Respect the game. Be on time. Do things right. Finish the job.

Perhaps it is his dedication to these four simple steps that has led Galen McSpadden to his induction into the Junior College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

But for Seward County (Kan.) Community College coach Galen McSpadden, getting into the Hall of Fame was the last thing he expected.

“I had never thought about it until my sports information director (Scott Lacefield) asked if he could nominate me,” said McSpadden, who has coached at Seward County for 27 years.

“My first reaction was this (award) has to be shared with all the players and coaches and other supporters from my 27 years at Seward. This all happened in one place.”

McSpadden was also selected coach of the year for the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference this season.

By the time the Saints’ season came to a close in the Central District tournament, McSpadden had add 42 wins this season, bringing his career total to 916-494.

Joining McSpadden in the Hall of Fame this year is Donald Brown, the former coach at Redlands (Okla.) Community College and Perry Keith, head coach at Connors State (Okla.) College.

McSpadden said he is honored to join the Hall of Fame alongside Brown and Keith.

“However, I hope Don realizes I contributed to his induction because I added to his win column by him playing me,” McSpadden said. “I’ve never played against (Perry Keith) but I’ve lost an awful lot of recruits to him.”

Over the past five months, McSpadden has been contacted by a cross-section of people, including former players and teammates, and even former high school classmates.

“It has opened the door to people that have let me know that they appreciated the way I treated them,” McSpadden said.

His plans for the future are to continuing coaching at Seward, but only time will tell for how long.

“This has been a good place for me and me family and I will continue doing my job until I can’t do it any longer,” said McSpadden. “It still bothers me when I lose. It still bothers me when the game is not played right. As long as I have that fire in the furnace, I will continue to coach.”

Playing college baseball at Southeast Missouri State University, being signed as a left-handed pitcher for the San Diego Padres, coaching his son at Seward and bringing his team to JUCO in 2004 and now being inducted to the Hall of Fame are among McSpadden’s most memorable experiences.

McSpadden said his parents have been a huge inspiration for him throughout his baseball career, starting at age 5 when they realized he could throw left-handed better than other kids his age.

“They made sure I had the opportunity to play,” McSpadden said. “After the love of the game was instilled by (my) exposure (to the sport), the support they gave me and the opportunity to play professional ball has really inspired me.”

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E-mail Sarah Ryden at sports@gjds.com.