Introduction of Seymour "Bud" Niles, presented by Russell O'Brien, A79, A20P Former Football, Ice Hockey, Baseball Student-Athlete

It's early June, and like every year, the College Baseball World Series will be starting soon in Omaha, Nebraska. What many people do not know is that Tufts Baseball was in Omaha for the start of it all. When Omaha hosted its first-ever College World Series in 1950, the Jumbos were there to represent New England. The other schools in Omaha that year were Alabama, Bradley, Colorado State, Rutgers, Texas, Washington State, and Wisconsin. And 72 years later, the 1950 team still holds a place in the record books as the only Tufts baseball team to make it to the College World Series.

At our inaugural Dinner and Induction Ceremony in 2018, the 1950 Tufts baseball team became one of the first two teams inducted into the Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame.

And tonight, we are so excited to posthumously induct a key member of that 1950 team – their ace pitcher, Seymour “Bud” Niles.

A tall, lanky right-hander, Bud was right in the middle of many Tufts victories during that special 1950 season. On April 22 that spring against American International College, Niles earned his fourth consecutive victory while allowing just six hits as the Jumbos improved to 5-1. Versus Northeastern on May 9, Niles notched his sixth win, and helped the cause with a two-RBI hit. Then at Trinity on May 13, he tossed a shutout for Tufts' ninth win of the season. However, his greatest outing was the 11-inning gem he pitched to defeat Boston College on June 3 that clinched the Jumbos’ berth into the College World Series.

Bud achieved All-American honors for his incredible performance during that 1950 season, but that wasn’t the only year he had great success on the mound. As a junior in 1949, Bud won 10 games, which still stands as Tufts baseball’s single-season record 73 years later. His total of 28 career victories was the team record for 53 years and remains the second-most all-time. He posted a career record of 28–7 for an outstanding .800 winning percentage.

After Tufts, Bud was signed by the Boston Braves and won 10 games with a 2.76 earned run average pitching in the minor leagues in 1951.

Tim Horgan, the famed sportswriter who was at Tufts at the same time as Bud, once wrote this about Bud: “He was unassuming on the mound. He didn’t have a blazing fastball or a baffling curve, but he did have good control, a knowledge of how to pitch, and stamina. He was one of the all-time greats at Tufts.”

Bud Niles passed away in 1992. As a fellow Jumbo baseball alum, I’m so honored to help induct Bud into the Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame.