1953 Duke Blue Devils baseball team

The 1953 Duke Blue Devils baseball team represented Duke University in the 1953 NCAA baseball season. The Blue Devils played their home games at Jack Coombs Field. The team was coached by Ace Parker in his 1st year at Duke.

1953 Duke Blue Devils baseball
Southern Conference Tournament champions District III champions
College World Series, T-5th
Conference	Southern Conference
Division	Southern
Record	22–10 (9–5 SoCon)
Head coach	Ace Parker (1st season)
Captain	Billy Lea (Senior year)
Home stadium	Jack Coombs Field

1953 Southern Conference baseball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Northern
George Washington  x‍‍‍	8	–	2		.800				–			–
Maryland  ‍‍‍	8	–	2		.800			16	–	7		.696
Richmond  ‍‍‍	5	–	5		.500			9	–	9		.500
Virginia Tech  ‍‍‍	4	–	5		.444			6	–	7		.462
VMI  ‍‍‍	4	–	5		.444				–			–
Washington and Lee  ‍‍‍	3	–	6		.333				–			–
West Virginia  ‍‍‍	2	–	5		.286				–			–
William & Mary  ‍‍‍	2	–	6		.250				–			–
Southern
North Carolina  x‍‍‍	11	–	3		.786			19	–	8		.704
Duke  ‍‍‡‍y	9	–	5		.643			22	–	10		.688
Clemson  ‍‍‍	10	–	6		.625			11	–	6		.647
Wake Forest  ‍‍‍	8	–	5		.615			15	–	5		.750
NC State  ‍‍‍	7	–	6		.538				–			–
Furman  ‍‍‍	7	–	8		.467				–			–
The Citadel  ‍‍‍	7	–	10		.412				–			–
South Carolina  ‍‍‍	7	–	11		.389				–			–
Davidson  ‍‍‍	0	–	12		.000				–			–
x – Division champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the College World Series As of June 30, 1953 Rankings from Collegiate Baseball

The Blue Devils won the District III playoff to advanced to the College World Series, where they were defeated by the Boston College Eagles.

Roster

1953 Duke Blue Devils baseball team
Players	Coaches
# Pos. Name B/T Height Weight Year Home town Dick Brewer / — — So Charlie Carter / — — P George Carver / — — Sr Gordon Clapp / — — Jr Carl Dickey / — — Bill Donigan / — — INF W. D. Fesperman / — — So Johnny Gibbons / — — Sr Billy Goodman / — — Earle Hannel / — — Dick Kreutzer / — — So Bill Lea / — — Sr Lynchburg, Virginia Bob Leclercq / — — So RHP Joe Lewis /R — — Jr OF Red Smith / — — Jr Don Snowberger / — — So New Brighton, Pennsylvania OF Al Spangler / — — C John Tarr / — — Jr Ray Weddle / — — INF Bill Werber / — — Sr	Head coach Ace Parker Assistant coach(es) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Current redshirt

Schedule

1953 Duke Blue Devils baseball game log
Regular season
March (3–2) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SoCon Record 1 March 25  at Furman Unknown • Greenville, South Carolina 4–5 0–1 0–1 2 March 26  at Clemson Riggs Field • Clemson, South Carolina 5–4 1–1 1–1 3 March 27  at Davidson Unknown • Davidson, North Carolina 11–2 2–1 2–1 4 March 30  Penn Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 11–3 3–1 2–1 5 March 31  Penn Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 5–6 3–2 2–1
April (8–3) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SoCon Record 6 April 1  Lehigh Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 17–14 4–2 2–1 7 April 2  Michigan State Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 1–0 5–2 2–1 8 April 3  Michigan State Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 7–3 6–2 2–1 9 April 4  Williams Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 2–7 6–3 2–1 10 April 11  Wake Forest Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 8–4 7–3 3–1 11 April 15  at NC State Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina 12–4 8–3 4–1 12 April 18  Davidson Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 15–4 9–3 5–1 13 April 21  at North Carolina Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina 2–5 9–4 5–2 14 April 22  at Wake Forest Unknown • Winston-Salem, North Carolina 1–4 9–5 5–3 15 April 25  NC State Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 23–3 10–5 6–3 16 April 28  at Navy Unknown • Annapolis, Maryland 4–1 11–5 6–3
May (3–2) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SoCon Record 17 May 2  South Carolina Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 4–0 12–5 7–3 18 May 4  at North Carolina Emerson Field • Chapel Hill, North Carolina 4–2 13–5 8–3 19 May 5  at NC State Riddick Stadium • Raleigh, North Carolina 0–5 13–6 8–4 20 May 8  Wake Forest Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 4–1 14–6 9–4 21 May 9  North Carolina Jack Coombs Field • Durham, North Carolina 1–3 14–7 9–5
Postseason
Southern Conference Tournament (3–0) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SoCon Record 22 May 14  vs George Washington Devereaux Meadow • Raleigh, North Carolina 6–4 15–7 9–5 23 May 15  vs North Carolina Devereaux Meadow • Raleigh, North Carolina 7–2 16–7 9–5 24 May 16  vs North Carolina Devereaux Meadow • Raleigh, North Carolina 8–4 17–7 9–5
District III Playoff (4–1) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SoCon Record 25 June 2 vs Mississippi State Unknown • Charlotte, North Carolina 9–1 18–7 9–5 26 June 3 vs Georgia Unknown • Charlotte, North Carolina 4–9 18–8 9–5 27 June 3  vs Mississippi State Unknown • Charlotte, North Carolina 5–4 19–8 9–5 28 June 4  vs Georgia Unknown • Charlotte, North Carolina 9–1 20–8 9–5 29 June 4  vs Georgia Unknown • Charlotte, North Carolina 11–3 21–8 9–5
College World Series (1–2) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record SoCon Record 30 June 11 vs Texas Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 1–2 21–9 9–5 31 June 12 vs Colorado State Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 3–2 22–9 9–5 32 June 13 vs Boston College Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 6–7 22–10 9–5