The NFHS inducted former Arundel HS Baseball coach and Athletic Director Bernie Walter along with a group of five athletes, four coaches, one administrator and one contest official into the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) National High School Hall of Fame July 2 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The 35th Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony was the closing event of the 98th annual NFHS Summer Meeting. Select the link below to view the complete NFHS press release.
Bernie was the most successful high school baseball coach in Maryland history during his 36 years at Arundel High School in Gambrills, Maryland. Walter won 670 games during his career that ended in 2009, winning 15 regional titles and a record 10 Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) state championships. His teams also finished second in the state tournament two times and won 16 Anne Arundel County titles. His 1993 team was selected mythical national champions by Collegiate Baseball. Walter won 80 games in seven years at Archbishop Curley High School in Maryland to begin his career, and he served four years as director of baseball operations at the University of Maryland, College Park, after retiring from Arundel High School. Walter has been involved with USA Baseball for many years, including coaching the junior team to medals in 1988 and 1990. He was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007, and he was a contributor to the Coaching Baseball online course in the NFHS Learning Center.
The National High School Hall of Fame was started in 1982 by the NFHS to honor high school athletes, coaches, contest officials, administrators, performing arts coaches/directors and others for their extraordinary achievements and accomplishments in high school sports and performing arts programs. This year’s class increases the number of individuals in the Hall of Fame to 458.
The 11 individuals were chosen after a two-level selection process involving a screening committee composed of active high school state association administrators, coaches and officials, and a final selection committee composed of coaches, former athletes, state association officials, media representatives and educational leaders. Nominations were made through NFHS member associations.