By Tim Clinton
There are two important names to remember in the history of Washington State University baseball.
They are Buck Bailey and Chuck "Bobo" Brayton, who the Cougars' home stadium now honors in the name Bailey-Brayton Field. The 3,500-seat facility was originally built in the midst of Brayton's 33-year tenure in 1980.
Both led the Cougars to the College World Series twice. Bailey took them in 1950 and 1956, with the 1950 team finishing as the national runner-up. Brayton took them in 1965 and 1976, with the 1976 squad capturing an NCAA regional championship and taking fifth in the World Series. The 1965 team took third in the World Series and won the District 8 championship.
Bailey coached from 1927 to 1942 before the team was led by Jack Friel during World War II from 1943 to 1945. Bailey returned to the helm from 1946 to 1961.
Brayton succeeded him and coached from 1962 to 1994 and led the Cougars to 10 of their 16 NCAA appearances. They came in 1965, 1966, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1987, 1988 and 1990.
Bailey took them in 1950, 1956, 1960 and 1961.
The only coach who led them to the NCAA promised land not named Bailey or Brayton was Donnie Marbut, who coached 11 seasons from 2005 to 2015 and led them to the NCAA tournament in 2009 and 2010.
The program in Pullman was founded in 1892 and won the Northwest Conference title first in 1913 and followed up by taking the crown in 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1918.
WSU won the Pacific Coast Conference Northern Division title in 1927, 1928, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1944, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950 and 1956.
First place in the AAWU was won in 1960, 1961, 1965 and 1966.
The Cougars captured the Pac-8 North title in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978.
The conference became known as the Pac-10 North after that and WSU won that in 1979, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1995.
As for the conference postseason championship, Washington State took the Northwest Conference tournament in 1915, the PCC Northern Division in 1927, the Pac-8 North in 1972 and the Pac-10 North in 1984, 1987, 1988 and 1990.
WSU is an associate member of the Mountain West Conference for baseball this year, with Nathan Choate serving his second season as head coach.
He only has 31 seasons to go to catch Brayton and 30 to catch Bailey.