James Dimick (1999) - Hall of Fame - St. Cloud State University Athletics

James Dimick

Induction:
1999

Jim Dimick was St. Olaf College's head baseball coach for 27 seasons from 1968-1994 and led the Oles to a record of 587-320-15 (.645) during his time leading the program. During his time on the Hill, Dimick also served as an assistant coach for St. Olaf's football and men's basketball programs.

In his 27 seasons at St. Olaf, Dimick's teams had just one sub-.500 season and posted at least 20 wins in a season 17 times. The Oles won 14 conference championships under Dimick, winning the Midwest Conference and Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference seven times apiece, and qualified for the NCAA regionals 14 times.

Dimick was a four-time MIAC Coach of the Year (1984, 1985, 1988, 1989) and also earned Midwest Regional Coach of the Year honors in 1984. The MIAC Coach of the Year and Minnesota High School Baseball Retired Coach of the Year Awards are both currently named after him. St. Olaf retired his number 32 in 1997 and the baseball complex on campus is also named in his honor.

Following his retirement, Dimick was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame in 1995 and the St. Olaf Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. He was also a member of the inaugural class of the Minnesota Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and has been inducted into the St. Cloud State Hall of Fame, the Cumberland (Wis.) High School Hall of Fame, and the Minnesota Fellowship of Christian Athletes Hall of Fame.

Dimick served as the president of the ABCA in 1992 as part of his 53-year membership to the organization and was also a member of the ABCA Board of Directors, the ABCA Hall of Fame Committee and the ABCA Ethics in Coaching Committee.

Born on July 9, 1928 on the family farm in Almena, Wisconsin, Dimick graduated from Barron High School in 1946 and joined the United States Marine Corps afterwards, serving with the 2nd Amphibious Battalion out of Camp LeJenue. After his honorable discharge in 1948, Dimick attended St. Cloud State University, graduating in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science in physical education and biology.

After earning his master's degree from the University of Minnesota, Dimick spent 15 years teaching and coaching at high schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota, developing 10 championship teams, before joining the faculty of St. Olaf College in 1967. While at St. Olaf, he was the coach of the College All-Star Baseball Team that toured Alaska and Korea in 1979 and served on the U.S. National Baseball Team Staff in 1989 on a tour of the United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. He conducted baseball clinics all over the world and the United States.

Dimick married his high school sweetheart, Nancy Hopkins, on June 10, 1950 and the couple had six children, 13 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Dimick passed away on Dec. 2, 2019.