DADGUM GOOD SPORT

In FSU’s 17 College World Series (CWS) appearances under Mike Martin, the Seminoles came close to winning it all twice. Led by star pitcher Mike Loynd, FSU advanced to the 1986 CWS but fell to powerhouse Arizona. FSU returned to the CWS title game in 1999, facing a challenge against in-state rival Miami. Freshman P Blair Varnes heroically pitched six innings despite a ruptured ACL, but it wasn’t enough as FSU fell 6-5. Yet failing to win an elusive National Championship never brought Martin down. “He flips it and says look at how blessed I am, look at how blessed we are as a program,” said assistant coach Mike Martin Jr. “Looking at things positively instead of negatively, I think society would be in a better place if people did that.” Throughout his 40-year career, Martin stressed the importance of teaching and uplifting his players more than anything else.