Lurleen B. Wallace Community College head baseball coach Steve Helms was inducted into the Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Birmingham last night.

“It’s a honor, because it’s selected by the coaches,” Helms said when the award was announced in the fall. “It’s nothing that I’ve done. I’ve been blessed to work with wonderful assistant coaches and wonderful players who have done all the work, for me to get the glory.”

Friday night, he talked about learning from his mom how to overcome adversity after the death of his infant sister. He also reminded those in attendance the importance of respecting the game of baseball in simple ways, like tucking in a shirt.

Helms has been the head coach at LBW for the past 23 years, and has amassed a record of 826-425.

During his tenure, the Saints have advanced to the NJCAA Division II World Series twice by winning the Region 22 Championship in 2004 and the Southeast Regional Championship in 2009.

The 2004 team went on to finish runner-up at the World Series in Millington, Tenn. In regional tournament appearances, his teams have been runners-up four times. More than 200 of his players transferred to play baseball at four-year colleges, and 28 played professional baseball.

Previously, Helms has been named the NJCAA Division II National Tournament Coach of the Year, the Alabama Community College Conference Coach of the Year, the Southern Division Coach of the Year, and the Southeast District Coach of the Year.

A native of Panama City, Fla., he is a graduate of Panama City Christian High School. As a left-handed pitcher for Huntingdon College he lettered all four years. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at his alma mater prior to accepting the position of head baseball coach at LBW Junior College in the summer of 1990. He also has served as the college’s athletic director for the past 22 years.

Helms also spent two summers as the head coach of the American Legion Post 80 baseball team in 2002 and 2003. His record for those years was a combined 58-18, including an American Legion Junior State Championship in 2003.

“When you are younger you tend to think more about the wins and losses, but as you grow older you realize it’s more about helping mold great men,” Helms said. “Right now in society we need good accountable men, and that is what we are going to continue to do here.”

Helms also expressed his thanks to his family.