MANSFIELD, PA – The 2026-27 Mountaineer baseball program fulfilled a commitment to the 1979 Mansfield State College baseball team on Monday afternoon by placing an autographed baseball and Hall of Fame jacket on the gravestone of Dr. John Heaps at Oakwood Cemetery.
Dr. Heaps, the legendary coach who built the Mountaineers into an NCAA Division III powerhouse during his tenure at Mansfield, passed away in May 2007.
As part of the 2007 Mansfield Homecoming Weekend activities, the baseball program held a special remembrance ceremony at Dr. Heaps’ gravesite attended by more than 50 of his former players. It was followed by a gathering at Corey Creek Golf Club.
During that 2007 ceremony, former players honored Dr. Heaps by signing a game ball and placing it on the grave of their former coach.
Over the course of time, the original ball deteriorated.
The Heaps-coached 1979 team was inducted into the Mansfield Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame during Homecoming this past September under the team category as part of the Class of 2026. After hearing of the condition of the original ball, they decided to replace it with a new ball signed by team members who returned to campus for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Because of different departure times, the 1979 team was unable to do a group presentation. Mountaineer head coach Andrew Chalot offered to have this year’s Mountaineer team substitute for the 1979 team, and the offer was accepted with appreciation.
Steve McCloskey, Mansfield’s longtime sports information director who presented the 1979 team for induction into the Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame this past September, gave a presentation about the team and Dr. Heaps.
Senior outfielder Ryan Sekulski of West Lawn, Pennsylvania, represented the current baseball team by placing the new ball, housed in a weatherproof cube, on Dr. Heaps’ grave.
Coach Chalot ended the ceremony by draping a Hall of Fame jacket, presented to all members of this year’s induction class, over Dr. Heaps’ gravestone.
In one form or another, Mansfield has fielded a baseball team for nearly 160 years. Dr. John Heaps is widely credited with elevating the program to national pro
minence. During his 16 seasons as head coach, Heaps posted a 287-187 record. His 1979 team was the first baseball team in school history to advance to the NCAA Division III College World Series, finishing third in the nation.
Dr. Heaps was inducted into the Mansfield Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991 as a coach. The press box at Shaute Field was dedicated in his honor in 2002.
