Coach Hanson gets 400th win with Pirates baseball
By Staff Writer on March 30, 2021
Pirates head coach Don Hanson was named 2019 AAA Coach of the Year and his team earned the state championship, making school history that year. This season, he hit a milestone many never make – 400 wins with one team, the Pike County High School baseball team. The Pirates dominated Americus-Sumter 14-3 in the big win on Tuesday, March 23. At their next game, they shut out the same team by a score of 20-0. Coach Hanson has led the Pirates baseball team for 18 years, and under his leadership the team has won 401 games, only losing 129 games in that time. 'There have been so many people, coaches and players who have influenced me – not just over my career – but throughout my life. I'm a very blessed man who loves teaching and coaching young men and women. I truly believe that God has put me in this profession to make a positive difference in their lives,' said Hanson. 'Most people would be surprised how much a player will open up to his coach, once he sees how hard his coach will work for him. You never know what trials a child is going through until they share with you their struggles. We open our hearts and arms to these young men and they walk right in to our lives forever.' Coach Hanson was congratulated by former and current athletes, coaches, teachers and family. 'We are just so proud to see all the hard work pay off for both Don and the community and to see the great strides that Pike County baseball has made as a statewide recognized powerhouse,' said John Hanson who has been the Pirates assistant coach since 2005. Coach Hanson and the Pirates aren't just about winning. In fact, they are collecting donations for Newnan High School after the school was hit by a tornado Friday, March 25. Donations were collected at their home games Tuesday, March 30 and again Wednesday, March 31. Both games start at 5:55 p.m. Tickets are no longer sold at the gate, but fans can go to https://gofan.co/app/school/GA5238 to buy tickets.