LCSC decides it’s payback time

This story was published in the March 30, 1993, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.

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Accepting honors has become an integral part of Dwight Church’s coaching repertoire, and so has down playing personal recognition.

But the venerable Church can’t sidestep the many distinctions and awards which mark an illustrious career now in its fifth decade. Nor can he disregard his extended impact on baseball, whether through direct contact or continued support.

It is a combination of both for which he will be lauded Thursday, as Lewis-Clark State College offers a “Tribute to Dwight Church.”

The 6:15 p.m. ceremony, preceding L-C’s game against Washington State at Harris Field, will honor Church as a distinguished graduate and recognize his longtime support of his alma mater.

“Dwight’s influence on our athletic program, and baseball in particular, has been tremendous,” L-C athletic director Gary Picone says. “He’s a fixture in Lewiston, at Lewis-Clark State College and in baseball around the region, period. There’s not a person that’s been involved with Dwight who hasn’t benefited from his example.”

Yet Church, in his self-effacing manner, maintains he is the one who has profited from an extended association with Lewis-Clark State — known as the North Idaho College of Education when he was enrolled there. The former Lewiston High School coach and present mentor of the Lewis-Clark Twins American Legion team says, in so many words, that he owes his livelihood to the institution.

“It was a great little school, and it still is,” Church says.

“It gave me a good education, and for that I’ve always been grateful. I’ve got a lot of pride in that place.”

Church, now 67, enrolled at N.I.C.E. in spring of 1946 following a three-year tour of duty in the Navy. The Lewiston native — Church actually was born in Spokane but moved to Lewiston at age 2 — participated in baseball, football and basketball at the school and, after two summers of pro baseball in the St. Louis Browns organization, finished his degree in 1951.

“We had an excellent baseball team,” recalls Church, who played outfield and pitcher for the independent ballclub, which scheduled schools such as Washington State, Idaho and Whitworth. “Anytime they wanted a game, especially early in the spring, they’d call us up and come on over the hill.”

Church particularly remembers one such visit by a Washington State team coached by Buck Bailey and featuring an All-America shortstop named Chuck (Bobo) Brayton, who is now in his 32nd year of coaching the Cougars.

“Here they are, (Northwest Division) league champs and headed to the playoffs — and we beat them 7-0,” Church says with a sense of satisfaction that spans the 40-plus years. “Yeah, we were a pretty good team.”

And he’s taken great pride in watching L-C get better over the decades, a pattern which maybe not so coincidentally has paralleled the success of his high school and American Legion teams.

Church, who coached at Lewiston High School from 1960 to 1989 — he still serves as a volunteer assistant — sent 56 LHS players on to L-C, including two of his sons, Dave and Duane.

But the number of Church-groomed players that have plied their talents for the Warriors is much greater, as the Lewis-Clark Twins included players from both Lewiston and Clarkston until just recently.

Church, who will enter his 38th year at the Twins’ helm this summer, has also had a number of Lewis-Clark State players serve as his assistants, among them Clarkston product and current L-C assistant coach Chad Miltenberger and Brandy Bengoechea, presently the Warriors’ shortstop.

Another Church protege, of sorts, is Warrior coach Ed Cheff, who was a Twins assistant in 1989.

“That was quite a summer,” says Church.

, whose relationship with Cheff dates back to the early 1960s when the latter was coach of the Kelso-Longview American Legion team. “Ed taught me a lot. We’re still teaching his hitting philosophies, but we haven’t got it down like (the Warriors) do yet.”

Since his playing days, Church has not been involved in an official capacity with Lewis-Clark State baseball, but frequently attends practices and on occasion has accompanied the Warrior staff to coaching clinics.

Many of his contributions have come as a member of the Dugout Club, an organization that primarily focuses on improvements at Harris Field, which also serves as the Twins’ home facility.

“Every kid that’s been a member of the (Twins) program has benefited from the use of Harris Field,” Church says. “The school and the baseball staff have always been given us all kinds of cooperation, so I like to keep involved and do what I can.”

Church’s players, however, are his greatest endowment to Lewis-Clark State. Individuals such as Dave and Doug Blume, Rusty Harris, Mike Murphy and Scott Baldwin have played pivotal roles in a program which has developed into the most dominant presence in college baseball, if not all of contemporary collegiate sports.

“It’s a great thing to see your kids stay home, get an education and be part of a great program,” Church said. “A majority of the kids we’ve sent there did a tremendous job, while some went above and beyond and become team captains, All-Americans or whatever. It’s nice to think you played a little part in that.”

And for such, Lewis-Clark State will offer its thanks.