Plaque in late Danny Spradley’s honor dedicated

April 24, 2025

By Tony Adams

The Class 4A Belton Tigers baseball championship in 1994 was a special time in Belton ISD athletics. It was back in a time where the district that the Tigers played in was loaded with talent and only two teams made the playoffs.

The District 25-4A winner in 1994, Belton was coached by David Tidwell, who was named 4A Coach of the Years and who Tiger Stadium was named for a couple of years ago.

He was assisted by Danny Spradley, who passed away in December, current Belton head coach Mark Krueger, and longtime athletic trainer Craig Bower. Members of the team included Robbie Aguilar, Darren Brinkley, Alex Cortez, Shayne Drake, Michael Jones, Mark Lechowicz, Michael Locklin, Willie Mahan, John Munz, Doug Oltmer, Jason Regan, Brock Rumfield, Josh Sammon, Bobby Spradley, David Stroud, Scott Thrush, Kyle Tidwell, Brad Turner, Brad Washburn, Matt Wood, and bat boy David Spradley.

“The team was a special group,” David Tidwell said of the coaching staff and team. “It was one cohesive unit. One of the best coaching staffs that I had during that time.”

Danny Spradley’s contributions to the Big Red Community are now memorialized with a plaque in his honor that is now mounted on the first-base dugout at Tidwell Field.

The Tigers started their 1994 run with an 8-0 win over Austin Travis in the bi-district round, took two out of three games in a tight area series with Austin Westlake (6-5, 3-4, 5-4), outlasted Corpus Christi Calallen two out of three (2-6, 8-6, 16-4) in the regional semifinal, and won two of three from Robstown (1-0, 5-6, 13-1) in the regional final to qualify for the state tournament at Disch Falk Field.

Belton rallied from behind to knock off Carthage 9-5, with Regan hitting the “Shot Heard Around Texas”. The Tigers won the state crown with a 4-0 shutout of Big Spring.

Spradley played a key leadership role not only in the team aspect, but also as a respected educator.

“Everything good I have in my life can be traced back to Coach Spradley never giving up on me,” former Belton coach Jeremy Engelke said. “He took a very lost boy and gave me the tools necessary to get on the right track. He worked side by side with Mrs. Crowson to get through to me. Sometimes, it involved the swat board and I’m forever grateful for each lick. I needed them. Needed the tough love—and he provided it.

“Coach Spradley, or “Thunder Dan” as a lot of us 99’ers called him, was a gentle yet stern father figure for many of us,” former Tiger Thomas Melvin said. “He always enjoyed a good laugh but made sure we knew how to have fun and do it with class. He taught us to be tough when needed but also had a vulnerable and loving side that he wasn’t ashamed of. He was as genuine as genuine gets and that showed through in every player he ever coached. My first memory of Coach Spradley was when I was in elementary school. He would always honk or wave at me as I was riding my oversized ten-speed bike to school. My first interaction with him wasn’t long afterwards on a cold rainy day, when I had to walk to school because my bike was broken. He pulled over and gave me a ride. He asked about me, and if I played any sports. Little did he know the impact he would have on a future Tiger. Not only did he inspire me to continue playing, but he is another reason I continue to coach today. There is no doubt I fall short in what he accomplished, but I hope I can continue to spread his legacy through the passion and dedication he showed me in my continued efforts. I will miss Coach Spradley dearly, but his love and commitment to kids will always be remembered.

Spradley’s coaching style was firm and fair, but in the thick of things, he was one of the most beloved coaches in the history Belton ISD athletics.

“I will leave with one of his favorite quotes, and he had many!” Melvin said. “Hit your stinking’ cutoff man!”