Harold "Pinky" Kraft's contributions to University of North Dakota baseball reach far beyond his coaching talents, career wins and conference championships. Kraft revived UND's long-dormant varsity baseball program in 1956 and led the program to 207 wins.
Kraft led his teams to two North Central Conference championships in 1962 and 1967, with the '67 Sioux team taking second place in the NCAA Midwest Regional. He was selected as district Coach of the Year in 1967 as well.
Five of Kraft's former Sioux athletes also signed professional baseball contracts.
The mark Kraft left on baseball goes far beyond the perimeters of the UND campus and the community. He also served as president of the ABCA in 1976 and was a member of the NCAA Baseball Committee.
Kraft served as president of the North Dakota Amateur Baseball League and was inducted into the North Dakota Baseball Hall of Fame, the UND Athletic Hall of Fame and the North Central Conference Hall of Fame.
