Press Release via LSU Athletics
BATON ROUGE, La. – LSU will host a Celebration of Life on Tuesday, Aug. 25, in honor of legendary baseball coach and athletics director Skip Bertman, who passed away Friday morning at age 88.
The Celebration of Life will take place at 7 p.m. CT on Aug. 25 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on LSU’s campus and will be free and open to the public. Doors will open at 6 p.m.For the public, seating will be general admission in the PMAC upper bowl, and entrance will be located at the top of the exterior ramps. Floor and lower bowl seating will be reserved for guests of the Bertman family. Concessions will not be available, but attendees can bring their own sealed water bottle. General public parking is recommended in lots 401 and 404, as well as other available lots surrounding the PMAC. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN+, as well as the LSU Sports YouTube and Facebook pages.
Bertman, born in Detroit, Mich., on May 23, 1938, and raised in Miami Beach, Fla., arrived at LSU in the summer of 1983 and guided the Tigers to five NCAA National Championships (1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000) and 11 College World Series appearances during his 18-season tenure (1984-2001) as baseball coach before working as athletics director for seven years.
In lieu of flowers, the Bertman family has requested that you please consider an expression of sympathy with a donation to one of the following initiatives: Athletes for Hope: Athletes for Hope is the largest athlete-led philanthropy organization in the U.S. Skip served as the primary driver in launching AFH University (AFH U) at LSU in 2010. AFH U educates student-athletes on how to effectively give back and connects them to community organizations, empowering them to become authentic leaders in their communities. This past year alone, AFH U helped 432 LSU student-athletes from 19 teams complete over 1,800 hours of community service, impacting more than 9,400 community members. The time, effort, and wisdom Skip dedicated to AFH U continues to impact its growth and reach across Baton Rouge. To support this work at LSU, please click here to make a donation, noting “In memory of Skip Bertman”.
The College Baseball Hall of Fame (CBHOF): Skip was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 2006, alongside other baseball legends, like Dave Winfield and Will Clark. The College Baseball Hall of Fame also presents the prestigious Skip Bertman Coach of the Year Award at the College World Series in Omaha each year. The CBHOF has found its permanent home in Overland Park, KS. Support for the Hall of Fame will help preserve the rich history of Skip’s transformative influence on the sport for future generations. To give in his honor, please visit College Baseball Hall of Fame Donations.
LSU Baseball Coaches Committee (Baseball Excellence Fund): Founded in 1984 by Skip, the Coaches Committee is the longest-tenured booster organization in LSU athletics. The support from this club is the driving factor in the program’s success. Donations to the Baseball Excellence Fund in honor of Skip support a legacy of championship tradition and an unmatched standard of excellence. These resources directly support LSU baseball student-athletes and provide essential, flexible funding to advance the program. To give, visit https://lsusports.evenue.net/give/BCBDSE.
Skip Bertman Leadership Endowed Scholarship: When he retired from coaching in 2001, Skip was approached by a group of fans who wanted to raise money for a retirement gift. Skip was adamant that the funds be directed toward the establishment of an academic scholarship managed through the LSU Foundation. This award focuses on supporting incoming undergraduate students who demonstrated exceptional leadership skills during high school. To give in his honor, visit http://lsufoundation.org/skipbertman.