Coach McNamara recalled

MOSES LAKE – When asking about Ed McNamara, the responses are always positive.

On March 19 Ed - husband, father, Moses Lake Chiefs baseball coach - passed away at the age of 51 of natural causes.

Since then, when people have been asked to speak about the man, the pain of McNamara's passing was still too fresh to speak about someone they obviously cared so much about.

For others, the words came with the same level of fondness and affection for the man, who as a boy grew up in Ephrata, chased his baseball dreams, came home, raised a family, and left a mark on the people of Moses Lake and Grant County.

The legend

McNamara was born in Soap Lake and grew up in Ephrata, where he played baseball for the Tigers and legendary coaches Dave Johnson and Marty O'Brien.

"In the seventh grade he met a P.E. teacher, Marty," Johnson said. "Marty, who coached baseball and basketball at the high school, had a big influence in changing Ed's attitude around in a positive sense. Ed said quite often that he was heading in the wrong direction until coach O'Brien got a hold of him."

"Ed played basketball and baseball at Ephrata High School from 1976 through 1978 when he graduated," Johnson said. "He was a superb athlete, and really excelled in baseball. In 1977, the Tigers won their first state title. Ed led the team with four home runs. He had two home runs against Colfax to lead the Tigers into the state championship game with Orting. His junior year he led the team in hitting with a .450 average."

McNamara's success continued in the next year.

"In his senior year, Ephrata went into the tough AA league with Spokane schools and Clarkston and Colville," Johnson said. "Ed hit .337 and was 11-1 pitching, with an ERA of 1.01. He had 110 strikeouts and only 38 walks. His strikeout record is shared by Matt Ratigan, a graduate of 1981. This record for a single season still stands in Ephrata's record book. He was All-Conference and All-State. That year Ephrata was beaten in the regionals."

Following his time as a Tiger, McNamara's career took the next step to college ball.

"Ed went on to play at Edmonds (Community College) and then to the University of Washington," Johnson said. "When he got to college he really blossomed. He played one season of pro ball in the Pioneer League after that. Ed was an outstanding athlete and individual not only in high school, but throughout his adult life. We in the Ephrata baseball community will definitely miss this high-caliber individual."

McNamara's baseball playing career ended after a short stint in the Kansas City Royals' organization.

But his growth from young rebel to flourishing man would continue on and leave his old coach with nothing but pride about the person he became.

"I never met his wife, Shawnee, or any of his boys, but I do know they had a great relationship," Johnson said. "I know he was loved by his wife and boys and behind his Christian belief I know they had a strong family. Ed really came a long way after growing up. His own parents divorced, but with his strong family values he did a good job. It's definitely a success story."

Work ethic

One man, Randy Borruff, head coach of the Columbia Basin River Dogs summer Babe Ruth baseball team, knew the secret to McNamara's success.

"I have been involved as a summer baseball coach in the Columbia Basin since 1975 off and on," Borruff said. "Ed played for me in the summer of 1977 and 1978. He was a dominant pitcher and dominant hitter. He would be in my all-time top 10 players in the 36 years that I've been coaching. He had a great work ethic, spent hours and hours in the batting cage and in the field, and worked so hard he had blisters on his hands."

Dust to diamonds

As McNamara grew, his work ethic made him a successful baseball player and would translate into something more - an ability to help others.

"Ed and Shawnee and their boys were very involved in the Daystar Christian Academy," Edie Cole, Moses Lake Christian Academy's athletic director said. "Ed served as a member of their school board. Daystar Christian Academy started a baseball program which Ed was instrumental in. He helped build the baseball field and coached the program. The Church in Moses Lake, with the help of Ed, built their new church facility in 2000."

"I had Ed in my life at my school and for my business - Cost Less Carpet - so for me to say that Ed put 110 percent into his work would be accurate," Cole said. "His work ethic was so powerful because he wouldn't wear himself too thin. A lot of people do and don't do a good job at everything but he did do a good job."

When Daystar and Moses Lake Christian combined into today's academy, Ed's support for the school never wavered.

"Ed and Shawnee continued to support the school keeping their children enrolled," Cole said. "Ed became the announcer for the academy's basketball program and warmed and charmed the hearts of us all each week. Ed entertained the crowds with his deep voice and laughter. He started a half time trivia show where winners were awarded candy."

"The Saturday before his passing Ed once again stepped on the field he helped build many years before with a smile and some helpful suggestions. With Ed, God came first, family second, and everything else followed. The Moses Lake Christian Academy will deeply miss 'the voice of the Lions.'"

To be a Chief

In 2004, with the suspension of baseball at the academy, McNamara found a home for his love of the sport at Moses Lake High School.

"Ed McNamara brought much-needed maturity and integrity to our program when he came on as the head coach," Moses Lake High School Athletic Director Loren Sandhop said. "He had experience in playing baseball at the highest level, had been an assistant in our program and was a head coach for Big Bend Community College. He brought enthusiasm and knowledge to our program ... The parents and the athletes recognized his passion for the game and his care for the kids."

His ability to lead the Chiefs' program translated to more respect throughout the state's baseball ranks.

"Coach McNamara was very well respected around the Big Nine," Sandhop said. "Coaches speak about him being a quality 'baseball guy,' one who taught the game the right way. He exhibited good sportsmanship and his players reflected the type of guy he was by how they carried themselves on and off the field. Coach McNamara's knowledge and delivery of baseball strategy, fundamentals and work ethic were his strengths and assets to our program. His leadership towards player work ethic and attitude has made our team reach athletic and academic heights."

McNamara's team didn't just pursue greatness on the field.

"Coach McNamara was constantly concerned with his student-athletes' academic achievement and representation in the community," Sandhop said. "One of his goals this spring was to be Academic State Champions with a team GPA of 3.0 or better (WIAA Distinguished Academic Team)."

The goals for academic and athletic excellence were more than met by McNamara's program when in:

* 2010 The varsity record was 9-13 and made the first round of the district playoffs, being tied for fourth place in the Big 9 Columbia Division.

* 2009 Baseball WIAA Distinguished Academic; League Champions

* 2007 Baseball WIAA Distinguished Academic; second at regionals; fifth at state

* 2006 Baseball WIAA Distinguished Academic

* 2005 Baseball WIAA Distinguished Academic

"I'll miss Mac," Sandhop said. "He loved the game and he really enjoyed working with high-school-aged kids. He could talk baseball till the cows came home. He was a Christian man with a strong moral compass. I respected his character and how he motivated kids to get better. He believed fundamentals would carry you through tough times, whether it was baseball or life. He also believed you play the game against the game, not your opponent. That too, is true in life."

Moses Lake School District Superintendent Michelle Price echoed many of Sandhop's words.

"In the 15-plus years that my husband and I have known Ed, the one memory that stands out like no other is when it was announced that he would be the new head baseball coach at Moses Lake High School," Price said. "He was so excited. You would have thought that he had won the lotto. Ed's passion for the game and people was present in his life journey. Ed was always willing to talk baseball! However more importantly, Ed talked about baseball in the context of life in general. If you knew Ed there were things that were clearly important to him. Ed, without a doubt was a man of faith, loved his family, and wanted to be a positive example to the people around him. Just one thing left to say: very well done Mac, you'll be sorely missed."

A mentor

Just like coach O'Brien had done for him, McNamara found himself looking in the mirror when he worked with a man named Quintz Whitaker.

Whitaker, who had assisted McNamara on the Chiefs' coaching staff, is now the interim head coach. He took many lessons from his boss.

"I have known Mac for 20 years," Whitaker said. "He was the varsity assistant (coach) under Brooke Frederick in the early 1990s when I went through the program. At that time he was well known to us players because of his zaniness and intensity. He became my pitching coach as a junior and he would drive us crazy by pushing us to get better, but we loved him for it.

"I remember him taking an afternoon once to take all the pitchers down to Larson and workout during spring break. Part of the reason I remember it so well, is he spent hours working with me on my mechanics. I had played catcher early in my career and still threw like a catcher. He spent hours that day and after that working with me individually over the next two years to help me improve as a player."

That work translated to being so much more than a player for Whitaker.

"Without him I wouldn't have had the mental makeup or physical tools to continue my career beyond high school," Whitaker said. "He also showed us his family by bringing his oldest boy, Josiah, to the park and opening his home to watch movies. He was a real father figure to many of us. Being able to coach alongside him on the same team was an exciting opportunity for me this year. I was really looking forward to time we would have to spend to together. Together, recently, we had many discussions about faith, baseball and how to build young men, I think that will be what I miss most. It has been obvious to me over the past few days how he helped me grow a from a young man into the person I am today. He I just hope to make him proud.

"As far as accomplishments I really know anything to add. I know he received a Big 9 coaches award recently," Whitaker added. "But to him that was all secondary ... his goal was to use baseball as the means to teach boys to become men. That will be his legacy."

Hollywood ending

While playing the first of two games March 19, the Chiefs thought their coach was simply not feeling well and proceeded to struggle to a 6-4 win over Roosevelt High School.

Then they were told that McNamara was gone.

The boys consoled themselves and grieved.

Then they decided to still play their next game against Graham-Kapowsin.

"We had all played together, basically, since we were 8 (or) 9 years old," senior Cameron Alvarado said. "After we heard about it, we stuck together and knew he would have wanted us to do the same for someone else."

"Before the game I was worried about telling people to stay up if we had a lull but we were so loose," senior Nate Steffller said. "We took it to them because we had something to play for. We took the lead and never looked back."

It was a good old fashioned 10-0 victory, using the mercy rule behind a one-hit pitching performance by Mitch Yada.

"We all knew Mitch would throw the game of his life," Steffler said. "He was spot on."

What was also spot on was how coach McNamara touched the boys' lives.

"He just always made us laugh and he was never too serious and never kept us down," Alvarado said. "He was always up, so we were always up. There was no tension. Coming off of a school day he allowed me to keep everything off of the field and out of my mind. I always liked baseball but he made me enjoy it so much more."

"For someone to be there and have our back when we weren't doing well was huge," Steffler said. "It just gives us more confidence to come out and win for a coach like that. So we have to pick ourselves up and keep going from here."

Ed's impact will continue to be felt and remind us of better things. He will live in on in the hearts and minds of Grant County for years to come.

Ed McNamara is survived by his wife Shawnee, and five sons, Josiah, Taylor, Stefan, Braeley and Spencer.

A memorial service will be held at 5 p.m., Sunday, at The Church in Moses Lake, located at 6378 Arnold Drive N.E., (Day Star Gym). Inurnment will be at Guarding Angels Cemetery, located at 2595 Rd. L N.E., Moses Lake.

Friends are asked to sign the online guest book or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel & Crematory.