Bucky Burgau Honored for Induction into Minnesota Legion Baseball Hall of Fame

MOORHEAD, Minn. (KVRR)–Bucky Burgau and baseball — there are not many things that go together better. For Bucky, baseball is home.

“The baseball field is [my family’s] lake home and every time that I could put [the Moorhead Blues] uniform on, or the Cobber uniform on, and walk out [on the field] and be part of this game is a special time for me,” said Bucky.

The Bucky smile is as contagious as they come. This past Sunday (July 7) there were several reasons why it was showing.

A plaque was presented to honor Bucky’s induction into the Minnesota Legion baseball Hall of Fame and he shared it with his family and former players in attendance.

Bucky coached Post 21 from 1973 to 1999 and led the Blues to their last state and regional championship in 1988. That same year, Moorhead got fourth place in the American Legion baseball World Series. As he is honored for his career. Bucky says he did not do it alone.

“Every step of the way, The Moorhead blues or the Cobbers have been with me,” said Bucky. “Penny, my wife, has shared the wins and then sat with me for the losses and encouraged me all the way and she was just a big part of this [honor] as I was.”

In addition to his time with the Blues, Bucky was the coach for the Concordia Cobbers baseball team for 36 years. He ended his head coaching career as the all-time winningest coach in Cobbers history and the conference he coached in. 711 total wins and 400 wins and the MIAC.

Bucky’s legacy will live on for years to come in Moorhead. After being honored for his Legion coaching career, the field where the Concordia baseball team plays Dawns his name: Bucky Burgau Field.

With his legendary accomplishments with both the Cobbers and Post 21, Bucky shares this message for the current and future Legion baseball players:

“There’s a special place in my heart for the American Legion baseball code of sportsmanship and what it means and what it stands for,” said Bucky. “For every player, when they recite that before tournament games, when they listen to those words really closely there’s a great deal of meaning… not only on the baseball field, but in life as well. Secondly, the old legion guys when I first got this job. They taught me a lot about the flag and what it means. It was my job then to portray that to our players and how important the people that sacrificed and the families that sacrifice so that we can be free and play this wonderful game.”

Truly great advice from a coaching legend.

Bucky is still very involved with the Cobbers baseball program. He was even seen doing groundskeeping work at the field that dawns his name this summer.