Brakettes legend Raymond dies
Decades before UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma would create one of the most dominant women’s sports dynasties, another legendary coach was piling up wins and championships at an incredible rate in the state of Connecticut.
Ralph Raymond guided the Stratford-based Brakettes team to 17 ASA national titles from 1968-1992 as he coached some of the softball world’s most iconic players before leading the U.S. to gold medals in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. On Tuesday the softball world was mourning the death of one of the sport’s most respected and influential coaching minds.
The tributes to the Worcester, Mass. native were rolling in on social media.
“It’s a very sad day for the softball world. He did SO much for women & women’s major fastpitch softball. Thank you for all you did for us Coach- RIP,” Hall of Famer Michele Smith posted on Twitter.
Fellow coaching legend Mike Candrea also took to Twitter to share his condolences.
“Rest In Peace Ralph! Thanks for setting the bar and so glad I had the chance to coach under you! Sending the Raymond family our thoughts and prayers! #GoldStandard.”
Most of the tributes focused on Raymond’s impressive run at the helm of the U.S. national team program but it was his work with the Brakettes that gave him the opportunity to experience Olympic glory.
The Brakettes had won six of the previous 10 ASA major national titles before he took over. He would guide the team to title No. 7 in his first season and by year No. 4 he was leading them to an undefeated season and the first of eight consecutive national titles.
“He’s been with the game for so many years, obviously the Olympic coach and won all the nationals with the Brakettes so he has had a great impact on this game,” current Brakettes manager John Stratton said.
“He could divorce himself from everything else that was going on. He could concentrate on that game and that was the sole thing, nothing else bothered him. He was in complete control of the game all the time.”
Raymond coached 20 members of the National Softball Hall of Fame while winning 93 percent of his games during his time with the Brakettes.
Hall of Famer Sue Enquist reflected on Raymond’s remarkable run in Stratford via social media.
“RIP-To the engineer of Raybestos Brakettes success and world dominance with USASoftball thank you for teaching all of us how to dig really deep into our competitive souls-I love you Ralph Raymond to your Brakette bone marrow! Heaven has their GOLD Medal HEAD COACH! #champdna.”