Coach Port
It is with a sad, and heavy heart that I write these words. At 6am this morning, August. 20th 2011 we lost one of the great college baseball coaches, Chalmers Port. Coach Port was a great baseball coach, evident by his career winning percentage, and his leading the only military school to the College World Series. In addition to losing a great coach of baseball, we have lost a great coach of men. I was fortunate to be a part of Coach Port’s last three years at The Citadel, and I know that part of who I am today is directly related to Coach Port. The older I get the more I realize the greatness of the man who combined psychology with humor, responsibility with teamwork, and personal growth with accountability. Coach Port was tough in the way he challenged every individual to think when it was time to think, and to perform when it was time to perform. He created a mentally tough team from immature boys, by reading psychology books to us in team meetings, challenging the slower guys to think faster, fatter guys to think leaner, and weaker guys to think stronger. He knew each player’s strengths and weaknesses, and he persistently pushed to minimize the physical weaknesses by strengthening us mentally. For the select few, lucky enough to walk into the baseball locker room as boys, through the coaching of Chal Port, we left as men. The Citadel’s mission is to create the whole man in honor, duty, and integrity, and I would trust my life to any member of the long grey line. While I am honored to be a member of this elite group, I am even more blessed to have known coach Port and to have been coached by him. Hats off to a great man, a great baseball coach, and a great coach of men, thank you. May your memory be eternal.
Chal Port Obituary and Memorial
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/charleston/obituary.aspx?n=chalmers-marshall-port&pid=153189874
