Iconic coach adds one last honor for the wall as career winds down

The man, the myth, the legend of Oshkosh Baseball and West in general, Tony Gerharz, has managed to yet again impress his colleagues by winning the 2021 Man of the Year award, presented to him by the Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association (WBCA). Gerharz received the award in February 2022, achieving a final bang before his upcoming retirement from teaching after this school year. 

“I was awarded the 2021 Man of the Year award through our Wisconsin Baseball Coaches Association which is about 700 highschool, college, and some youth coaches within the state of Wisconsin,” said Gerharz. “I was actually nominated by the Fond du Lac coach, Coach Paulsen.”

Gerharz has been coaching baseball for 41 years, and according to the WBCA, has won a total of 350 games with his teams over his career. His success has not just been the fruit of his knowledge as it is the human behind the coach that is venerated by his players.

“He’s been doing it for so long that he actually does care,” senior Brady Block said. “Some coaches are there all of the time, but they don’t really have their heart in it. Gerharz definitely does, and you feel and see that all of the time.”

Not only are his players proud of their coach, but Gerharz’s fellow coaches also look up to his inspiring reputation.

“He’s got oodles of honors and awards, I mean, he’s got several halls of fame,” said Assistant Coach Douglas Whiteley. “Most people aren’t even aware of the halls of fame or anything like that, but he's been in the coaches hall of fame since around eight years ago already.”

Senior players that have spent the entirety of their high school baseball careers appreciate the work Gerharz puts in while maintaining his distinctively waggish character.

“Gerharz is one of the best coaches I’ve ever had, and he’s a funny guy, so it’s easier to play for him,” senior Mason Freund said. “I think he was very deserving of the award.”

Students, players, and his assistant coaches are all proud of Gerharz, but the longest running supporters of his coaching career have been his family.

“Having three kids and a wife who’s a teacher, it was sometimes tough trying to organize time and my wife was very understanding,” said Gerharz. “To be in coaching, especially this long, you have to have an outstanding spouse, and my kids are very supportive. I was very appreciative that they were all at the award ceremony, which was wonderful

 for Coach of the Year and Man of the Year, Distinguished Service, Media Person, Umpire of the Year, there’s usually about six or seven different award and seven or eight of our names came to our executive board meeting and I was very fortunate to and very appreciative of being named the 2021 Man of the Year.”

By Paige Helfrich

March 18 2022

Volume 118 Issue VI