Chris Stavreti (back row, left) proudly wears his #27 jersey, the only number he ever wore as a coach. The number was retired, when he retired. Eric Wedge is third from right in the first row.

During his first year of teaching in 1962-63, Chris (right) took a group of boys fishing near Sylvan Lake. Chris still fishes and during this interview made plans with a former player to go ice fishing.

Finally, one of his assistant coaches said, “Guess we will have to do it ourselves.” And in 1981, they did with the help of parents, players, family and friends.

“My brother-in-law Steve Bercot was a big help. He brought in heavy equipment to grade the field and lay baseball dirt. (For the uninformed, this is dirt cleansed of all stones.) Cy Laycoff was a major contributor. He bought tiles for the field and tarps to cover the pitchers mound and home plate.

The 1987 Northrop Baseball Program notes that in his first 15 years as a coach he amassed 329 career wins, including five conference titles, eight sectionals, six regionals, two semistates and one state championship.

He is married to his junior high sweetheart Dorothy (Markoff), and they have a daughter Sherri. Dorothy has been a member of the St. Nicholas Orthodox Church choir for more than 50 years. Chris’ parents, the late George and Catherine (Christoff) Stavreti, immigrated to Fort Wayne from Babchor, Kostursko, Aegean Macedonia.

HIS MANY AWARDS AND HONORS INCLUDE

• Indiana High School Basketball Championship/Northrop HS, Asst. Coach, ’74
• South Side High School Sports Hall of Fame, ‘81;
• Indiana High School Baseball State Runner-Up/Northrop HS, ‘81
• Indiana High School Baseball State Championship/Northrop HS, ‘83
• Indiana High School Coach of the Year, ‘83
• Regional Coach of the Year, ‘83
• Candidate for National Coach of the Year, ‘83
• Indiana High School Baseball Hall of Fame, ‘91
• Indiana High School State Finalist/Northrop HS, ‘97
• South Side High School Distinguished Alumni Award, ‘97
• Fort Wayne Baseball/Softball Commission Charles Wilt Award
• Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Hall of Fame
• Fort Wayne Sports Corps Award

Cy Laycoff