Ron “Papa Jack” Jackson
2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox Hitting
Ron “Papa Jack” Jackson, from Birmingham Alabama. The legendary hitting coach and former Major League player, served as hitting coach for the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. Jackson coached with the Red Sox from 2003-2006. Many major league players such as Manny Ramirez and David “ Big Popi” Ortiz have credited coach Jackson for their hitting success. In his first two years with as hitting coach with the Red Sox, the club lead the majors in runs, batting average, doubles, extra bases and on base percentage. Coach Jackson, played in the major leagues for ten years from 1975-1985 with the California Angles, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, and the Baltimore Orioles. Coach Jackson continues to instruct hitting for several major leaguers during the off season. He also conducts hitting seminars for youth baseball players all over the United States. Coach Jackson’s passion and knowledge of the game of baseball has also helped several high school players move to the college level.
Jan Weisberg
Head Baseball Coach
Birmingham Southern College
On August 15, 2006, Jan Weisberg was named as the 11th head baseball coach in school history.
In his first two seasons on the Hilltop, Weisberg has posted a 48-31 record after leading the Panther Baseball program through the transition to Division III. With a brand-new program in 2008, The Panthers posted a 20-20 record, with a roster dominated by Freshmen. The 2008 team had one All-conference selection in J.D. Hulse and the SCAC Freshman-of-the-Year, Sam Hill.
That foundation led to BSC’s first Division Championship in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference and Division III in 2009. That Panther team posted a 28-11 overall record and a 10-5 conference mark to finish atop the standings. The 2009 Panthers boasted five All-SCAC selections and two ABCA All-South Region selections in Drew Leachman and Sam Hill.
Prior to BSC, Weisberg led Transylvania University to a second place regular season finish in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, the highest finish ever in school history, and to its first ever conference tournament berth in 2006. He had seven players earn All-Conference honors and implemented academic strategies which helped raise the team GPA from 2.83 to 2.95. Weisberg also created the first ever support group that raised over 15 percent of the 2006 budget and directed the school’s first ever summer baseball camps that had over 300 attendees.
Before Transylvania, Weisburg spent from 1991-2005 as a player and coach at the University of Kentucky. He earned two varsity letters from 1991-92, helping the Wildcats to a then school-record 41 wins and an NCAA Regional berth in 1991. In 1992, the team captain finished the year ranked fifth on the single season RBI list. Weisberg played at San Jose City College from 1987-90 before signing with UK. He helped SJCC to a California Junior League Final Four appearance in 1989 and was voted team captain in 1990.
David Palmer
Baseball Coach
A.H Parker H.S
Coach David Palmer, Assistant Baseball Coach at A.H. Parker High School in Birmingham Alabama. Palmer graduated from the University of Alabama with a degree in education. In 2010 Palmer took over the base running responsibilities, thundering herd base runners where successful with 69 stolen bases on 96 attempts. Coach Palmer’s knowledge skilled instruction of all aspects of the game of baseball stands out. Coach Palmer had an outstanding college football career at the University of Alabama, finishing third in the 1993 Heisman voting. He then went on to play seven successful years in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings being placed on the teams All-Time Players list for the Vikings. Even with his grid iron recognition his first love is baseball. Coach Palmer was also an outstanding baseball player at Jackson-Olen High School in Birmingham Alabama. He was also recruited to play baseball for the crimson tide.
Brett Oates
Baseball Coach
A.H. Parker High school
Coach Oates joined the Thundering heard staff in 2007. Coach Oates is responsible for player development and conducting the herd’s fall baseball program. A graduate of Grambling State University in 1989 with a degree in Communications, he also played baseball for the tigers. Following college, he was a TV broadcast journalist for 17 years working in Philadelphia, Myrtle Beach SC, Mobile and Birmingham Alabama,. He even hosted a radio sports show at a Cox radio station for five years in Birmingham.
Tyrus Moss
Head Baseball Coach
A.H Parker H.S
Since 2000 Tyrus Moss has been head coach of the A.H. Parker High school baseball program. Moss played his college baseball at Alabama State University from 1995-1999. He also holds a Masters degree in education from University of Alabama at Birmingham where he is also pursuing his PhD in education. During his time at the helm of the thundering herd Moss has become the winningest baseball coach in Parker’s legendary sports programs. Under Moss’s leadership the thundering herd has won several Birmingham city and regional championships.
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Silver Glovez © 2012
