Tuesday, October 19, 2004

             USM's Flaherty Selected for ABCA Hall of Fame Induction

     GORHAM, Maine  --  University of Southern Maine head baseball coach Ed 
Flaherty will be among the six inductees this coming January when the American 
Baseball Coach Association holds its annual Hall of Fame and Coach of the Year 
Banquet at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tenn.
     Flaherty will be inducted into the ABCA Hall of Fame along with Gary Adams of 
the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Russ Frazier of Louisburg 
College (Louisburg, N.C.), Sonny Pittaro of Rider College (Lawrenceville, N.J.), 
Enos Seymour of the University of Oklahoma and George Valesente of Ithaca College.  
These six will join 209 other amateur baseball greats in the ABCA Hall of Fame.
     In 19 seasons at Southern Maine, Flaherty has guided the Huskies to a 569-
241-3 record (.702 W-L pct.), 16 trips to the NCAA Division III tournament, six 
regional titles (1989, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2001) and two national 
championships (1991, 1997).
     "I was totally surprised at being elected (to the ABCA Hall of Fame)," said 
Flaherty.  "It is, without question, the greatest honor a baseball coach can 
receive."
     "What an incredible honor," replied Al Bean, Director of Athletics at USM 
when asked about Flaherty's induction.  "Ed is truly the consummate professional 
and very deserving of being in the ABCA Hall of Fame.
     "As a coach and educator of young people, Ed is clearly in an elite group.  
His attention to detail in every aspect of his craft, not just baseball 
instruction, is unmatched.  What really sets Ed apart is his leadership ability.  
He sets very high standards and he challenges everyone around him to be the very 
best they can be - every single day," continued Bean.
     "Ed has had tremendous success as a coach, winning two national 
championships, but his impact does not always show up in the win column.  Baseball 
aside, Ed has positively effected the lives of countless young men and women.  I'm 
very happy for Ed and very proud of the work he does at USM," added Bean.
     A former standout player at the University of Maine, Flaherty has earned many 
honors throughout his coaching career.  He was named 1991 and 1997 NCAA Division 
III National Coach of the Year by the ABCA and was voted New England Coach of the 
Year in 1989, 1990, and 1991.  In addition, he has been named Diamond District One 
Baseball Coach of the Year on three occasions (1989, 1991, and 1992).  He was 
named the Little East Conference Coach of the Year in 1997, 1999 and 2001.
     The Portland, Maine, native served a one-year term as the president of the 
American Baseball Coaches Association, and presently sits on the ABCA Board of 
Directors.  He was just the third small college (Division Two-Three) coach to 
serve as ABCA president.  Flaherty also is a past president of the New England 
Intercollegiate Baseball Association, and received that organization's prestigious 
Jack Butterfield Award in 1999..  He also served as an assistant coach for the USA 
National Baseball Trials in Homestead, Florida, in 1994.
     He received many honors for his outstanding play while a member of the UMaine 
baseball program, including selection to the NCAA Division I All-American Baseball 
Team in 1975.  He was a key member of the Black Bears' College World Series team 
in 1976, played in the Cape Cod Baseball League, and was a member of the 1976 
United States Pan American Team.  Flaherty was inducted into the University of 
Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.  In 1993, he was inducted into the State of 
Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.  He is also a member of the Maine High School 
Baseball Hall of Fame.
     Following his graduation from the University of Maine, Flaherty accepted 
teaching and coaching positions at Deering High School in Portland.  Flaherty 
guided the Rams from 1981-1985 and picked up state championship honors in 1983.  
In addition to coaching the baseball team at Deering, Flaherty also coached the 
Caldwell Post American Legion team from 1982-1985.  Caldwell won the state 
championship and advanced to regional play in both 1982 and 1984. 

-ble-