Steve Burleson

In 36 years as head coach at Kansas City, Kansas Community College, Steve Burleson led the Blue Devils to 1,136 wins. Burleson’s teams won seven Kansas Jayhawk Community Conference College championships and he was named conference coach of the year four times. From 1985-87, KCKCC won three straight Region VI championships and were ranked 10th, 16th and 17th nationally. 

Two of Burleson’s players, David Segui and Kevin Young, played a combined 27 years in the major leagues.

“His knowledge is second to none,” says Segui, who had a .291 career batting average in 15 seasons. “When it came to teaching, it was the best I’ve ever had. I was never more prepared for a season at any level than I was for the two seasons playing for Coach Burleson.”

Segui and Young are among the 88-percent of players under Burleson who went on to four-year scholarships.

Burleson wrote the KJCCC constitution; served as chairman of the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame, Baseball Hospitality and International Competition committees; and was vice-president and treasurer of the NJCAA Baseball Association.

In 1987, he coached the north team to the gold medal in the U.S. Olympic Festival and in 1991, was the head coach of an NJCAA All-Star team which finished fourth in the Tournament of Americas in Cuba.