40 years ago this month Jack Lamabe coached his last game as LSU head baseball coach

When he was hired by Paul Dietzel for the 1979 season he became LSU's first "full time" Head Baseball coach,meaning his repsonsibilities were 100% baseball. It was normal up until the mid to late 1970's for baseball coaches to have some duties with the football program, usually recruiting coordinator.

Pretty solid guy. He was a college grad, Marine and played in the majors winning a World Series ring with St Louis in 1967. LSU and SEC baseball in general was light years away even from the 90's,let alone now. The "tournament" consisted of the top two teams in each division meeting at the team with the best conference's marks' home field. He took LSU to the tourney in year one 1979.

In the late 1960's and early 1970's Auburn was in the SEC "East" for baseball so with a 6/4 split every weekend teams could have conference games. That changed in the late 1970's and went to 5/5. With Ole Miss vs State and then Alabama vs Auburn closing out their '83 seasons against one another (there was no inter-divisional play) LSU ended its season at home against Florida State and 4th year coach Mike Martin. The Seminoles won both games 8-2 and then a crushing 6-3 win.

LSU pitcher Cal Santarelli,one of LSU's most underrated,and certainly UNKNOWN baseball players was 9-1 going into that game with a 2.33 ERA. Florida State game to bat in the top of the 9th down 3-2 with only two hits.But a lead off hit and two errors loaded the bases. Next batter hit a grand slam as Florida State went up 6-3 and then LSU went three up three down. LSU's season ended at 28-21 before 631 fans.

His tenure ended shortly thereafter and Lamabe maintained after asking for extensions over the last couple of years he saw his position listed in the classifieds of the Morning Advocate and State-Times. (it was listed as a formality as it is a 'state' job.)

Then came Skip and LSU became the sports' standard bearer. Amazing the metamorphosis LSU baseball has had!