"I owe so much to coach Crawford. I had two men that I looked up to in my life. One was my Dad and the other was Coach," wrote current St. David baseball coach Ron Goodman."

"He taught me that it did not matter what your stature was, it was how big your heart was. I coach the Tigers because of this man. I only hope that I can make a difference in young men's lives as Coach did in mine. I still use many of the principles he taught me as a young man. Always give it your best no matter what. I will miss those famous words, 'Go Get'em Partner.'

"Love you Coach thank for all you have done for many young men."

Jim Crawford coached St. David to 15 of the school's 17 championships and he also coached the Tigers to four football tiles along the way.

He won his first championship in 1965 and his last 37 years later.

 

St. David Championships

1965: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1966: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1967: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1980: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1984: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1986: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1987: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1988: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1989: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1990: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1991: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1993: 1A (Jim Crawford)

1997: 1A (John Sands)

2000: 1A (Jim Crawford)

2001: 1A (Jim Crawford)

2002: 1A (Jim Crawford)

2012: D-IV (Ron Goodman)

 

The Tucson Citizen interviewed Crawford after his last title in 2002:

“You always remember the first one (1965),” he told the late Ken Brazzle. “There was the one we won against Maricopa (1980). They pitched a no-hitter and we beat them 2-1. We have a freshman on this year’s team whose dad was on that team. He made a running catch of a fly ball to save a run.

“But nothing compares to the climax of this one.”

Bowdie Gill hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the seventh with two outs to provide the dramatics in that 2002 championship game.

Former Tucson-area sportscaster Scott Kilbury wrote this on his Facebook page early this morning:

"He was simply known to all as Coach, but he was so much more. Jim Crawford mentored hundreds of young men and women, he was a principal and even the mayor of Benson for some time. He was the best man at my wedding, a wonderful husband to my Mom and Dad to me, my three sisters and nephew. He passed away today at the age of 85. God bless his soul"

Services have yet to be determined.