A new era for UNLV baseball

Tim Graham

Tuesday, Sept. 10, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

When Rod Soesbe gathered the UNLV baseball team around him Monday afternoon behind Wilson Stadium, he made an announcement that was months in the making.

He was going to have to hold off another 24 hours, however, to hear the words for which he's waited 12 years.

Soesbe told the team that 23-year head coach Fred Dallimore's expected retirement was official, then went on to tell them that this afternoon's press conference at the Lied Athletic Complex would name him, a Rebel assistant since 1985, Dallimore's successor.

"He's been here 27 years and I've been with him 12," Soesbe told the informal gathering. "It's a tough situation to come in here and talk to you guys like this. It's tough for me to talk to you about him.

"But this thing's been coming down for a while. Now it's changed. But a lot of things he did won't change. We'll go on."

The 49-year-old Soesbe, who previously was head coach at Yavapai (Ariz.) Junior College and Lee (Texas) Junior College, was UNLV's third base coach and was responsible for hitting and infield instruction.

Now he'll lead the nationally-recognized Rebels into a new era as it enters the Western Athletic Conference.

"When Fred brought me in here, he told me if I was loyal to him and if everything worked out, that I could follow him," Soesbe said. "Fred kept his word to me.

"It's something I really want to do, but I hate to see Fred leave. You just have to remember not to step on those shoes but step into them and keep going in the right direction. But those shoes are so big it might take two steps just to move those damn things."

Dallimore claims his right-hand man was the only choice UNLV's athletic department could make.

"It's a good choice," Dallimore said. "He knows the system and he's a hard worker. He's a winner. He deserves the shot. He deserves to be the next guy."

The Rebels' other coach, Jim Pace, agrees.

"I think it's a great move for the university to name him," said Pace, who is expected to move into the No. 1 assistant's role vacated by Soesbe. "The whole reason he came here was to succeed Fred and I'm just glad it happened that way because it doesn't all the time. There'd be some upset people here in town and alumni if Rod hadn't been named."

While Dallimore is happy for his former right-hand man, he didn't plan to attend today's press conference.

"This is a new era of Rebel baseball," Dallimore said. "I'll sit in the back and let the smoke clear, and then I'll move on with my life. But they know I'll be here for them if they need me."

While there are personality differences between Dallimore and Soesbe, the players don't think there will be many changes on the field when fall practice begins Sept. 19.

"Dallimore was a throwback. He was hard-nosed," sophomore infielder Henry Jones said. "With him it was either his way or no way, but Soesbe is more of a players' coach.

"But they've been together for a long time in the same program. It'll be a real smooth transition."

Green Valley grad Kevin Eberwein, a standout first baseman as a freshman last year, agreed.

"Dallimore's a great coach, but so is Soesbe," he said. "With him taking over it'll be OK. He'll be a little nervous at first, but after fall ball he'll be all right."

The only differences Dallimore foresees will come as a result of UNLV being without his experience.

"The program's not going to miss a lick, except maybe the 20, 30 hours a week I put in on the field and the money I raised on the side," Dallimore said.

"But the future for that program is bright."