By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Baseball has done a lot for Chris Umphres. Prior to becoming the director at the Great Bend Recreation Commission, Umphres had standout careers at Barton Community College and the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. Umphres will be inducted into the Mules Baseball Diamond Club, its version of a hall of fame, in March.
"I used baseball as a stepping stone to get through college," Umphres said. "I was able to get my associate's through Barton, then my undergrad and graduate through Central Missouri as a player and a coach. It was definitely a great time in my life. Once I got my Master's, I had to decide if I was going to continue in the coaching world or come back to the Hoisington area where my wife is from."
As a Cougar in 1999 and 2000, Umphres set the career hits record at BCC, which was previously held by current Bat Cats General Manager Roger Ward. He went on to Central Missouri where he helped lead the Mules to second and fifth-place finishes in the NCAA Div. II World Series. In 2001, he was named Rawlings/American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Div. II Player of the Year. He also earned ABCA First Team All-American honors and was named Div. II Defensive Player of the Year that season. His .448 batting average that season ranks No. 8 all-time in program history, and his career batting average of .416 ranks fourth all-time in the program. He's tied for third all-time at UCM for hits in a season, and his 89 RBIs in 2001 rank No. 2 all-time in program history.
"Playing college ball takes a lot of time and commitment from the players and the support from parents along the way," Umphres said. "I have had the opportunity to be coached by great baseball coaches, play with great baseball players, and coach great baseball players throughout my baseball career."
Following college, Umphres spent a season with the Lincoln Saltdogs in Independent Pro Baseball. He spent the next three years coaching at Barton, UCM, and Fort Hays State University. After moving back to Barton County, Umphres and Mike Minton started the Bomber baseball program.
"Having kids is a big deal in a lot of people's lives," said Umphres. "Baseball meant a lot to myself and a lot of people in this community. Mike Minton and I got together and started the organization back in the day with an 8-and-under group. We had about 30 kids that were sevens and eights. We made three teams out of that and the rest is history. This is going on the 10th year."
Umphres has enjoyed watching that first group of Bombers bloom into the varsity baseball players of today. Umphres also worked with Zack Kaiser on the original 8-and-Under Bomber team.
"These boys are going on their 10th season under Bombers Baseball," Umphres said. "They have played a lot of baseball, which has prepared them now going into their junior year. Each class below them has gone through a similar path in the summer months. Bombers Baseball is a great addition to this and surrounding communities. There are a lot of talented baseball players coming through Great Bend over the next several years. I didn’t grow up in Great Bend but I see and hear about a lot of baseball pride in this community and hope that continues."
Umphres will be inducted into the Diamond Club at a special ceremony held on March 23 in Missouri. The keynote speaker at the event will be former St. Louis Cardinal Eckstein, a two-time World Series champion and 2006 Series MVP.