Community loses a coach, mentor, supporter, friend.

Byline: Bob Clark The Register-Guard

Right through the lineup, up and down the order, friends, former players and the baseball community from youth through professional levels took a swing at offering tributes to Mel Krause after his death Friday at the age of 80.

Guy Krause said his father died of complications from acute myelogenous leukemia, which was diagnosed last fall.

"One of the last things he told me was he wanted to live through the weekend so he could watch Tiger Woods (at the U.S. Open golf tournament) one more time," Guy Krause said. "He was a sports guy to the end."

A two-sport athlete at the University of Oregon who earned induction into the school's athletic hall of fame, Krause led three different high schools to state championship games in two sports. He played professional baseball and spent a decade as the head baseball coach at his alma mater before the sport was eliminated for budgetary reasons after the 1981 season.

Krause then campaigned for more than a quarter-century to have the program restored. He was ultimately successful in that, with the school's announcement last summer that Oregon would begin playing baseball again in the 2009 season.

"He was the one who kept that last, little flame open for 27 years and that has turned into this giant fire of support for baseball," said Joe Giansante, a senior associate director of athletics at Oregon. "We're very sad Mel won't be able to be there physically when we play our first game (in 2009), but we all know we wouldn't be where we are today with baseball without him.

"He's been involved in all the big decisions we've made (on baseball's return) and his legacy will continue on. Every player that comes to Oregon will know about Mel Krause."

Don Reynolds, a UO two-sport athlete who went on to a professional career in baseball, also credited his former coach with keeping that hope of baseball's return an attainable goal for "the lettermen," as Reynolds said Krause termed them.

"He kept the alumni involved, and those were the guys who had the same passion, the same memories that he had," Reynolds said. "I just didn't ever doubt that he'd get it done.

"If Oregon baseball wouldn't have come back, I don't think he'd be gone. He always felt it was his unfinished business, and he blamed himself for not doing enough to keep it going, so he was determined to get it back. He wasn't going until he was sure it was back."

At Krause's request, no posthumous service is planned. In April, about 1,000 people attended a tribute to Krause at The Club at Autzen Stadium, and the UO announced that it would name entrances to its new baseball stadium for him and his predecessor as Oregon coach, the late Don Kirsch.

"We're all just living day to day," an upbeat Krause said then, telling the crowd that he'd had a great life and had no regrets.

"Who knows how long I'm going to be alive? I hope I can make it to '09 and the first ballgame."

Through the final months of his illness, Krause continually impressed those who came in contact with him by his seeming strength and optimistic outlook, despite the prognosis.

"I've never seen anyone handle his situation with the grace that Mel Krause handled it," said Bob Beban, president of the Eugene Emeralds. "The people who loved him got to see him looking good one more time."

Beban said that Krause had previously been chosen to be this year's inductee into the Emeralds hall of fame. There will be a remembrance of Krause at the home opener of the Ems on June 22.

In 2004, Krause was named to The Register-Guard's all-time Class A Emeralds team as the shortstop; he played for the Ems from 1957-61, and was an NWL all-star twice, including the '57 season, when he led the Ems in runs scored and stolen bases.

After his graduation from Oregon and military service, Krause played professional baseball for eight years, with the Salem Senators and the Emeralds. In the first seven seasons of the Northwest League, he played in 750 games, a record. Primarily an infielder, Krause also pitched and in his final season with the Ems spent an inning at every position on the field during a doubleheader.

"During his time, baseball players in the minor leagues weren't solely in it to get to the big leagues," Beban said. "Those guys played in the minor leagues because they loved the game."

Krause also coached and taught at high schools during some of those seasons that he played professionally. He worked at Milwaukie, Willamette, Franklin, North Eugene and Sheldon, and at Lane Community College.

He led Franklin to the state boys basketball title in 1957 and did the same with North Eugene in 1963. In baseball, his 1966 Sheldon team finished second in the state.

A graduate of Commerce (now Cleveland) High in Portland, Krause lettered in baseball and basketball at UO between 1949-51, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in health and physical education. In addtion to UO's, Krause is a member of halls of fame for the state of Oregon as well as the Portland Interscholastic League.

As the UO baseball coach from 1971 through the 1981 season, Krause led the Ducks to at least 20 wins in six seasons and to two Northern Division co-championships. His overall record was 218-220-1.

"I think more than my college baseball coach, he was my life coach and that goes not just for me," former Duck Steve Wolf said. "Whether it was my family, my work or baseball, he always helped me with a game plan. What can you say but `thank you.'?"

"I grew up without a father and Mel filled that role for me," Reynolds added. "A lot of things that I learned from Mel didn't have to do with the playing of the game but with being a man."

While Krause's reputation was being a fiery competitor and demanding coach, Reynolds said "Mel was just Mel. Some people thought he was gruff, but he was just clear with where he stood on things."

Krause also was active in various sports-related fundraising efforts. He was instrumental in drawing contributions for the construction of the Willamette Valley Babe Ruth Complex near Meadow View School in Eugene. In April, he threw out the first pitch on opening day ceremonies for the baseball season.

"He was a special guy," said Paul Kirsch, a former UO player employed in professional baseball. "He just loved the game so much, and he gave so much back to the game.

"He truly, truly loved the game, and he loved to be involved. It was a part of him you could separate."

Krause is survived by his wife, Jan, his son and three daughters, Gail Gaboriault, Jill Daniken and Kay Krause; a brother, Lee Krause; and two sisters, Betty Vanderpool and Della Pettit.

At Krause's behest, contributions in his honor should be made to the University of Oregon Baseball Equity Fund at 2727 Leo Harris Parkway, Eugene, OR 97401 or to the Commerce/Cleveland High School Alumni Association at 3400 SE 26th Ave. Portland, Ore. 97202. Register-Guard sports editor Ron Bellamy contributed to this story.