Oestrike Stadium
Item
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Building Name
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Oestrike Stadium
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Description
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Named after EMU Hall of Fame Coach Ron Oesterike, Oestrike Stadium was constructed in 1971, the year following Eastern Michigan's NAIA Collegiate National Championship and four years before its back-to-back NCAA Worlds Series appearances. Improvements to the stadium have been ongoing since 1988 to ensure it is always up to excellent playing standards. On October 6, 2008, musician Bruce Springsteen performed here in support of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama. To this day, Oestrike Stadium remains the home of the EMU Eagles baseball team.
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Namesake Biography
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Ronald E. Oestrike, dubbed "Oak" by the EMU community was born in 1932 in Flat Rock, Michigan. Oestrike graduated from EMU in 1954 and received his masters degree from the University of Michigan in 1959. Oestrike began coaching for EMU's baseball team in the early 1960s, and by 1982 had compiled a 529-362-6 career with the Huron's, leading EMU to national prominence in collegiate baseball. Oestrike has repeatedly been named to the "Top Twenty Baseball Coaches List" since its inception in 1978. He was named NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year in 1976, and has been named MAC Coach of the Year four times. In June of 1982, he was appointed to Associate Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. After twenty-three years of fundraising and coaching, Ron Oestrike retired in May of 1987, and the stadium was renamed in his honor later that year. After his retirement from coaching, Oestrike continued to teach physical education, health, recreation, and dance classes until he officially retired from EMU in December of 1998. Ron Oestrike was married to his high school sweetheart, Shirley for more than 50 years until her death in June of 2009.
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Building Namesake
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Ronald E. Oestrike, Former EMU Baseball Coach
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Year Constructed
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1971
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Date Dedicated
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1988
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Building Functions
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Baseball Stadium
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Rights
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This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the owner, Eastern Michigan University Archives (lib_archives@emich.edu).
