Bowling Green State University Athletics
Hall Of Famer Diefenthaler Passes Away
January 08, 2014 | Baseball, General
BGSU Athletics sends its condolences to the friends and family of Athletics Hall of Famer Wade Diefenthaler, who passed away on Jan. 3. He graduated from BGSU in 1959 and 1962, and was inducted into the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.
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Diefenthaler was a Falcon baseball standout, earning three letters from 1957-59. He was a first team All-MAC selection as a junior and a third-team district IV pick the same season. That season, he tossed a no-hitter against eventual MAC champ Ohio University, handing the Bobcats their only league loss. Diefenthaler became the first BG pitcher to toss a no-hitter in a MAC game. He had a 6-2 mark as a senior with a 3.08 ERA to earn additional All-MAC accolades. Diefenthaler also led the team in hitting in `59, with a batting average of .400. He started every Friday game in every MAC series during his three years of eligibility, completing 16 of those 18 games, and was a two-time team MVP.
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Upon graduation, Diefenthaler had several offers from professional teams, but turned them down to begin his career in education. He received his master's degree from BGSU in 1962, and taught at Old Orchard School (a junior high) in Toledo for seven years while also coaching. He then spent 10 years as a principal at Oakdale School in Toledo and one year as principal at Spring School, also in Toledo, and spent nearly a decade and a half as attendance officer in the Toledo School system.
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Diefenthaler spent a total of 32 years working in the Toledo Public School system, as a truant officer as well as a teacher and principal. In addition to his athletic achievements at BG, Diefenthaler played 12 seasons (1955-66) of semi-pro baseball in the Federation League in Toledo, playing in 11 state tournaments and two American Amateur Baseball Congress tourneys (the top amateur tournament in the country). Diefenthaler was inducted into the Lake High School Hall of Fame in 1983.
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Diefenthaler is survived by his wife and their five children along with his 11 grandchildren.
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Diefenthaler was a Falcon baseball standout, earning three letters from 1957-59. He was a first team All-MAC selection as a junior and a third-team district IV pick the same season. That season, he tossed a no-hitter against eventual MAC champ Ohio University, handing the Bobcats their only league loss. Diefenthaler became the first BG pitcher to toss a no-hitter in a MAC game. He had a 6-2 mark as a senior with a 3.08 ERA to earn additional All-MAC accolades. Diefenthaler also led the team in hitting in `59, with a batting average of .400. He started every Friday game in every MAC series during his three years of eligibility, completing 16 of those 18 games, and was a two-time team MVP.
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Upon graduation, Diefenthaler had several offers from professional teams, but turned them down to begin his career in education. He received his master's degree from BGSU in 1962, and taught at Old Orchard School (a junior high) in Toledo for seven years while also coaching. He then spent 10 years as a principal at Oakdale School in Toledo and one year as principal at Spring School, also in Toledo, and spent nearly a decade and a half as attendance officer in the Toledo School system.
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Diefenthaler spent a total of 32 years working in the Toledo Public School system, as a truant officer as well as a teacher and principal. In addition to his athletic achievements at BG, Diefenthaler played 12 seasons (1955-66) of semi-pro baseball in the Federation League in Toledo, playing in 11 state tournaments and two American Amateur Baseball Congress tourneys (the top amateur tournament in the country). Diefenthaler was inducted into the Lake High School Hall of Fame in 1983.
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Diefenthaler is survived by his wife and their five children along with his 11 grandchildren.
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