Jack Allen became the Tarleton State's second head baseball coach in 1990 and led a successful program for 13 years before retiring in 2002. The Texans went 565-309-3 (.573) and won two Lone Star Conference South Division tiles and two outright conference championships under his tutelage. His teams also won Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association champions and one NAIA District 8 crown, in addition to earning one NCAA regional berth.
While at Ranger Junior College, Allen put together an 814-399 record in 23 seasons and tallied nine conference championships, seven regional championships and four state championships. He coached the program to national championships in 1973 and 1978.
Allen led the Texans to nine 30-win seasons. The former Texan skipper garnered LSC South Division Coach of the Year honors in 1994 as he took his team to the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament - the first-ever tournament for any Tarleton program after the school moved up to Division II. He earned the honor again in 1999. Allen was named the NAIA District 8 and Area II Coach of the Year in 1992 after leading the team to back-to-back 40-win seasons.
During his time at Tarleton, Allen coached 29 first team All-LSC players and seven All-Americans. He earned his 300th win at Tarleton with a 3-2 decision over Texas A&M-Kingsville that put Tarleton in the 1998 LSC Championship game, and his 1,200th overall coaching victory came against Eastern New Mexico. Among the many players that Allen has coached are Ellis Burks of the Cleveland Indians and Jim Morris, the star of Disney's hit movie "The Rookie."
While at Tarleton, Allen tutored former Chicago Cubs pitcher Chad Fox and many minor league players. Allen, a native of Ranger, is also a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame and was honored by Ranger Junior College in 1974 with its Distinguished Alumni Award. He was inducted into the Tarleton State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
Allen, who was selected to the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1986, received his master's degree from Sam Houston State in 1971 and his teaching certificate at Tarleton in 1989. Aside from his coaching duties at Ranger, Allen has worked as a part-time scout since 1973 with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres.
