Legendary Baseball Coaches Celebrate Milestone Season

In a state that claims some of the best baseball programs in the entire country, a couple of schools on West Paces Ferry Road are home to two head coaches who rank among the longest-tenured and most successful in Georgia's history.

Charlie Owens and Jim Jefferson have coached at their schools for over 60 years, combining for nearly 800 wins. They've also produced several talented players, including two chosen in the first round of the Major League Baseball draft  — Pace's Michael Barrett in 1995 and Westminster's Gordon Beckham in 2008.

A baseball lifer, Owens plans to turn in his lineup card at the end of the season and retire as baseball coach at Pace Academy. However, he will remain as a teacher and the chairman of the math department.

"It’s the end of an era. He's a person I have the utmost respect for. He's truly an icon and a class act," said Pace Academy athletic director Kris Palmerton. "We'll remember him with great nostalgia for many years. Good seasons and bad seasons, Charlie has always remained a constant here at Pace Academy."

Owens is an Atlanta native who starred at Sylvan Hills High School as captain of both the football and baseball teams. He went on to a record-setting career as a starting pitcher at Oglethorpe University before taking the head coaching job at Pace Academy in 1968. He also won three-straight state championships, capturing glory in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Incredibly, the Knights won 50 consecutive Class A games during their triple play of state championships from 1993-95.

The team was led by Barrett, who played shortstop in high school before converting to catcher in the pros. He still holds many records at Pace, including single-season batting average (.624) and career batting average (.566).

Pitchers Ben Fowler and Jase Wrigley also starred on those championship teams. Fowler compiled a 34-1 record as the Knights’ ace before signing with the Atlanta Braves out of high school. Wrigley went on to star at Georgia Tech, serving as the Jackets’ co-captain in 1997 and making Second-Team All-ACC in 1998.

"I suppose winning those three state titles is my proudest accomplishment," said Owens.

Just like Owens, Jefferson is a legend at his school with an impressive resume in the dugout.

Jefferson coached the Wildcats to three straight final four appearances from 2000-2002. He is originally from Nashville, Tenn. where he earned a degree from Vanderbilt University.

He later went on to coach at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, where in 1978, he led the team to a state championship and he was named Coach of the Year. He captured his second Coach of the Year award, this time in Georgia, after taking Westminster to the first of its three Final Four games in 2000.

"He's been involved in the program for a long time. He's in the Georgia Dugout Hall of Fame. That’s an elite group and that speaks for itself. He's an outstanding baseball person," said Westminster athletic director Rusty Hudson.

Although no official announcement has been made, Jefferson says he plans to retire after this season. He still enjoys the game and working with kids, but the long hours over the years have taken a toll on him.

"It has been a pleasure to teach and coach at Westminster for so many years," said Jefferson. "I am proud to have taken the team to state playoffs every season, with the exception of my very first year. I have greatly enjoyed the relationships that I've formed with students, players and parents over the years."  

Currently, Westminster boasts a 13-5 record and a 7-2 mark in Region 6-AA. Jefferson earned the 400th win of his remarkable career following a 9-0 rout over Therrell on Monday.

In contrast, Pace has struggled this season, standing at 6-9 and 1-6 in Region 5A-A. However, the future is bright for the Knights, whose roster includes 11 freshmen, five sophomores and two juniors.

"The top three hitters in our order are freshmen,” said Owens, referring to center fielder Raphael Ramirez, second baseman Tripp Conrad and shortstop Jared Datoc. "We may not be able to compete for a championship this year, but there’s no ceiling on what this team can achieve in the next few years."

Both Owens and Jefferson are pillars of the Buckhead community and iconic figures of high school baseball in Georgia. They have had a profound impact on generations of students-athletes at their respective schools and their success goes well beyond the diamond.

"The records speak for themselves, but the thing that has always impressed me most is what gentlemen they both are," said Greater Atlanta Christian School baseball head coach Cliff Shelton, who matched wits with both coaches for decades.

"Early in my career, there was no one I wanted to beat more [than Owens’ Pace teams]. It was intimidating to watch them take infield before the game. They always looked so sharp, so well-coached."