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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 22, 2004 Pilots go with Hank Munn By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Former St. Mary's High head baseball coach Hank Munn has been hired to coach Ashland's American Legion A baseball team. Munn, 35, who led St. Mary's to the 1995 Class 2A state quarterfinals, was offered the job Saturday, after the Pilots' first choice had to give up the job for health reasons. Munn takes over a team that missed the Area 4 playoffs last season after winning just five games. "I'm looking forward to it," said Munn, the 1995 Southern Cascade Conference Coach of the Year. "I've done some legion in the past, so I'm looking forward to getting back into it." Besides his stint at St. Mary's, Munn coached the South Medford Colts American Legion A squad, was an assistant on the 1998 Phoenix High team that won the 1998 state title and was an assistant at College of the Siskiyous from 2000 through '03. Munn takes over for Scott Nelson, who stepped down after his first season at the helm. Ashland American Legion board president Bob Del Carlo originally offered the job three weeks ago to Ashland native Bill James. James accepted, but found out a week later that he was facing a long recovery from a surgery to remove blood clots from his legs. "I didn't want to turn it down," James said. "It's been a dream of mine to come back." That left Munn, who Del Carlo says is well qualified. "It seemed like they were both equal as far as coaching and interest in Ashland baseball," Del Carlo said, "but Bill had a relationship with (Ashland High coach) Jason Robustelli. Same kind of offense, same kind of baseball philosophy, and since he had that relationship with Jason, we wanted to foster that. "I'm happy about the decision. Either one of them would have been great." Munn said he understands that the Pilots are basically a farm system for the high school and the AAA Medford Mustangs, but added that winning will also be high on his priority list. "I've never been good at losing," he said. "I will groom them, but we will try and win ball games and see if we can qualify for the state playoffs." The Pilots open their 2004 season June 11. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams