By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
William Booth takes milestones in stride, especially when those accomplishments cloud the road to a possible state championship.
But this weekend, barring a major meltdown by the Hartselle baseball team in its second-round playoff series with East Limestone, Booth will surpass the 800-win mark at Reuben Sims Field.
Booth’s illustrious prep career started in 1988 when he was hired by then-principal J.P. Cain to take over the Tigers’ program.
Since that first year, Booth has led the Tigers to seven state championships, including last year’s title run that featured a state-record 50 wins.
Booth’s win total is nothing short of phenomenal in the state of Alabama. No coach in state history has ever won 800 games in a career.
Several years ago, when Booth became the winningest coach in Alabama High School Athletic Association history, few thought Booth would stay in the dugout to claim the 800th win.
Still, after 22 years at the helm of the Hartselle program, Booth doesn’t appear to be any closer to retirement.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Booth, who shakes off talk of retirement, will be celebrating his 1,000th victory in the next five years.
Don’t look for the legendary coach to make a run at the national wins record, however. Gene Schultz of Lansing Kee, Iowa entered this season with 1,602 victories since 1969.
The 2010 season has certainly been filled with its ups and downs for Booth. Just a year removed from adding another championship banner to the massive outfield wall at Reuben Sims Field, the Tigers opened the season with a 1-12 record.
The defending state champions haven’t made an appearance in the Alabama Sports Writers Association baseball poll this season, but the Tigers still have moved within eight wins of a state championship.
The 800 wins is nice and it will surely be celebrated when the Tigers put the game in the record books. But Booth would probably be more than willing to give up the milestone for another state championship banner.
Sports editor Todd Thompson can be reached at 773-6566 or at todd.thompson@hartselleenquirer.com