By Sean McDevitt
FightingIllini.com
Not everyone can say they taught Geena Davis how to hit.
It was one of Lee Eilbracht's favorite stories, and he would tell anyone within earshot of the once-in-a-lifetime experience consulting on the 1992 movie, A League of Their Own.
"He told stories about Tom Hanks and Madonna, but he was really enamored with Geena Davis. He talked about her a lot," said Ann Eilbracht Thompson, Lee's daughter. "Geena didn't know how to hit. He showed her the grip and helped her with watching the ball, but she just couldn't move through the swing. She worried she would hit him, but he knew he was safe. As she swung, he threw her hips at the pitch. She immediately caught on to the move. He always said, 'Millions of men would pay to do that!'"
As an Illini player, Eilbracht was a three-time letter winner, named an All-American in 1947, picked up team MVP honors in 1946-47, and led the Big Ten in hitting in 1946 with a .484 batting average. He pursued a professional career as a player and manager in the Chicago Cubs Minor League system from 1947 to 1952. Eilbracht was named Illinois' head coach in 1952, and he compiled 518 wins in 27 seasons at the helm, making him the winningest coach in Illini baseball history. His teams won four Big Ten titles and made the NCAA District Playoffs three times.
But to Ann Eilbracht Thompson, he was Dad.
"I am so proud of my Dad," said Thompson. "I'm so thankful for both of my parents. I know that having good, loving parents really can dictate a person's future. He was just a great Dad. He had this huge belly laugh, and if you were in the room, and he was there, at some point or other, you would hear this huge laugh. He was always so positive."
Lee Eilbracht passed away in 2013. The Lee and Euline Eilbracht Scholarship was established in 2014 to assist in the education of University of Illinois baseball student-athletes through a generous donation from the family. It was a way to keep his memory alive.
"His passing was a terrible loss for all of us," said Thompson. "We wanted to make sure that we honored him. What better way to do than to give to the University of Illinois where he had contributed so much."
Growing up in a baseball family, Thompson spent countless hours at baseball fields.
"All of us went to every baseball game from the time we were little," said Thompson. "Of course, I didn't use to watch the games. We would play underneath the bleachers, climb up on the infrastructure, and chase foul balls. I only got interested in watching the game when my Dad let me sit on the bench one day. It was such a thrill to be there with the guys."
Being a head coach meant he was away from the family often, but occasionally his fellow Big Ten coaches would visit.
Thompson said, "I can remember coaches coming over to our house. Something that I learned early on was that even though they were fierce competitors on the ball field, they'd get together after the game and have fun. I can still hear them laughing in the kitchen."
Baseball was always on his mind. Thompson noted that even when he was in his 80s, he was still watching baseball, and he could tell you about what was coming next.
Thompson recalled only one time her father didn't finish watching a baseball game.
"He came up to Minneapolis to visit, and he and I went to watch the Twins play. We didn't have great seats. We were kind of up in the nosebleeds section. There was terrible weather outside and the ceiling in the Metrodome tore. Water was pouring in and said, 'I think we've seen enough.' We had to run to the car, and we were soaked. But, to my knowledge, that was the only time he ever agreed to leave a game early."
