Alumni Hall of Fame
Service to St. Marys City Schools (2007)

Eugene L. "Skip" Baughman came to the St. Marys City Schools in 1958 as a Physical Education Teacher and Head Football Coach of the St. Marys Memorial High School Roughriders. While he provided excellent service to the St. Marys City Schools as an educator, he most notably distinguished himself as a legendary head football coach.

Coach Baughman developed a loyal staff of assistant coaches throughout his tenure. Coach Baughman, along with his assistant coaches, implemented a rigorous off season conditioning system which laid a solid foundation for the two platoon system during the football season which consisted of the Wing T Offense and 6 - 2 Base Defense. Coach Baughman's teams regularly consisted of 80 or more young men who learned the values that he believed in: hard work, preparedness, character, mental toughness, heart, fair play, and class. This value system and the discipline he instilled paid dividends to his teams and individual players both on and off of the football field. This can be measured by his player's academic successes, individual honors, and team honors while at Memorial High School and their successful lives and careers after graduation.

In 1994, after 36 years of service to the St. Marys City Schools and developing a football program that received recognition throughout the State of Ohio as a perennial powerhouse, he retired having amassed a resume that stands second to none. His teams achieved 273 wins - 93 losses - 8 ties, won 15 Western Buckeye League Championships, and Won 4 State Championships. Mr. Baughman's coaching career spanned five decades, the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80, and 90s. Currently, Coach Baughman is the tenth most winning coach in Ohio High School Football History with 286 career victories. These victories include his tenure at Hardin Northern High School. The Western Buckeye League Championships came in 1960, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993. The United Press International awarded the St. Marys Roughriders their first State Championship in 1979. In eight state playoff appearances, the final three State Championships came in 1990, 1992 and 1993. It is also worth noting, that none of Coach Baughman's teams ever finished in eighth, ninth, or tenth place in the Western Buckeye League. In 1994, in recognition of an outstanding career, the St. Marys City Schools named its football stadium in his honor. Coach Baughman was also inducted to the Ohio Northern University Hall of Fame and the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In 2006, following Coach Baughman's death, the St. Marys Midget Football Teams, the Broncos, Colts, Rams, and Stallions established an award in Coach Baughman's honor and memory that recognizes the top player on each team that is voted on by the players and coaches of each individual team.



Coach Baughman was a gentleman, role model, leader, teacher, coach, motivator, father figure, and friend to generations of young men who played the game of football to the fullest extent of their abilities because of him and for him. His passion, enthusiasm, and drive for excellence not only impacted his players, it also created pride and support in the school system and the entire St. Marys Community. Simply, Coach was the epitome of the word itself. His name is synonymous with excellence and success in St. Marys and beyond and will forever be apart of the history of this community because of his outstanding and superior service to the St. Marys City Schools.

The above text, in its entirety, is embossed on a St. Marys Memorial High School Alumni Hall of Fame plaque permanently on display in Memorial High School.