500th win ranks EOU alum with top high school
coaches in Oregon history
Don Heuberger
By Laura Hancock
Media and Publications Writer
University Advancement
La Grande, Oregon – Don Heuberger always knew he wanted to coach, and over the course of 27 years he has carved a niche for himself as one of Oregon’s best.
From the time Heuberger first stepped onto the practice field in the fall of 1972, then Eastern baseball coach, Dr. Howard Fetz knew, there was something special about the wiry college freshman with a strong arm.
“His defensive skills were so advanced that he immediately moved ahead of more experienced catchers, and became the varsity catcher for the next four years,” Fetz recalled. “I knew all along that Don would become a teacher and coach. That was his calling and his passion. He had good baseball savvy.”
That experience has helped place Heuberger among the greatest coaches in Oregon high school baseball history when he achieved his 500th win in April 2005.
Fetz, the second-ever baseball coach at Eastern, saw many talented athletes come and go during his 20-year career. He led teams to win six Division Championships, five Conference Championships and one District Championship.
Under his watchful eye, Fetz saw Heuberger’s batting average continue to increase each year.
In 1974, Heuberger was named to the All-Conference team, and in 1975, to the All-District team. Soon others began noticing his talent. With Fetz’s encouragement, Heuberger tried out for the Portland Mavericks and signed a contract to play professionally for the 1975-76 season.
"Don may never retire ... I expect him to keep coaching and winning."
— Dr. Howard Fetz, EOU baseball coach (1968-1988)
After a year of playing with the Mavericks, Heuberger returned to help coach at EOU. He was the assistant varsity and junior varsity coach for the Mounties during the 1976-77 season.
“Howard was a great teacher,” said Heuberger, who is the head coach at Regis High School in Stayton, Ore. “If you can teach younger kids a love of the game, you’re doing something important.” Heuberger has worked at Regis, his alma mater, for the past 23 years.
It has been more than 30 years since Heuberger and his head coach first met on the practice field at EOU, but Fetz was not surprised when he heard Don had broken the 500-win mark.
Heuberger and Fetz have kept in touch over the years, even recently attending a Salem Volcanoes game together. Heuberger plans on contacting his college coach this summer, seeking out advice on how to increase his pitcher’s throwing velocity.
“The friendships I made and kept were in college – because of baseball,” Heuberger said.
Always planning ahead, Heuberger is gearing up for the coming season. He hopes to pursue another state title, teaching his team an appreciation of just how demanding the preparation is along the way.
“Baseball is humbling. You can’t be too up or too down,” Heuberger said. “Baseball is an ‘ugly finder.’ If there is something you don’t know how to do, the baseball will find you.”
Not one to seek the limelight, Heuberger expressed relief when he reached, then later surpassed, the 500th win of his coaching career. And he’s not even close to being finished.
“It would not surprise me to see him surpass one of his former Mountie colleagues, Art Thunell, as the winningest baseball coach in Oregon high school history,” Fetz said. Thunell retired this spring, making Heuberger the only active coach to achieve the 500-win benchmark. Only four other Oregon coaches hold this status.
“Don may never retire. I suspect that they will bury him under home plate at Regis High School,” Fetz said. “Until then, I expect him to keep coaching and winning.”
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