Tom Held

(6-4-23) Yesterday word came out that Defiance Hall of Fame Baseball Coach Tom Held was retiring after 35 years of coaching high school baseball.

Held is one of the most respected baseball coaches that Ohio has ever known. He has won over 800 games as a coach, 600 of those at Defiance, he has helped to produce major league pitchers, plus many college stars from D I and other levels.

His pitching program is well known and used by others to make a high school pitcher better. At Defiance if you can throw for 90mph you are rewarded with your name being put on the plaque.

Defiance Baseball Pitching DVD

Rick Weaver – You Tube Video

Since his time at Defiance he has helped to build facilities that are second to none…including a turf surface field to name just one.

Coaching a high school baseball team and being successful in Ohio takes a lot of time and effort. Hours after hours of hitting, pitching go into that effort with his players. Long bus rides in a school bus, rain delays and sometimes even snow.

He has been an advocate over the years of improving high school baseball and making it better. He was never afraid to stand-up for extending the season to name one item that he was always supported.

During his career it wasn’t about him…it was always about his players, from his team and those who played for other teams. He didn’t announce his retirement until after the Bulldogs were out of the tournament to keep the focus on the team not him.

They only made one Tom Held…thanks Coach for all you did.

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Defiance Baseball State Championship Highlights

Rick Weaver – You Tube Video

The last on field team talk…