The man who led James Madison to the College World Series has died.

Brad Babcock, the former coach of the baseball Dukes for 19 years and administrator for the athletic department, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81.

“It was the only program in Virginia to even get there until about 10 years ago when Virginia did,” Gary Michael, JMU’s longtime former sports information director, said. “So quite an accomplishment.”

Babcock’s Dukes were there at historic Rosenblatt Stadium in 1983 with traditional powers featuring future all-stars, too. Roger Clemens pitched for Texas. Barry Larkin played for Michigan and as Michael pointed out, “a skinny little centerfielder named Barry Bonds” played for Arizona State.

“Coach said, ‘Listen. I don’t know what to tell you guys,’” upon arriving in Omaha, recalled Randy Foster, a pitcher whose complete-game victory in the East Regional semifinal over The Citadel propelled JMU into the region championship and eventually onto the College World Series. “But he said, ‘You guys have fought your butts off to this point, so don’t do anything different and do what you’ve done.’”

According to Foster, Babcock had ways of making his team feel comfortable, which is something the skipper did throughout his players’ time as members of the Madison baseball program and well after they were graduated, were drafted or had reached the big leagues.

Thirty of Babcock’s ex-players signed professional contracts including pitcher Dana Allison and outfielder Billy Sample, who both reached Major League Baseball.

Foster, former first baseman Lorenzo Bundy and former shortstop Tom Bocock said alums of Babcock’s squads have stayed in contact and remained close even though they attended the school and wore the purple-and-gold four decades ago.

“Part of him rubbed off on us,” said Bocock, a Turner Ashby graduate. “It’s the reason why we all have great relationships and he had great relationships with us.”

Bundy said he spoke with Babcock over the phone on Monday and that the two connected once a week for about the last 18 months. Bundy has had coaching stints with four different MLB franchises and is currently the manager of the New York Mets’ Double-A affiliate.

His name is still scattered all over JMU’s record books, too. He’s in the top 10 in JMU history for slugging percentage (.638), on-base percentage (.471), triples (10) and home runs (36).

“I could tell right away from his voice,” Bundy said. “It was faint, but I’ll never forget this.”

And Bundy said this story is one he’ll cherish forever because it reveals how much Babcock cared about him.

“He’s always gave me flak and in our previous conversation he goes, ‘Everybody gets a black guy that could run,’” Bundy said as he started to laugh. “And he said, ‘I got you.’

“I said, ‘You got to remember that I probably have the record at JMU for success rate on steals,’ because I was 26 for 28 in my career. I told him, ‘I was like Willie Mays. I only stole a base when we needed it. I didn’t run just to run.’

“But Monday when we were talking, he brings it up. And he’s pretty much on his deathbed, but he says, ‘I’m tired, but you know that 26 out of 28, I’ll admit it. You were a pretty good base runner and I didn’t realize your success rate was that good.’ I go, ‘That’s right. I didn’t run with my legs. I ran with my head,’ and we had a chuckle right there.”

Foster said whether Babcock cracked a joke or took a serious tone, the coach always knew how to lift the spirit of his players.

“Good or bad, we’ve been in constant contact with each other,” Foster, a Binghamton, N.Y. resident, said. “Last year I battled cancer for about the whole year and it was my second bout of lymphoma. I had Hodgkin’s lymphoma 25 years ago and was diagnosed with lymphoma last summer.

“But the guys were there right in my back pocket and Coach was in constant contact. … So I was battling through chemotherapy, but he says, ‘You know. You’re a fighter. You are known for going complete games and you don’t like anyone touching your games. I know you’re going to get through this and I know that’s the kind of guy you are.’ So that’s what sticks out.”

On top of the College World Series appearance, Babcock is a JMU Hall of Famer and holds the program record for wins with 558. During his tenure, which began in 1971 and ran through 1989, the Dukes jumped from Division II to Division I in 1977. Under his watch, they made five NCAA tournament appearances – one in Division II and four in Division I.

Current JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne said in a statement: “He built JMU baseball to one of the pre-eminent programs in the CAA and the region with a blueprint for success that remains today. The 1983 College World Series, in particular, was a transformational achievement in the history of JMU Athletics.”

Earlier in Babcock’s time at Madison, he served as an assistant football coach for Challace McMillin and a junior varsity basketball coach. After stepping away from the helm of baseball, Babcock did a little bit of everything for the athletic department up until 2003, according to Michael.

Michael said former athletic director Dean Ehlers had Babcock handle marketing and promotions for a few years, and then later on Ehlers tasked Babcock with balancing the budget.

“He was the director of the Convocation Center for a good while, overseeing facilities, too,” Michael said. “He built the softball field – not the current softball field, but the one that used to be up above the Convo. I’d pick at him when he’d be looking out over at stuff and I’d say, ‘What are you out surveying? Your kingdom? What are you doing today?’

“But he was a good guy and was easy to get along with. He was serious when he needed to be, but you could have a lot fun with him, too. You could pick on him and he’d pick on you back. But was very dedicated to what he was doing. And for what he had to work with, he did a tremendous job baseball wise.”

Michael said Babcock loved country music and when he was in administration he’d schedule concerts for the Convocation Center, and once brought Hank Williams Jr. to Harrisonburg to play a show.

“In the JMU family, we lost Challace McMillin a few months ago,” Bundy said. “And you think about that era of sports in that time at JMU with the leaders being Dr. [Ron] Carrier and Dean Ehlers. … But I was talking to one of my teammates about how it was a glorious time in JMU sports and we were thinking that [Babcock] is in that eternal heavenly family now with Dr. Carrier, Dean Ehlers and Challace. And they’re getting ready to start another era in JMU history at the ultimate level. I know they’re having a meeting right now, sitting at the table and they’ll find some players, compete and they’re going to win.

“Brad touched so many lives and I’m happy and proud that I had the opportunity to play for him and be part of his life.”

Said Bocock about Babcock: “He was good for the baseball program at JMU, was a huge part of the baseball scene in The Valley for a long time and he’ll be missed.”

Babcock’s son, Whit, is the current athletic director at Virginia Tech.