As part of Black History Month, Emporia State Athletics will take a look back at some of the black student-athletes that have had an impact on Hornet Athletics.
 
David Baker finished his collegiate baseball playing career at Emporia State but stayed in the game and athletics for many years afterwards. He is currently the Director of the Douglass Community Recreation Center in his hometown of Manhattan, Kan.

Here is his story in his own words:
 
"Do the right thing the right way for the right reasons and good things happen." 

As a proud Hornet graduate of Emporia State Teachers College in 1968 (Bachelor's Degree) and 1969 (Master's Degree), little did I know that it would become a part of Black History.  If it had not been for my education and athletic experiences at Emporia State, I would not have enjoyed the career and success in athletics and recreation that I still enjoy today. 
  
Entering Emporia State, Dr. George Milton, professor in physical education and head tennis coach at that time, saw something in me.  Dr. Milton took me in as a mentee and advisor, making sure that my academic career stayed on track while pursing my love for baseball.  He was there from the time I arrived until I graduated with my Masters degree. 
  
At Emporia State, I was not only the very first graduate assistant in Hornet baseball, but the first black assistant baseball coach under Coach Larry Cochell.   In 1969, the Hornets landed a berth in the NAIA Baseball College World Series. 
  
My degrees earned at Emporia State, with great mentors along the way, allowed me to experience a truly blessed life and career.  Experiencing winning a NJCAA national basketball championship at Coffeyville Junior College to being the first black head baseball coach in the Big 8 at Kansas State, the Director of Athletics/Head Baseball Coach at Bacone College, Superintendent of Recreation for the City of Muskogee, Okla.,  induction into the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame, to completing the vision of the building of a new recreation activity center (opening March 2021) in the historic black community in Manhattan, Kan., as Director of the Douglass Community Recreation Center in my home town. It's all come full circle.      
  
As I look back, I value having the ability to give freely to others without thinking about what I'm going to get in return.   Just to help someone to be a better person or even a better athlete – to know I did something to make other people's lives better – I relish and enjoy that, because that's what Emporia State Teachers College did for me.