Hermon native Blackman returns home, leads Saints to title

BANGOR – St. Dominic of Auburn baseball coach Bob Blackman doesn’t complain about playing at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium.

One, he has led his Saints to four consecutive state Class C title games and has won the two at Mansfield, including Saturday’s thrilling 7-3, 10-inning win over Searsport.

Secondly, it’s home.

Blackman is a 1977 graduate of Hermon High School.

“I love coming back here,” said the 48-year-old Blackman. “This is where I learned the game; between the two cities [Bangor and Brewer] and out to Hermon. I got involved with a lot of good baseball players… between Mike Bordick and the Pauls [Jeff and David] and everybody, I’ve played some good baseball with some very good players.

“I coached all the way up through Little League here and at Auburn Suburban,” added Blackman.

Blackman is a close friend of Ron St. Pierre, who maintains Mansfield Stadium, and said his parents (Georgia Blackman and Dana Thurlow) still live in Brewer.

“My parents were here in the stands today and they always enjoy coming over,” said Blackman.

Blackman went to work at Penobscot Savings Bank after graduating from Hermon High and wound up being transferred to Portland.

He met his wife in Portland – she was from Lewiston – and they eventually settled down in Lewiston.

He took over the baseball job from Mike Tyne four years ago and has led the Saints to the four state championship game appearances and two crowns.

“I never thought I’d coach at this level. It took a coach resigning two games into the [2004] season [to make it happen],” said Blackman whose son, Brady, helped lead them to the state title two years ago and was a freshman pitcher at the University of Southern Maine this spring.