Gophers Pitching Coach Todd Oakes Dies At 55
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- Minnesota pitching coach Todd Oakes died Thursday after a four-year battle with leukemia. He was 55.
The school announced his death and Terri Oakes wrote on her husband's CaringBridge page that he died "surrounded by his family with a cross in his hand and his favorite music playing." Todd Oakes had been placed in home hospice care last week.
"He was a servant leader, a person of strong faith — family and friends, relationships, were really important to him — and he was a person always giving back and trying to help others. He made our program better, he's made me a better person, coach, husband, father. He'll be missed," Gophers coach John Anderson said in Omaha, Nebraska, after his team lost 3-2 to Michigan in a Big Ten Tournament elimination game.
Oakes joined the Gophers coaching staff in 1999, and 26 of his pitchers were drafted by major league teams, including three-time All-Star Glen Perkins with the Twins.
Minnesota won its first Big Ten regular-season title since 2010 last Saturday, and Anderson took the trophy to Oakes' home.
Senior Ty McDevitt said Oakes developed close relationships with all of the pitchers he coached.
"It was his everyday presence," McDevitt said. "He made you feel comfortable. I came into the program five years ago and thought I was going to be a pro pitcher. I wanted to learn how to throw the nastiest slider in the world, wanted to throw 95 and do nothing but get guys out. I sit here today and couldn't care less about that stuff. He taught me way, way more important stuff. I'm one of many in that boat."
In addition to his wife, Oakes is survived by three sons.
Some Gophers coaches and administrators took to Twitter to offer their condolences.
Met Coach Oaks in coaches bible study. The elder statesman us young coaches needed. His Faith & Wisdom impacted my life. Rest In Peace T.O.
— William Glasscock (@BillyGlasscock4) May 26, 2016
My thoughts and prayers go out to the Oakes family. Special person. pic.twitter.com/YAkHK6Gp1b
— Richard Pitino (@MNCoachPitino) May 26, 2016
A legend, a man of Christ, a game changer, a second father to many... You are one of a kind! RIP T.O. #25@GopherBaseball
— Alisha Perkins (@anwperkins) May 26, 2016
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