St. Clair College is mourning the sudden passing of an architect of the school's baseball program.
Bernie "Chico" LaBute has died at the age of 54.
He joined the college in the summer of 2012 as an assistant coach for the varsity baseball team beginning an unprecedented run of success.
LaBute was a driving force behind the recruitment and on-field instruction taking the team to a national championship that fall.
St. Clair Vice-President Ron Seguin says the death was unexpected.
"It was a shock. We knew over the Christmas break that Chico was having some health challenges, but we certainly didn't think we'd be dealing with his passing," says Seguin.
He says LaBute was a baseball guy.
"Chico was an engineer so to speak of our championship run in the OCAA with six straight provincial championships and a national championship," says Seguin. "From there he went on to do fundraising initiatives and some merchandising within the athletic department."
Saints baseball head coach Dave Cooper was stunned by the news.
"Chico was a bigger than life baseball character who loved the game and whose life was consumed by it," says Cooper. "Local baseball has suffered a big loss."
Seguin says LaBute believed sports helped with academics.
"He was an ex-athlete himself. He believed in athletics as a way to enhance a student's education. He stressed the athletic and academic combination," says Seguin.
LaBute was an accomplished catcher growing up in Tecumseh
Seguin says the college has some ideas about how to memorialize LaBute, but those plans won't likely be unveiled until the spring.