In 21 seasons as a collegiate head baseball coach, Hal Baird guided his East Carolina and Auburn teams to a combined 12 NCAA tournament appearances, two College World Series berths and a 779-394-1 (.664) overall record.
Following a successful playing career at East Carolina and in professional baseball, Baird joined the Pirates’ coaching staff as an assistant in 1977. Prior to the 1980 season, he was named the 11th head coach in program history and would go on to lead his alma mater to a pair of ECAC-South championships (1982, 1984) and three NCAA tournament appearances (1980, 1982, 1984). Baird finished his tenure at East Carolina with a record of 145-66-1 (.684) over five seasons.
In 1985, Baird took over at Auburn University, where he would go on to become the winningest coach in school history. Over 16 seasons, he led the Tigers to a 634-328 record, and his .659 winning percentage ranks first among Auburn coaches with more than one season at the helm. Baird’s teams won at least 30 games in every season he was the head coach, including a pair of 50-win seasons in 1995 and 1997. No other coach in Auburn history has won 50 games in a season.
During his tenure, Auburn advanced to College World Series in 1994 and 1997 and competed in nine NCAA Regionals, capturing regional titles in 1994, 1997 and 1999. Baird was ABCA/Diamond Sports South Region Coach of the Year in 1994.
In conference play, the Tigers captured SEC Western Division titles in 1987 and 1995, along with a pair of SEC tournament titles in 1989 and 1998.
Under his tutelage, 13 Auburn players earned All-America honors and 51 were selected in the MLB Draft. Auburn standout Tim Hudson was named the 1997 SEC Player of the Year.
Prior to his coaching career, Baird was a standout pitcher for the Pirates, leading the staff in strikeouts in his two seasons at East Carolina. A 1971 graduate, Baird helped the Pirates to a Southern Conference title and an NCAA Tournament appearance in 1970. In the league championship game that year against George Washington, Baird struck out a Southern Conference record 20 batters. His 105 strikeouts in 1971 ranks among the top performances in school history.
Following his college career, Baird played professionally from 1971-1976 for the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals organizations where he earned All-Gulf Coast League, All-Florida Instructional League and All-Southern League honors.
Baird was inducted to East Carolina University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006. He was also honored as an SEC Legend in 2013.
