Mark Marquess' Number Retired After Stanford's Walk-Off Win
STANFORD (KPIX 5) -- What a send off! Stanford's Jesse Kuet drove home the winning run in the 10th inning to beat Washington at Sunken Diamond on Sunday. Not only did the Cardinal complete a 3-game sweep over the Huskies, but they gave their head coach Mark Marquess a grand farewell.
Marquess has been with the program for nearly 50 years, 41 of them as their head coach. To honor the 70-year-old, the school retired his number 9 during an on-field ceremony following the celebration from the walk-off win.
Sometimes referred to as the "John Wooden of Baseball," Marquess has one of the most impressive resumes in college baseball. He won back-to-back national championships in 1987 and 1988 and is hoping to lead the Cardinal to his 15th College World Series next month.
On Sunday, fans at Sunken Diamond received a Mark Marquess bobblehead doll. "I'm smiling, so you know it came after a win," he told KPIX 5 reporter Vern Glenn of the doll's likeness.
Marquess has smiled over 1,600 times in 41 years.