Joyful sendoff
Curtis celebrated for 42 years as J-M baseball coach
JEFFERSON — John Curtis looked around at the many people at Jefferson Volunteer Fire Department last Saturday and seemed amazed.
“It’s just … wow,” Curtis said.
Curtis was being celebrated for his 42 years as head coach of Jefferson-Morgan’s baseball team and former players and friends from several different eras attended his retirement party.
“It’s awesome just seeing the guys from 1981 to 2026,” said Curtis, who then chuckled and added, “I can’t explain it. It’s like, those guys really liked me? They thought I knew what I was doing? OK. It was great.”
Curtis rang up 424 victories, the last of which was a WPIAL playoff win over Union, 6-2, on May 11 at Ross Memorial Park. His final game came on May 15 in a 4-1 loss at the same park to eventual district finalist Greensburg Central Catholic. The Rockets were 12-9 during his final season.
“I’m really going to miss it, the games, the guys, the relationships,” Curtis said. “I not going to miss the 300 batting practice pitches and the 3,800 fungoes because your back just gets a little bit tired,” he added with a laugh. “I knew it was time to get out when a saw a couple of my former players on social security. It’s definitely time to go then.”
Curtis coached the Rockets from 1981 to 2003 before moving over to Penn State Fayette as an assistant coach for three years. He returned as head baseball coach at Jefferson-Morgan in 2007 and held that role until this season when he announced his retirement. He’s coached baseball for 45 consecutive years and was a longtime coach of J-M’s golf team as well.
Curtis’ wife Cindy, sons and former players AJ and Tom, and several grandchildren were in attendance as was former player and good friend Dave Bates.
“Dave and my wife put this together and I’m very appreciative of that,” Curtis said. “I’ll be around. We’re going to travel a lot, though, watching all my grandkids play in Florida and North Carolina.”
Curtis noted Tom’s son Tanner was part of a 13-and-under championship Little League All-Star team in Lutz, Florida.
“He has more rings than I do,” Curtis said with a laugh, which wasn’t entirely true.
Curtis, a 1975 Penn State graduate, played a key role on Penn State Fayette’s 2004 team as a coach under Joe Gessner. The Roaring Lions went 29-2 in winning the program’s lone PSUAC title. That team was inducted into the Fayette County Ăĺ±±˝űµŘ Hall of Fame two years ago.
Curtis led the Rockets into the postseason 18 times and reached the WPIAL semifinals in 1986, 1995, 2001 and 2017. The 1986 squad finished third in the WPIAL and won a PIAA game to place fifth in the state.
Curtis chuckled and was emotional at times as he sat through several stories from speakers at Saturday’s event, including former players Kirt Virgin, who served as MC, Chuck Coles, Dale Davis, Drew Adams of his 2026 team, Scott Whetsell, son AJ, Chris Grainey, Jeff Jento, Bob Greenlee, Scott Venick and Bates along with longtime J-M athletic director Scott Moore,
“I want to thank everybody that came today,” said Curtis who is a 1970 Carmichaels graduate. “It just really makes you feel good to see all these people here for you. It’s a good way to go out.”
Clippings and memorabilia were scattered across a stage near banners honoring Curtis’ win total and playoff teams. Former players were presented with a commemorative t-shirt.
“Decorations and that were all Cindy and Kim Coles,” said Bates, who presented Curtis with a personalized bat.
“It was good to have all these guys come back,” Bates said. “We had done something like this back in 2008 and had a really good turnout with it. We kind of talked about maybe making it an annual or semi-annual thing but it’s just so hard to do.
“But this year we realized this, 42, was going to be it for him so we thought we needed to do something for him. We have close to 100 people here tonight.”
Bates talked about his relationship with Curtis.
“I played for him during my high school career and then I coached against him for 11 years when I was Carmichaels and three more years when I was at Mapletown,” Bates said. “We’ve gone at it a few times, but we’ve grown to be great friends.
“I always say, if I have to lose to anybody it might as well be John Curtis. We were always there for each other. The Greene County teams have always been like that and that’s made it that much more special.”
“It all seemed to go by so fast,” Curtis said in summation. “It was a great ride and this here tonight is something I’ll never forget.”