BATON ROUGE – LSU athletics lost arguably one of its most prominent patriarchs in the early morning hours of Aug. 14 as Stanley "Skip" Bertman died. Berman, who passed away around 1:30 a.m. Friday surrounded by his family, was 88. In 18 years as LSU's head baseball coach from 1984 to 2001, Bertman led the Tigers to five College World Series championships along with seven Southeastern Conference titles. LSU won 870 games under Bertman for an impressive .724 win percentage. LSU LEGEND SKIP BERTMAN PASSES AWAY Iconic LSU baseball coach Skip Bertman dies Aside from the mountain of on-the-field accolades, perhaps Bertman's greatest legacy was the amount of lives he changed through coaching LSU baseball as well as his time as the university's athletics director. Many of the people that Bertman affected and those impacted by his teachings and coaching expressed their condolences and how they were changed by the LSU legendary coach.
Jay Johnson on Skip Bertman's passing "By far the greatest part of being the baseball coach at LSU the last five years is the relationship I was able to build with the greatest college baseball coach of my lifetime, Skip Bertman," current Tigers baseball coach Jay Johnson said in a school release. "The mentorship, and most importantly, the friendship we built is easily one of the best, most rewarding, and special relationships I have ever had. What an honor it has been to sit with, talk baseball with, smile with, and laugh with Coach. "Coach Bertman was so far ahead of his time while leading the LSU Tigers, and as a young coach just starting my journey, I watched, studied, and admired his incredible skills of leading, motivating, teaching, coaching, and ultimately cultivating what became 'The Powerhouse' of College Baseball. Being able to share the 2023 and 2025 National Championships with Coach Bertman watching is something I wouldn’t trade for the world. The impact he made and legacy he has left on the state of Louisiana and college baseball is beyond remarkable and will never be duplicated. "I love you Coach, I will miss you, and will continue to work every day in a manner that I know would make you proud." LSU baseball legend Eddy Furniss on Skip Bertman "The legend, my coach, my friend, Skip Bertman passed away overnight. He meant so much to all of us whose lives he touched. I will miss him dearly. "'Believe me, a great part of those we have loved, though change has removed their persons, still abides with us. The past is ours and there is nothing more secure for us that which has been.'" .oembed-frame {width:100%;height:100%;margin:0;border:0;}
The legend, my coach, my friend, Skip Bertman, passed away overnight. He meant so much to all of us whose lives he touched. I will miss him dearly. “Believe me, a great part of those we have loved, though chance has removed their persons, still abides with us. The past is ours,… pic.twitter.com/Ds4xCoyyFH — Eddy Furniss MD (@EddyFurniss) August 14, 2026