'A lot of passion': Riverdale head baseball coach Bobby Pringle earns 400th career win

Bobby Pringle often tells the story of proposing to his wife in the dugout of the Riverdale High School baseball field.

It's a site that knows the depth of his commitment.

Pringle, the head coach of Riverdale baseball for the past 28 years, hit a milestone on that diamond when he earned his 400th career win on Thursday.

The Raiders accomplished the feat in dramatic fashion when John Herrera hit a walkoff with the bases loaded to defeat Mariner 4-3.

“It’s a great achievement, and my name’s attached to it,” Pringle said.

The team attempted to drench him with the water cooler, but Pringle proved he had some moves with a deft dodge to avoid most of it.

“I’m too old to get soaked by a big water cooler like that,” he said.

The victory fittingly came against a fierce rival in head coach Tom Woodley’s Tritons. Woodley had his team tip their hats to Pringle after the game.

“If it wasn’t for Mariner and Estero, who for quite a few years had my number, I’d already have 450 wins,” Pringle joked.

Woodley made sure to give a tip of his cap after the game, writing in an email, "Congrats to Riverdale on their walk-off win and Bob Pringle getting his 400th win. Great job Coach Pringle and Raider nation."

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Pringle’s outsized character is only matched by his dedication to Riverdale athletics.

“He’s the one that empties garbage cans himself,” Riverdale athletic director Justin Budmayr said. “He stocks the concession stands. It’s no surprise that somebody that invests that much of their life in this will have the success that he does.”

Pringle is quick to rebuff credit but said that he does take pride in achieving it at a public school. He has the most wins of any baseball coach in LCAC history.

When Pringle was hired nearly 30 years ago, the Raiders hadn’t experienced a winning season in a decade.

“We’ve had our lumps along the way,” he said. “It hasn’t been easy.”

Under Pringle, the team has won three district titles, one regional title and reached the Class 4A state championship game in 2008.

Pringle was named LCAC Coach of the Year twice and selected as Florida Athletic Coaches Association 4A Baseball Coach of the Year in 2008. He was inducted into the LCAC Hall of Fame last year.

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Budmayr, who coached with Pringle for 14 years, said that it’s Pringle’s unique grasp of baseball minutiae that has led to success.

It didn't matter how talented his teams were, Pringle's Raiders were always known for their toughness, Budmayr said.

“He’s got a knack for just putting people in the right places at the right times and understanding how to get the most out of the kids,” he said.

Pringle got into teaching for the purpose of coaching and a desire to be around baseball.

“It’s been part of my life,” he said. “I’ve been at this school over half my life. It’s something I have a lot of passion for, wanted to do.”

Along the way, he has also coached boys golf, football and basketball at Riverdale and is a resource for other coaches to lean on at the school, according to Budmayr. He has also gained a reputation for his immaculate upkeep of the baseball field and other athletic facilities at Riverdale.

“He’s the backbone of our coaching staff,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that.”

Instead of awarding the traditional game ball on Thursdsay, Pringle had his players sign the game-winning baseball and kept it for himself.

The victory against Mariner was the team’s eighth consecutive win, and Pringle has no desire to stop there, aiming for No. 401 against Naples on Friday.

“I’d like to, before my career is over, hopefully get to 500,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Riverdale head baseball coach Bobby Pringle earns 400th career win