Skip Bertman, the Man Who Built a Baseball Powerhouse
Skip Bertman, the 88‑year‑old architect of LSU’s baseball resurgence, died in Baton Rouge, leaving a void in a sport he helped reshape.
Born in Detroit in 1938, Bertman’s early years in Miami Beach set the stage for a baseball journey that began on the sandlots of Florida before he excelled at the University of Miami.
After a playing stint at Miami, he joined the Hurricanes’ staff under Ron Fraser, contributing to five College World Series titles and a 1982 national championship.
In 1983, LSU hired Bertman when the Tigers were a perennial underdog, drawing fewer than 500 fans per game. Over the next 18 seasons he rebuilt the program, raising attendance, upgrading facilities and instituting a disciplined approach that turned the team into a national contender.
During his tenure the Tigers reached the College World Series 11 times, capturing five national championships in 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2000, and adding seven SEC titles. His 870‑330‑3 record yielded a .754 NCAA Tournament winning percentage, the highest in history, and produced 41 major‑league players.
Beyond the dugout, Bertman served as LSU’s athletic director from 2001 to 2008, steering fundraising and hiring initiatives that kept the program competitive. In 2013 the university honored him by renaming Alex Box Stadium to Skip Bertman Field, and the national coach of the year award in college baseball now bears his name.
He is survived by his wife Sandy, daughters Lisa, Jan, Jodi and Lori, and four grandchildren.