CMU Honors Theunissen Family
5/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan baseball program honored the late Bill Theunissen before Sunday's game with Miami (Ohio) at the stadium bearing the name of the former Chippewa coach.
Members of the Theunissen family were on hand for the ceremony, having recently established the Theunissen Family CMU Baseball Endowment.
Bill Theunissen, who died in April, 2015 at the age of 89, is often referred to as the "Father of CMU baseball." As a student-athlete at CMU, Theunissen lettered in baseball, basketball and golf and went on to coach the CMU baseball program for 10 years until the early 1960s. Both of his sons, Mike and Chris, played baseball at CMU as did his grandson, Nate.
Bill Theunissen later became the dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation before serving as the dean of the reorganized School of Education, Health and Human Services.
"This is something that honors Bill and his wife Dottie," CMU coach Steve Jaksa said.
The endowment is the fifth tied to the CMU baseball program. Dottie was joined on the field on Sunday by the couple's children, Chris, Lorraine, Mike and Rick, along with grandson Nate.
"It's perpetual," Jaksa said. "The name evokes an idea, a feeling. We're very excited about, and we're very appreciative for, what the Theunissen family has meant to CMU baseball, and for what it continues to mean."