While Marietta College was splitting a doubleheader against Ohio Northern University on Community Day at Don Schaly Stadium Saturday, a former Pioneer standout second baseman was being honored at Donges Field in Ashland.

John Schaly, the Most Valuable Player of MC’s first national championship baseball team in 1981 and currently the skipper at Ashland University, was presented with an award for his career 1,000th collegiate win by AU Director of Athletics Al King.

On hand were Schaly’s wife Becky and family and a reported attendance of 130 fans. Ashland, No. 20 in NCAA Division II with a 26-10 overall record (11-1 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), then played and split a twinbill against visiting Walsh University.

Incidentally, there were 1,254 in attendance on Community Day at Don Schaly Stadium.

John Schaly actually achieved his milestone back on March 1 when Ashland swept a doubleheader against Lewis (Ill.) University in Clermont, Fla. With those two triumphs in the Sunshine State, he became the first father-son duo in the history of college baseball to each claim 1,000 wins.

Schaly’s dad, of course, was the late, legendary Don Schaly, who guided the Pioneers to 1,442 victories and three D3 national titles in 40 years at the helm.

John Schaly has been coaching college baseball for 28 seasons, 18 at Ashland. Before AU, he earned a combined 363 wins as the baseball boss at Berry (Ga.) College for four springs and St. Leo (Fla.) University for six.

He was also an assistant at MC under his father for one season before serving in the same capacity at the University of Kentucky from 1985-87.

Schaly, the eldest son of Don and Sue Schaly, is from a baseball/sports family.

His son Adam is currently a junior southpaw pitcher on the Stetson (Fla.) University baseball team with a 3-4 record and 6.13 ERA.

His younger brother Joe is currently a 16-year head baseball coach at Thiel (Pa.) University. The Tomcats (23-8) are scheduled to play at Marietta College (18-12) Tuesday at 4 p.m. Joe himself has over 400 collegiate baseball wins to his credit.

On Joe’s coaching staff, as a volunteer, is former MC pitching star and major leaguer Matt DeSalvo.

Another of John Schaly’s younger brothers is Jim, a baseball umpire, who has called balls and strikes in the D1 College World Series. Jim has also umped on the MLB and minor league levels.

And, then there is his younger brother Jeff. who is currently the Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Information and Compliance at Marietta College.

Now, the question begs to be asked, will John Schaly catch and surpass his famous father as far as total career wins go?

And, also, will Joe Schaly someday reach 1,000 wins as well?

Only time will tell.

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Ron Johnston is a Marietta Times sports writer, and can be reached at (740) 373-2121, x534, or at rjohnston@mariettatimes.com