For the man who quietly asked for the game ball following his 400th career victory as Jeff Reese, the baseball coach at New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, did he was predictably modest about his recent milestone.

Reese will be inducted into the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on Oct. 24. He will be inducted as part of the sixth Hall of Fame class which includes Sleepy Eye’s Dan Boetler, Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin’s Al Cassidy, Minneapolis Washburn’s Jim Cosgrove, St.Paul Harding’s Tim Kiemel, Sr., Marshall’s Jim Muchlinski, Maple Lake’s Gary Porter and New Ulm Cathedral’s Stan Wilfahrt.

Reese kept the whole thing mum, not even telling Al Schultz, who has spent the past 19 years as his assistant coach. Schultz didn’t find out until he attended a Minnesota State High School League meeting.

Reese has spent his entire 31-year coaching career in New Richland, the place where he grew up and played his high school baseball. He owns a career record of 423-212, a .666 winning percentage. He ranks 10th in Minnesota for all-time wins and is fourth among active coaches.

He joins an illustrious group with many members scattered throughout southern Minnesota. One in particular is Tink Larson, the Waseca coaching legend who has had an influence over Reese and his career.

“It’s kind of unexpected. Usually it seems like when you’re retired that’s when you get chosen,” Reese said. “I got a feeling a guy up north here (referring to Larson) had a hand in it. I like to consider him my mentor because he’s been very successful and knows his baseball.”

The two, although almost always adversaries on the diamond, have known each since Reese started playing high school ball. While opponents on the field, the two are close off and help each other throughout the season with various baseball situations.

“We’ve been more than happy to share what we do in different situations,” Larson said. “I know we’ve learned just as much from him as he has from us.”

Reese has built a competitive team year-in and year-out and his consistency speaks volumes of his coaching ability.

“His record stands for itself,” Schultz said. “To Jeff’s credit he does a good job teaching these guys.”

It’s said that a coach doesn’t win games — players do — but Reese’s aggressive techniques and trick plays have certainly led to a few victories throughout the years.

This past season Reese’s team was struggling and was facing a winless Kenyon-Wanamingo team. With NRHEG hanging onto a one-run lead and a runner on first with two away, Reese called for a trick play. The pitcher and first baseman faked an overthrow to first and the pitcher tagged the runner trying to get to second.

“I was probably kind of a jerk early on when I think back on the stuff I used to do,” Reese said. “Now I feel a little more compassion or something.”

Despite his tendency to use a trick play or two, he has remained a class individual whose earnestness is apparent quickly.

“He’s a very humble guy,” Larson said. “You don’t hear him bragging about all the games he’s won and the titles he’s won.”

Reese came on as head coach in 1979 as a 24-year-old fresh out of college. In his first year his team was in the Class 1A section semifinals against Spring Grove. It was a game that featured current Gophers pitching coach and former San Francisco Giants reliever Todd Oakes. Oakes threw a complete game five-hitter and struck out 14 as Spring Grove beat New Richland-Hartland 8-4. It was the only defeat the then-Cardinals had during the season.

When Reese started coaching he wasn’t much older than his players. Now after his 31st year of coaching he has started to see the second generation of players come through his program.

Former players are around to help with coaching duties, Nick Johannson is the pitching coach.

“I think his personality is such that the kids like to play for him,” Larson said.

Reese said some of his greatest satisfaction comes from keeping in touch with the many players that have taken the field for him.

“Baseball’s been pretty good to me,” Reese said.

An oft-uttered phrase, but it’s meaning rings especially true for Reese.