Fargo American Legion Baseball Program Taps Alumnus Jeff Fiechtner For Head Coaching Position

Jeff Fiechtner, an alumnus of the Fargo American Legion baseball program, has been hired as the head coach of that storied program. Fiechtner, who starred in the Fargo program in the mid-1970s, becomes the 22nd head coach in the program.s history. Fiechtner played for the Legion team in 1974-76 and was the North Dakota Legion Player of the Year in 1976. And, he was an assistant for the Fargo Legion program on several occasions (1986-88 and 1992-96).

He played collegiately at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona where he helped his team to two NAIA National championships. Fiechtner went on to play professionally in the San Diego Padres organization, reaching the Double- A level, and had a three-year stint in Australia where his teams won three straight national titles.

Fiechtner has been the head baseball coach at Fargo North High School for the past 11 seasons, winning three Eastern Dakota Conference titles, four EDC tournament championships, one state championship (2002), and two state runnerup finishes (2003, 2006). He was the North Dakota High School Coach of the Year in 2006 and the Jiffy Lube Region 5 Coach of the Year in 2002.

He was inducted into the Fargo American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

Fiechtner teaches in the Fargo Public Schools and has a master.s degree from North Dakota State University in educational leadership.

Jeff Fiechtner Biography

He was the cornerstone of the Fargo American Legion program in the mid-1970s (1974-76) when he led Fargo to two State Championships and a combined 96-55 mark behind his power-hitting and pitching performances...He hit .318 for his career at the plate with 17 home runs, 35 doubles, and 127 RBIs (all second all-time on the Fargo lists)...His senior campaign was his best, hitting .350 with 14 doubles, 11 home runs and 58 RBIs while being named both the team Most Valuable Player and the state.s Most Valuable Player...His home run and RBI totals established new Fargo records for a season that have since been broken...His 537 at bats is second all-time and his 171 hits fifth all-time in Fargo history...On the mound, he was exceptional...He fashioned a 21-11 record with a 2.26 ERA over three seasons...He was 9-5 with two saves his senior year with a 1.59 ERA...He is 10th on the career chart for Fargo in appearances (45), eighth in wins (21), seventh in strikeouts (208) and fourth in innings pitched (171 1/3)...Attended junior college at Des Moines Area Community College--Boone Campus where he was All-District and compiled an 18-7 mound record with a 1.96 ERA...He went on to a career at Grand Canyon University in Arizona where his team won back-to-back NAIA national championships in 1980 and 1981...He pitched and won games for Grand Canyon each year in both the Area and National Touranaments...He played two years in the San Diego Padres Organization, reaching the AA level; played four seasons in Western Canadian League where he had a 39-11 mark with a 1.41 ERA including one league championship and the MVP of the league in 1981; and three seasons in Australia where his team won three straight national titles and he was the tournament MVP all three seasons and league MVP his final two seasons...He is a teacher in the Fargo Public Schools where he is the head baseball coach at Fargo North High School, compiling one state championship (2002), two state runnerup finishes (2003, 2006), and one third place finish (2004) over his 11 years...His mark includes three Eastern Dakota Conference championships and four EDC Tournament championships...He is a cancer suvivor, diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1979 and was awarded the Kathy Miller Courage Award in 1980 by the Phoenix Press Club...He has had two stints as an assistant coach with the Fargo American Legion program, the first time from 1986 through 1988 and again from 1993 through 1996.

2008 Fargo Post #2 Legion Baseball Award Winners Announced

Post #2 Most Valuable Player: Max Rusch

Post #2 Rookie of the Year: Christian Barnum

Post #2 Hustle Award: Ben Sand and Brady Meyers

Fargo Post 2 Baseball Facts

• 22 North Dakota State Baseball Championships since 1928
• 3 Central Plains Regional Championships advancing to the American Legion World Series
• Hosted three American Legion World Series at Jack Williams Stadium (1983, 1992, 1995) and will host the 2009 American Legion World Series at Newman Outdoor Field in 2009.

Three Post 2 players have played major league baseball.

• Roger Maris- Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals (1957-1968) **Held MLB Single Season Home Run Record for over 35 years with 61 in 1961**
• Rick Helling- Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Baltomire Orioles and Florida Marlins (1994-2006)
• Chris Coste- Philladelphia Phillies (2006-Present)

Many Post 2 Players have played college and minor league baseball.