About Inductee

Steve Peterson, born in Berkeley, Illinois, moved to Huntsville, Alabama, in the eighth grade, when his father was transferred to Redstone Arsenal. He attended Lee High School where he was an outstanding football player but he is best remembered for being the catcher on the 1969 Lee Baseball Team that went undefeated. After graduation, he went to Columbia State Community College to play baseball and later transferred to Jacksonville State and played on Coach Rudy Abbots first College World Series Team. Steve was an assistant coach under John Stanford at Middle Tennessee from 1976 through 1978, earning his Masters Degree in 1977. In 1978, he took over as the Head Baseball Coach at Roane State Community College in Harriman, Tennessee. At Roane State, from 1979-1984, his teams won a Tennessee State title in 1981, and he was twice named TJCAA Coach of the Year. In 1985, he returned to Middle Tennessee as an assistant coach for two years before taking over the Head Coaching Position in 1988. Steve began his 21st season as the all-time winningest coach at Middle Tennessee in 2009. Petersons drive for excellence has resulted in the schools success and has made Middle Tennessee a model program. He has led the Blue Raiders to 10 regular season conference championships, eight conference titles, and seven NCAA Regional berths. During Petersons 21 seasons at Middle Tennessee, he has a record of 663 wins 531 losses and 3 ties; he has produced 13 seasons with 30 or more wins, including a school record of 42 wins in 1990. Peterson also has three campaigns of at least 40 wins, including 2004s 40 and 22 record. Steve says, There is not a game, practice, or meeting that goes by without my feeling the influence of my former mentors, Coach Vernon at Davis Hills; Keith Wilson, Max Burleson and John Dudley of Lee High; Slick McGinnis of Babe Ruth Baseball; Dave Hall and Jim Painter of Columbia State; Rudy Abbot at Jacksonville State and the many summers with Coach Jim Talley and the Huntsville Independents. Most important of all are the opportunities my parents presented me in athletics and my wife, Rita, has provided me in our home, for me to do what I have a passion for and that is to coach baseball. This award is the direct result of the success of my former teammates, players, and coaches.