HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2010

The Fitchburg State 1961 Baseball Team

In the spring of 1961, the best kept secret on the Fitchburg State campus was the undefeated baseball team. Inclement weather and persistent rain limited outdoor practice and deterred fan attendance throughout the season. Despite this, the 1961 baseball team achieved the first and only perfect season in Fitchburg State baseball history. Dominant pitching, excellent defense, and clutch hitting separated Fitchburg State from the pack. 

Led by Hall of Fame contributor and Coach Robert Elliot, and Hall of Famers Thomas Flynn (captain) and Emile Johnson Jr., Fitchburg State baseball rose to national acclaim.  Fitchburg State led the nation in team pitching, boasting an ERA of 1.19, allowing only 13 earned runs in a 12-game season. Freshman phenom James Herrick led the pitching staff with a 5-0 record, allowing only one run in 37 innings while striking out 38 batters. For more than a decade, Fitchburg State’s 1961 team appeared near the top of the NCAA’s best team pitching.

Thomas Flynn said of his team: “Coach Elliott had a team of heady ballplayers, they were well trained not to beat themselves.”