LA VERNE, CA — The University of La Verne is saddened to announce the passing of Ben Hines, legendary coach and athlete for the Leopards.
Hines transformed the Leopard baseball program into a national powerhouse, claiming La Verne's first national championship in any sport before moving on to the professional ranks where he won a World Series as a member of the 1988 Dodgers' coaching staff.
Raised in McFarland, CA, Hines enrolled at La Verne College in the mid-1950s where he was a three-sport athlete, starring on the baseball, football, and basketball teams before graduating in 1958. After briefly coaching in the minor leagues, Hines returned to La Verne in 1960 as a coach and faculty member. He won more than 500 games and guided his teams to the postseason every year from 1968-80. When La Verne rejoined the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) in 1971, Hines' teams went 137-25 in conference play and won eight SCIAC titles including five-straight from 1976-1980. Even after his departure from the program in 1980, the culture and winning tradition he established endured as the Leopards claimed seven of the next nine SCIAC titles.
Under Hines, La Verne advanced to the NAIA World Series five times, winning 17 of 25 games. The 1972 team went 5-0 at the World Series including a 4-1 victory over Lipscomb University in the championship game. That squad finished 44-9 overall (11-1 in postseason play) and featured two All-Americans and the NAIA World Series Most Valuable Player. His 1969 squad finished as the NAIA National Runner-Ups while the 1974, 1975, and 1977 teams finished third. His achievements with the 1977 squad earned Hines NAIA Coach of the Year honors.
In all, Hines coached 24 All-Americans and 53 First Team All-SCIAC selections including his son Bruce Hines in 1979 and 1980.
"Ben is an extraordinary figure in the history of the University of La Verne, Leopard Athletics, and the sport of baseball who shined a light on the university throughout his remarkable life and career," said Director of Athletics Scott Winterburn. "Ben's presence will always be felt on our campus and his legacy will endure. He has meant so much to so many."
Sixty-three of his players went on to play professional baseball including the late Dan Quisenberry, a relief pitcher with the Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants. Quisenberry led the American League in saves five times and was selected to three All-Star teams. Other Leopards who played for Hines at La Verne before moving onto the major leagues include Steve Barber (Twins), Jim Lentine (Cardinals and Tigers), John Verhoeven (Angels, White Sox, and Twins), Dan Graham (Twins and Orioles), Dave Rucker (Tigers, Cardinals, Phillies, and Pirates), George Hinshaw (Padres), and Willie Norwood (Twins). Nick Leyva, the first player in SCIAC baseball history to earn First Team All-SCIAC honors four times, managed the Philadelphia Phillies from 1989-91.
"Ben was a winner and really supported his players in baseball and football," said former Leopard Head Football and Golf Coach Rex Huigens. "He instilled the winning tradition that all of us tried to match."
From 1978-82, Hines managed the Alaska Goldpanners summer team in Fairbanks, posting a 195-93 record. His 1980 team, which included future major leaguers Alvin Davis, Kevin McReynolds, Harold Reynolds, Ron Romanick, and Don Heinkel, finished 43-9 and won the NBC National Championship. Hines earned the NBC Manager of the Year award that season.
Following the 1980 season, Hines left La Verne and joined the coaching staff at Arizona State University. In his first year in Tempe the Sun Devils went 55-13 and set team records in batting average, RBI, runs scored, and slugging percentage while winning the College World Series.
After two seasons at ASU, Hines moved up to the Major Leagues, working for the Mariners, Angels, Dodgers, and Astros organizations. He served on famed Dodgers' Manager Tommy Lasorda's staff from 1985-86 and 1988-93, first as a batting coach and subsequently as first base coach. Those Dodgers teams won 90 or more games three times, won two division titles, claimed one National League Pennant, and won the 1988 World Series.
Hines and Bob McBee wrote the 1985 book "Swing's the Thing," which centers on the specifics of body position, movement and bat techniques involved in hitting. Famed author and baseball historian Roger Kahn cited research by Hines on the study of the curveball in relationship to hitting in his 2000 book "The Head Game: Baseball Seen from the Pitcher's Mound."
In 2007 Hines received the University of La Verne's Alumnus of the Year Award for Service to Profession, which is presented by the La Verne Alumni Association Governing Board, recognizing a La Verne graduate's achievements and contributions to his/her chosen field.
In 1989 Hines was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
Hines is survived by his wife Wanda, sons Steve and Bruce, and daughter Kristi.
