Fort Plain baseball coach Craig Phillips has guided the program for 46 years, winning 12 sectional championships and two state crowns in his career.

“This has always been my passion since I was a little kid," Phillips said. "I’ve had a great career. I’ve had a blast. There weren’t many times that I didn’t go to wanting to be there.”

Now his attention is turned to a milestone just six wins away: victory No. 800.

“If I didn’t win that amount of games in 46 years, I should be fired," Phillips joked. "I’ve done some stupid things, but everything I’ve done with the idea of I love these kids.”

“I’d love to give that to him," senior Troy Butler added. "It would be such a great thing. He’s toward the end of his career, and he’s getting up there."

While the wins are great, the sacrifice to get there was greater.

“I gave up a lot and my wife gave up a lot," Phillips said. "I never really got a chance to see my daughter play softball. My son played for me, and I really enjoyed that, but the only time I ever got to see her play was when we had a big lead. I might step out of the dugout and look over there.”

That’s why, 800 wins or not, Phillips will call it a career after the season.

“It’s time for somebody else, and I just hope, you look out there at the Ballpark at Phillips Field, I hope they keep the field up like it is," Phillips said. "I just hope the program doesn’t falter.”