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'The town lost a great friend:' Dan Bodary, Lompoc baseball icon, has died at 81

Related Topics: Lompoc, Atlanta Braves, Michigan

Oct. 26—Dan Bodary left the Midwest to come to Lompoc in 1963.

In 2001, Bodary retired as one of the most successful high school coaches in the nation.

Bodary coached the Braves for 35 seasons, winning 615 games, 18 league championships and four CIF titles.

He had nearly 30 players sign professional baseball contracts and six former players reach the majors.

Bodary, the Lompoc High coaching icon, died Sunday in his native Michigan. He was 81.

When he retired in 2001, he was one of only four coaches in the state to have reached 600 wins.