
DURHAM, N.C. - USA Baseball President Mike Gaski issued a statement following the passing of Hal Smeltzly. Smeltzly, in addition to Ron Fraser (Miami), Rod Dedeaux (USC), Dutch Fehring (Stanford) and Jack Stallings (Wake Forest/Georgia Southern), was an integral part of the college coaching community that started USA Baseball. He was the manager for the 1972 and 1975 United States national teams and later served as a technical delegate for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games.
Under his tutelage, the U.S. won a silver medal in the 1972 World Amateur Tournament and again at the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City, finishing the tournament with a 6-2 record. He also served as a coach for the national team in 1970.
"Coach Smeltzly was one of the handful of legendary college coaches who assembled and managed our first collection of collegiate national teams for the United States in international competitions. He carried his passion and commitment to the growth of the game as a top consultant to the leadership of the fledgling International Baseball Federation and helped Dr. Robert Smith bring the sport of baseball into the Olympic Program. His brilliance as a coach, and then as an administrator, also built a college baseball dynasty at Florida Southern College over four decades.
"I would not have been part of international baseball if it wasn't for Hal. He was a friend and a mentor, as well as a fierce competitor and a humble, self-deprecating gentleman who spent his life helping young men and women at Florida Southern College become compassionate leaders both in sport and in life."
Smeltzly was the head baseball coach at Florida Southern College from 1958-1976 and led the Mocs to three NCAA Division II National Championships. He later served as the athletic director at Florida Southern from 1978-2000 and was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1980.
Smeltzly was 86.