In his mind, Don Brown never lost a game.

“Those players I had lost the game,” the Redlands (Okla.) Community College baseball coach said. “I guess I should’ve recruited better players.”

Brown brought the house down Friday during his induction speech into the Junior College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

A coach for more than 50 years, Brown was one of three inductees into the 2008 Hall of Fame class.

The annual JUCO banquet drew another capacity crowd at Two Rivers Convention Center.

Brown credited the community for putting on the 51st annual tournament.

“I’d like to thank the mayor of Grand Junction,” Brown said, with a nod to Gregg Palmer. “Sir, you’ve got a great city.”

Galen McSpadden was in awe when he was introduced as the first of this year’s inductees.

“Holy cow,” the Seward County (Kan.) Community College coach exclaimed.

“There’s no words that can explain the overwhelming feeling that I have,” McSpadden said.

McSpadden, who has coached at Seward County for 27 years, has amassed a 914-494 record. He will coach the 2008 National Junior College Athletic Association Baseball All-Star Team in a series against Taiwan next month.

McSpadden, whose team reached the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series in 2004 and was in contention for a return trip last week, also had his humorous moments.

Introducing his father, McSpadden said, “One of the things I appreciate is that you and Mom got along so well 55 years ago.”

It was a double honor for Connors State (Okla.) College coach Perry Keith. In addition to being this year’s third Hall of Fame inductee, his Connors State team qualified as the South Central District representative in this year’s tournament.

“What an honor,” Keith said. “How incredible it is to be able to bring a team here.”

Brown, McSpadden and Keith all claimed the same secret to their success: Surround yourself with good people.

“It’s all about the players and the people, ’cause without that, none of us would be here,” Keith said.

After introducing his family, Keith introduced one of his former players, Steve Woytek, who played for Connors State in 1996-97, then went on to play for Mesa State College. Woytek is currently an assistant coach at Mesa State.

Keith, who’s been coaching for 24 years, had a message for people who believe junior colleges don’t aspire for quality.

“Junior college baseball and junior college athletics is one of the best-kept secrets around,” he said.

“Give it a hundred percent,” Brown told this year’s 10 qualifying teams. “There’s not 110. Give it all you can.”

Brown wouldn’t change a thing in his career.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the highlight of my life,” he said. “If I had it to do all over again, I’d do it all over again.”

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E-mail Kent Mincer at kmincer@gjds.com.