Tag: Gary McClure Austin Peay

Austin Peay University’s former head baseball coach Gary McClure didn’t start coaching baseball out of ambition. But, his never-say-die attitude led the Govs to more wins than ever before, and earned Gary McClure a spot in the University’s Hall of Fame.

Q: How did you originally begin coaching?

Gary McClure: I finished up playing at Cumberland University. I told my college coach I wanted to coach and he suggested I come to Austin Peay. He then spoke with their coach and then I contacted him as well. The next fall, I began coaching as student assistant and finished my undergrad hours. I then became the graduate assistant coach the following year.

Q: And then later on you were named head coach? 

Gary McClure: Actually, I took over later that year in late October. The job was given to me as sort of an afterthought and on an interim basis for that year.

Continue reading “Gary McClure Reflects on an Unlikely Career” →

In 2013, Gary McClure and the Austin Peay State University Governors made the headlines when they won their third consecutive OVC Championship. McClure was also spotlighted as the newest member of the school’s athletic Hall of Fame. But according to McClure, those accomplishments came on the heels of youthful arrogance and bad luck.

A backslide

According to Gary McClure, the Govs started strong in 2013, winning all but five of their first 30 games. Then, as is often the case with young minds accustomed to victory, some players seemed to have put on blinders. The team lost seven of their next eight games, with some of his best players making careless mistakes. Gary McClure says it took the sting of losses to snap them back into shape.

Continue reading “Gary McClure | Experience Can Do Amazing Things” →

In 2015, former APSU baseball head coach Gary McClure signed Moline High School senior Brett Newberg to the Govs. McClure says he will continue to follow the athlete’s career from the sidelines and believes Newberg will work hard to refine his skills and grow as a fierce competitor in the coming season. Here, McClure shines some light on one of college baseball’s bright young stars that should make an impact right away.

Q: Who did Brett Newberg play for at Moline High School?

Gary McClure: Brett’s head coach was a man named Craig Schimmel. Schimmel was the assistant for 11 years prior to taking over for Derek Lindauer. He was a graduate of Moline HS himself, so he’s very invested in the team’s success. Moline is located on the Iowa Illinois line in an area known as the Quad Cities. The four cities that make up that area are all known for having excellents baseball traditions, and many players go on to play in college and even at the pro level. Brett is a very physical young man for his age, so i see him being a player that will have a chance to jump right into the program and make an immediate impact.

Continue reading “Former APSU Baseball Coach Gary McClure Looks Forward to Watching Newberg in 2016” →

Most people remember Gary McClure as the ever-on-top head coach for Clarksville’s APSU Governors. But the diehard baseball professional has one love even greater than the game: family. When his then-15 year old son Alex suddenly became ill, McClure turned to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Years later, Alex would once again meet his dad at Vandy, but as sports rivals.

Just before his sophomore year in high school, Alex McClure was “off.” He couldn’t quite pinpoint what was wrong, but he knew it was bad when his son missed a tournament game in Atlanta at the 15U WWBA tournament that he’d been looking forward to the entire summer. Gary McClure took his son to a  walk-in clinic in Marietta GA, hoping it was just a virus but fearing it may be something much worse. Unfortunately he was right. Alex’s blood glucose levels were dangerously high – over six times the normal level. Fearing for his son’s life, Gary McClure rushed the teen to Vanderbilt University in Nashville 3 hours away.

Continue reading “Gary McClure Comes Full Circle with Vanderbilt” →

With the 2016 season upon us, former college baseball coach Gary McClure recalls one of what he considers the sport’s best years: 2013.

Q: What was so special about 2013?

Gary McClure: Things just seemed to fall into place for the team I coached, the Austin Peay State University Governors, and for a number of other teams in college baseball. We knew we had a chance to be very good and we were able to beat Michigan State early in the year  in a marquee series. They had a very good team with some great arms and outstanding pitching to go along with very physical position players that could really do some things. That outcome did nothing but affirmed even more to our players that they had a chance to be pretty special.

Continue reading “Gary McClure Recalls 2013 College Baseball Highlights” →