By TOM WILLIAMS

Charlie Baker became a three-sport athlete after he transferred to Ocean City from Florida as a pre-teen.

His biggest impact was in basketball where he graduated with the fifth highest career point total in school history. As a senior he became the sixth OCHS player to average a double-double for a season – 15.9 points and 15.7 rebounds in 1962-63. Dixie Howell’s Raiders were 35-11 in his two seasons in the lineup. He also was part of Andy Prohaska’s 5-3-1 football team in 1962 and competed in numerous events in track.

He returned to Florida from Michigan after retiring and died earlier this month.

Some of his teammates in Ocean City remember him.

“As with many of the OCHS basketball players, any story of Charlie is intermixed with Dixie Howell and his influence on all of us,” said Jerry Fadden, the leading scorer on the 1961-62 team. “In the beginning Charlie was not sure of Dixie and the system as he came to OCHS from Florida as a junior. But he became a starter immediately because he was that good. As our primary ‘big man’ at 6-2 and maybe 190 pounds, his athletic abilities were off the charts. In many games in 1961-62 he led us in not just rebounding but also scoring. We started the season rather badly, then ran off 13 straight victories, won the Cape Atlantic League and qualified for the state tournament. First, we had to get thought South Jersey.

“We won our first game against Williamstown rather easily and then had to face Deptford, a significant test as they had a REALLY big man in Dave Rowe (6-5 and maybe 220 pounds) who was really good, particularly on defense. He had a rep for blocking shots and Charlie could be his next victim. Ah, but Dixie, in warmups, saw the way Rowe was blocking some of his teammates’ warmup shots. Dixie saw this for what it was and then turned to Charlie and smiled. ‘Charlie, we are going to feed you the ball down low and we want you to go right at Rowe with your shot. Yes, he will block some of your shots, but he will also foul you. That is what we want.’ Rowe had three fouls at halftime and was a non-factor in the second half. As a result, we went on to win by 16 points.

“The point being, by the time we got to the tournament, Charlie had totally bought in to Dixie and when asked to do what seemed to be suicide against a much bigger opponent, Charlie did not hesitate to accept the challenge. No question we won that game because Charlie executed his game, taking Rowe out of his game. He was a good athlete and a great guy.”

“Charlie Baker along with my father,” Darryl Julian said, “was the reason I choose to attend OCHS. My condolences to the Baker family.”

“Charlie, Barry Banks and I were connected through love, education, work, sports, community and family,” said Dan Money, a successful multi-sport athlete at OCHS. “We worked our first jobs together earning 50 cents an hour, we walked to school every day and we loved our school and community. People like Dick Grimes, Dixie Howell, Fenton Carey, John Rosberry, Andy Prohaska, Dr. Bill Lauer, Tom Oves and Mike Subotich touched and formed our lives. We loved our school because we were valued, respected and loved by staff, friends and community. Charlie and I played sports throughout our school years. The storm of 1962 presented a challenge for our basketball team, we had a scheduled game with Salem High School that was postponed because of flooding and massive storm damage throughout our city. The game was postponed to the next day. We had to find a boat and we rowed to the high school. One of the captains of our team, Dave Farina, was brought to the school from Sea Isle City buy helicopter thanks to Dixie Howell and the U.S. Coast Guard. The result of the game was not favorable to us at that time but in life the lessons learned were everlasting and blessings to our lives. Charlie and I played football, basketball and ran track together throughout high school. We attended our junior and senior proms. Charlie was the best man at my wedding. Charlie’s friendship in my life was pivotal and we were planning to attend our Ocean City High School Class of 1963, 60th class reunion this September. Charlie and I were blessed to grow as friends in our life.”

“Charlie Baker was a friend, a leader, and a great example to the young guys on his team,” said John Cranston, who went on to lead the Raiders to a state title in 1964. “He was the captain of the team for the 1962-63 season and won league all star honors. He moved to Ocean City from Florida the previous year and was a significant contributor right from the first. Charlie was a force under the basket and was one of the main reasons we were able to win the CAL Championship for the eighth year in a row in 1962. He was very fast and could jump out of the gym. More importantly, Charlie was a great teammate and friend. A gentle, caring person who will be missed by all who knew him. I saw him this past October and we spent a lot of time reminiscing about the old days and catching up on our lives. I am so glad to have had the chance to tell him how much he meant to me and how lucky I was to be his friend all these years.”

“As an adult he liked to be known as ‘Bake the Builder’,” said Dave Farina, one of the leaders of the 1962 CAL champions. “I remember him as ‘Bake the Shooter’. Charlie came to OCHS in his junior year when Jerry Fadden, Ron Newcomer and I were seniors. Bake joined sophomore John Cranston on our starting five for Coach Dixie Howell. And what an addition he proved to be. I remember our first practice together. I was a guard and Charlie said he wanted my position. I told him that he was a bit taller than me and should play forward – that Dixie would want him at forward. His response to me was, ‘when he sees how good I can shoot he’ll make me a guard and you a forward’. Well that didn’t happen but what did happen remains in my fond memories forever. After a slow start to the season, our 1961-1962 squad ran off a string of consecutive wins, went on to win the Cape Atlantic League championship and made it to the championship round on the South Jersey tournament before being eliminated immediately following the March 1962 storm. Much of the success of that season is a result of Charlie Baker’s contributions both on the court and in the locker room. With a perennial smile, yet a winner’s attitude, he quickly became one of the team’s leaders. More importantly, Bake became a lifelong, loyal, beloved friend to all of us who had the privilege to know him. His loss diminishes all of us who shared the hardwood and high school life with him. Rest in peace, my friend. God speed ‘Shooter’.

“Charlie Baker was always running from Third Street, where he lived with his uncle, Homer,” remembered Barry Banks, a key player on the Raiders’ 1964 state championship team. “The first time I saw him was when he ran by our house on Fourth Street on his way to the Sixth Street basketball courts. He tried to get me to run with him. I tried but could not keep up – so never again. Charlie was a very good cook and we all loved his cooking. For two summers we played basketball on the progressive team. Charlie, Dan Money, Wayne Thompson, Pete Peterson and me. Nate Davis and Jerry Thompson were on the team, too. In the state basketball tournament his junior year the 1962 storm flooded Ocean City. I remember being in a row boat with Charlie and Dan on our way to play in the game. We all had summer jobs and played basketball the rest of the time. Charlie and I went on to serve in Viet Nam. After serving, we moved to Flint, Michigan. I really miss my life long friend.”

Charlie Baker was 78.