The University of Minnesota baseball program will retire No. 14, which is worn by head coach John Anderson, on Saturday at Siebert Field when the Gophers host Michigan State in Anderson’s final home series.
Anderson, who last December announced his intentions to retire at the end of the 2024 season, is the longest-tenured coach in the history of Gopher Athletics. This season is his 43rd leading the Gophers and his 49th overall at Minnesota including his time spent as a player, student assistant coach, graduate assistant and assistant coach.
On Saturday, May 11, a mural of Anderson will be unveiled on the left field wall at Siebert Field in a pregame ceremony. Siebert Field will open at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and fans are encouraged to be in their seats by 1:15 p.m. The game against Michigan State is slated to start at 2 p.m. after the on-field ceremony.
Anderson, affectionately known as “14” in the baseball community, is the winningest baseball coach in the history of the Big Ten. During his tenure, the Gophers have won 11 Big Ten titles, 10 Big Ten Tournament championships and made 18 NCAA tournament appearances. The first postseason trip was during Anderson’s inaugural season in 1982 and the most recent was in 2018.
Anderson has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year eight times, most recently in 2018 after leading Minnesota to a Big Ten Championship and the Super Regionals for the first time in program history.
Under his watch, 115 Gophers have been drafted to the MLB. With two selections in the 2023 draft, the Gophers extended their draft streak to 36 consecutive years. The streak is the longest in the Big Ten with Ohio State (12 years) and Michigan (10 years) as the next closest Big Ten teams.
Anderson has coached 28 All-America selections, nine Big Ten Players of the Year, three Big Ten Pitchers of the Year and four Big Ten Freshman of the Year during his tenure. He’s had a winning record in 36 seasons.
Anderson has been inducted into four different halls of fame: the American Baseball Coaches Association, the University of Minnesota “M” Club, the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association and Hibbing Community College.
Anderson’s mural will be the seventh added to the wall in left field. He will join former Gophers Paul Giel (No. 34), Dick Siebert (No. 24), Dave Winfield (No. 31), Paul Molitor (No. 11), David Chelesnik (No. 26) and Herb “Ike” Isakson (No. 5) in having his number retired.
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
