JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The New Jersey City University athletics department mourns the passing of Athletics Hall-of-Fame baseball coach, sports information director and contributor Lawrence [Larry] J. Babich, who died on November 16 after a long illness. He was 82 years old and would have turned 83 on November 26.
 
An October 18, 1996 inductee into the Hall of Fame as part of the University's 14th induction class, Babich was a highly-respected baseball coach on the collegiate and summer league level, sports reporter and author. He served as head baseball coach for the then Jersey City State College Gothics for 13 seasons from 1973-1985. In all, his distinguished sports career spanned 1966 to 1991.
 
During his 13 seasons as head baseball coach at JCSC, he posted a then school-record 128 victories—a mark that lasted until 1998 (Ken Heaton, 255 wins). Babich guided JCSC to its first two Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II/III tournament berths in 1978 to 1980. In 1978, he guided JCSC to its first New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament berth.
 
Additionally, Babich served as sports information director at JCSC for 10 years—the second longest tenure in school history [Ira Thor, 2000-present].  
 
Retired Hall-of-Fame athletic director Larry Schiner said: "Larry was an outstanding baseball coach and most importantly was a very good friend and we had a very good relationship. He was very knowledgeable in baseball and all sports and I was very sad to hear of his passing today."
 
"It was a tough combination as baseball coach and SID. As sports information director he was always on top of everything for all our sports and did an excellent job."
 
Outside of the college, Babich also coached for 19 seasons in the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League (ACBL) where he became the all-time winningest coach in the league with the Jersey Pilots, recording 427 wins. The Pilots won league titles in 1973, 1984 and 1990. He was inducted into the ACBL Hall of Fame in 1993.
 
Over his years as a mentor, Babich sent more than 100 players into professional baseball. Fourteen of his ACBL players reached the major leagues, including former New York Yankee Rick Cerone.
 
As head baseball coach at New York Tech for seven seasons (1996-72), he developed the program from scratch into a perennial NAIA power destined to move to NCAA Division I status. He also coached Rogosin High School of Jersey City to back-to-back Metropolitan Yeshiva High School Basketball League championships in 1974 and 1975. Combined, his teams won over 800 games.
 
Retired NJCU Hall of Fame men's basketball coach Charlie Brown noted: "Larry was a real gentleman. He was a real pleasure to work with and always had a great demeanor. He was really well liked around the athletic department."
 
He was co-author of the book Sports Films: A Complete Reference. Babich served as a long-time news and sports reporter for the Jersey Journal beginning in 1960.
 
Babich earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Bridgeport in 1975 where he starred in basketball and baseball.
 
A long-time Central Jersey resident, Babich and his late wife Elinor raised three sons: Rory, Marc, and Rick.
 
Services for Larry Babich will be Sunday, November 18 at 1:30 p.m. at Bloomfield-Cooper Jewish Chapels, located at 44 Wilson Avenue in Manalapan, N.J.
 
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