college students. It is the second largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States with over 500 member schools in 43 states. Each year over 50,000 student-athletes compete in one of 28 different sports and the organization sponsors 48 national championship events and nine football bowl games each year. For more visit www.njcaa.org.

#### - MK