ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Ray Birmingham has long been known throughout New Mexico as a champion of New Mexico athletes and athletics. On Saturday he was honored for his three-plus decades of work in the Land of Enchantment as he was elected to the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame. The Hobbs native was one of eight in the class, which will be formally inducted at a banquet on April 3.
“I’m humbled by the honor, I really am,” Birmingham said. “I’m proud to represent the great state of New Mexico. People from every corner of this state have helped me with baseball for over five decades. This is a great honor.”
This is the third Hall of Fame Birmingham has been elected to. Prior to the 2011 baseball season he was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame following his 18 years as the head coach at New Mexico Junior College. He led the Thunderbirds to 765 wins and two trips to the NJCAA World Series, including the 2005 National Championship. In 2012 the Lea County Hall of Fame also honored him with induction. Lea County is home to Hobbs, which houses both NMJC and University of the Southwest, where Birmingham began his collegiate coaching career. He led the Mustangs to a No. 23 national ranking and 53 wins in two seasons there.
“Coach Birmingham is very deserving of this honor,” UNM Vice President for Athletics Paul Krebs said. “Not only is he a great ambassador for our state, but he is also one of the premier college baseball coaches in the country.”
Entering his ninth season at UNM, Birmingham has led the Lobos to four NCAA Tournament appearances, the first for the program since 1962. He has guided the Lobos to 272 wins during his tenure at UNM, by far the most wins in an eight-year stretch in program history. UNM has also won three regular-season Mountain West titles and two Mountain West Tournament championships. Known as one of the best hitting minds in the game, Birmingham consistently leads the Lobos to top 10 NCAA batting averages. For four straight years, and in six of seven, the Lobos have placed inside the top 10 in the nation. UNM is the only program in the nation that can make that claim since 2004.
The Lobos open their 2016 campaign at Hawai’i on Feb. 19. Their home schedule at Santa Ana Star Field begins the following week against Wichita State with the home opener scheduled for Feb. 26 at 6 p.m.