Michigan State's Danny Litwhiler Elected to College Baseball Hall of Fame
East Lansing, Mich. – Former Michigan State baseball head coach Danny Litwhiler has been elected to the College Baseball Hall of Fame, as announced on Thursday afternoon by the College Baseball Foundation and the National College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Litwhiler, alongside the 2021 class, will be inducted virtually during the College Baseball Night of Champions ceremony scheduled for June 26.
"This is another outstanding class," said Mike Gustafson, president, and CEO of the College Baseball Foundation and the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. "With players from coast to coast and across so many levels of college baseball, this group has a little bit of everything."
Litwhiler is the first Spartan representative in the College Baseball Hall of Fame. He passed away in 2011 at 95 years old.
He led MSU to three NCAA Tournament appearances and two Big Ten championships. In 28 years of coaching at Florida State and Michigan State, Litwhiler compiled a record of 679-445-9 (.603).
During his 19 seasons in East Lansing, he won 57.4% of his games (489-362-8), winning Big Ten titles in 1971 and 1979.
"We're extremely thrilled for not only Danny Litwhiler, but the entire Litwhiler family, for this honor. Skip was a pioneer in all facets of college baseball," MSU head coach Jake Boss Jr. said. "The impact that Skip left on Michigan State is certainly far-reaching, and he was an even better human being than he was a coach, and we're proud to have our program forever associated with Danny Litwhiler. We're very happy for this most deserving honor for him and his family."
In 1980, Litwhiler was inducted into the American Association of College Baseball Coaches of Hall of Fame and earned the "Lefty Gomez Award" for his contributions to the sport.
Perhaps his most recognized achievements were the radar speed gun and diamond dry developments, which could be used to dry baseballs or wet spots on the infield.
As a player, Litwhiler spent time with the Braves, Phillies, Cardinals, and Reds. While competing for the Phillies, he was named an All-Star (1942) and won a World Series in 1944 with the Cardinals.
2021 National College Baseball Hall Of Fame Inductees
- Rusty Adkins, Clemson, 1965-67 (Outfield, Second base)
- Tom Brennan, Lewis University, 1971-74 (Pitcher)
- Tim Burzette, La Verne University, 1976-78, (Catcher)
- Rich Dauer, California State College-San Bernardino, 1971-72; Southern California, 1973-74 (Third Base)
- Todd Helton, Tennessee, 1993-95 (First base, Pitcher)
- Dave Keilitz, Executive Director, American Baseball Coaches Association, 1994-2014
- Terry Kennedy, Florida State, 1975-77 (Catcher)
- Robert 'Bob' Lee, Southern University 1949-1961 (Coach)
- Danny Litwhiler, Florida State/Michigan State, 1955-82 (Coach)
- Mark Marquess, Stanford, 1977-2017 (Coach)
- Gregg Olson, Auburn, 1986-88 (Pitcher)
- Frank Quinn, Yale, 1945-48 (Pitcher)
- Frank "Porky" Vieira, University of New Haven, 1963-2006 (Coach)
- Dave Yeast, Umpire 1982-2015
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