On April 28 the tradition of excellence personified by Bloomsburg University head football coach Danny Hale will be etched into stone. Hale, the Husky’s career wins leader, will be forever remembered as the field at Robert B. Redman Stadium will be named Danny Hale Field in his honor.
Football is a large part of the town of Bloomsburg and surrounding areas, but this commemoration goes much farther than just athletics. Hale is a community member, a participant in many of the town’s activities, and is an important spokesperson for the University. The fact that a part of Bloomsburg Football will forever be intertwined with the Hale name is not only significant for athletics, but also the University and community as a whole. But don’t let the coach hear you bragging about him.
“This certainly is a humbling moment for both me and my family,” said Hale. “I am very blessed to be able to share this honor with my family. I would have never imagined this happening 20 years ago when I accepted this position.”
As a Husky, Hale has posted a staggering 163-54-1 record at BU, with a astonishing .743 winning percentage and currently holds the school record for most victories by a coach. In his 24-year head coaching career, Hale has reached a milestone many coaches only dream of achieving – amassing an overall record of 203-67-1, and a .750 winning percentage. Hale is ranked among the top 10 active coaches in NCAA Division II in winning percentage, and is one of just five active coaches with over 200 career wins entering the 2012 season.
In 19 seasons as head coach at Bloomsburg, Hale boasts a n incredible 11 outright or shared Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division titles and has taken the Huskies to the postseason playoffs seven times. Over the last 12 seasons, Bloomsburg has been one of the most successful NCAA Division II football programs in the nation, with a combined record of 111-30 and a .787 winning percentage.
View Danny Hale’s Complete Career Coaching Statistics on Wikipedia
This issue goes far beyond the game of football, however. Hale is a recognizable community figure, with his consistent help in community service. Every year, Hale and his Huskies football team participate in several blood drives through the American Red Cross. Hale has been honored by the Bloomsburg Chapter of the American Red Cross for his work promoting the donation of blood.
Hale also contributes in Bloomsburg’s annual “The Big Event” when groups from the University assist with a spring cleanup of the town and the surrounding areas. In the fall of 2011, Bloomsburg suffered one of the most disastrous floods in the town’s history. Hale and his football team member’s pitched in, staying in the devastated town over the weeks when school was not in session, helping out members of the community.
Some say that athletic fields or even campus buildings should not be named after existing or former faculty or administration members. But many of the athletic facilities at BU have already been named after successful individuals not only on the field, but off of it as well. Redman Stadium was named in honor Robert B. Redman’s accomplishments when it opened in 1974. In Redman’s coaching career, he accrued a record of 38-4, and won three PSAC championships.
In the summer of 2010, the Huskies named their softball field after one of the most successful coaches in NCAA Division II history, Jan Hutchinson, who posted a career record of 958-216-2, for a staggering .815 winning percentage and reached a record 22 consecutive trips to the NCAA Championship Tournament.
The baseball field at Bloomsburg is named after Hall of Famer Danny Litwhiler, who is considered to be one of the greatest innovators in the history of the sport, amassing accolades through college and professional baseball as both a coach and a player.
So at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, come celebrate with Coach Hale, as he will be justly honored for his accomplishments through his successful career, and be recognized as one of the greatest coaches to ever impact Bloomsburg University. His success is not only shown through his outstanding coaching record, but also through the lives of the people he has influenced. Every person to ever be in contact with Coach Hale carries the knowledge and experience they have gathered from his modest man.
“This is not just an honor for me, though.” Hale said. “Every athlete who has played here for me has a part in this day. All the players, coaches, staff and fans can share in this celebration.”
[box type=”bio”]By Bloomsburg University Student, Dylan Spangler. Dylan is a Junior majoring in Mass Communications. Photographs provided courtesy of BUHuskies.com[/box]
