MIKE MARTIN, THE PLAYER

Long before he became synonymous with Seminole baseball from the dugout, Mike Martin made his mark on the field. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina, Martin began his collegiate career at Wingate Junior College, where he earned Junior College All-America honors before transferring to FSU. Playing for the Seminoles from 1965 to 1966, Martin served as the team’s center fielder and emerged as a reliable presence at the plate, batting .354 during his Noles career. He earned All-District honors in his senior season and helped lead the Seminoles to the 1965 College World Series. After graduating in 1966, Martin went on to play professionally in the minor league systems of the New York Mets and Detroit Tigers before turning his focus to coaching. That path ultimately led him back to Tallahassee, where his understanding of the game as a former player helped shape one of the most respected coaching tenures in college baseball history.