Stanley 'Skip' Bertman, the Hall of Fame coach who built LSU's baseball program into a national powerhouse, died at the age of 88 after a brief heart‑related hospitalization.
Bertman’s journey in college baseball began at the University of Miami, where he earned Florida Coach of the Year honors three times before joining LSU in 1983 as head coach.
Championship pedigree
During his 18‑year tenure, he guided the Tigers to five College World Series titles — 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2000 — and compiled a record that placed LSU among the elite programs in the nation.
Beyond trophies, Bertman reshaped the business side of college baseball, turning it into a lucrative enterprise in the SEC and pioneering the growth of travel baseball in South Louisiana.
His influence stretched to the diamond‑level talent pipeline, producing 41 MLB draftees and three College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, while also mentoring future coaches such as Paul Mainieri and Dennis Shaver.
As athletic director from 2001 to 2008, he expanded LSU’s athletic revenue, oversaw the construction of Alex Box Stadium — later named in his honor — and left a blueprint for integrating sports excellence with institutional growth.