Another legendary member of the Ragin' Cajuns baseball community has passed away. Gene Bacque died on Saturday due to complications after an abdominal aneurysm surgery. He was 82.

Bacque pitched for the then-SLI Bulldogs in 1956-57 before joining the Detroit Tigers organization. He would play minor league ball from 1957 to 1962.

However, it was in Japan that Bacque really starred. He joined the Hanshin Tigers in 1962 and played with that team through 1968. His final season was with the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1969.

Bacque amassed a record of 100-80 in his Japanese career, tying him with fellow American Joe Stanka for the most career victories among non-Japanese pitchers.

After retiring, the Scott native worked as an industrial arts teacher at Scott Middle School and also managed his ranch. He would often travel to Japan to meet with his former teammates.

Everyone who knew Gene Bacque agreed on one thing -- he was one-of-a-kind.

"He was a larger-than-life figure, he sure was," longtime UL assistant baseball coach Anthony Babineaux told the Acadiana Advocate.

"He was one of a kind," former UL catcher and UL Letterman's Club President Ken Meyers said. "He was a prototypical Ragin' Cajun - a better man than a baseball player."

Gene Bacque is survived by four daughters, one son, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He was proceeded in death by his wife Doris Ann Hruzek Bacque.

 

 

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