Rangers’ Hall of Fame coach Jack Allen dies

STEPHENVILLE – Former Ranger College baseball head coach and NJCAA Hall of Famer Jack Allen passed away Saturday morning at his home in Eastland County. He was 80 years of age.

"We are deeply saddened by the new of Coach Allen’s passing,” said Ranger College President William J. Campion. "He was a very important part of the Ranger College family and will be missed. Ranger College is a much better place because of his time here.”

A 1953 graduate of Ranger High School, Allen coached at Ranger Junior College – later renamed Ranger College – for more than two decades and won a school-record 814 games and a pair of NJCAA national champions. He began his coaching career in 1963 at RJC and helped turn the Rangers into a perennial national power. Under his leadership the team won the NJCAA national title in 1973 and 1975, and finished fifth in 1975 and third in 1976. In addition to the two national titles, he led Ranger to seven regional championships and four state titles.

During his 23 seasons as the Rangers’ head coach he compiled a record of 814-399.

Allen was elected into the Junior College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986. After retiring from Ranger Junior College, he took over the head coach at Tarleton State University in 1989.

Over the ensuing 13 seasons, he led the Texans to consecutive 40-win seasons and was named the NAIA District 8 and Area II Coach of the Year in 1992. He helped TSU qualified for the school's first NCAA South Central Regional Tournament in 1998.

He was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame prior to the 2000 season. Allen retired from coaching in 2002 and was inducted into the Tarleton Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31, at the Stephenville Funeral Home Chapel. Interment followed at the Desdemona Cemetery in Desdemona.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Linda Ann Allen of Lake Leon; mother-in-law, Dorothy Greenhaw of Desdemona; brother-in-law, Morris Greenhaw and wife, Pat, of Desdemona; nephew, Brandon Greenhaw and wife, Karen, of Glen Rose; niece, Diana Greenhaw of San Francisco and great-nephews, Evan and Marcus Greenhaw.

He was preceded in death by his parents, the late Robert and Bea Needham Allen; and a sister, Bobbie Lee Gunn.

Memorials may be made to the Foster's Home for Children in Stephenville.