County Hall of Fame Class of 2020: Kim Hammons
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Kim Hammons
Inducted as: Coach
High school: Snohomish
Sport: Baseball
Hammons, who graduated from Snohomish in 1964, returned to his alma mater and served as the school’s head baseball coach for 25 years, guiding the team to two state championships.
Hammons, an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American when he played shortstop at Central Washington University from 1966-69, returned to Snohomish in 1984 as an assistant softball coach under his wife, Sherri. Then in 1993 he was named the head baseball coach, a position he held until retiring in 2018.
During Hammons’ tenure the Panthers experienced unprecedented success. Snohomish, with Hammons providing both personality and an emphasis on fundamentals, compiled a record of 385-209 in his seasons, good for a 64.8% winning percentage, and his 385 wins are among the most in state history. His teams won seven district championships, made 10 state tournament appearances, finished as Class 4A state runners-up in 2007, then won it all in 1998 and 2008.
Hammons’ coaching honors include being awarded the Washington State Coaches Achievement Award in 2005, being named to the All-State Baseball Team as Coach of the Year in 2008, and being inducted into the Washington State Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007.
Among the players Hammons coached is former Major League Baseball pitcher and fellow Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame member Adam Eaton. Hammons was succeeded as head coach at Snohomish by his son, Nick.
This is the eighth of nine profiles on the 2020 Snohomish County Sports Hall of Fame induction class. This year’s banquet was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the inductees will be officially honored at the 2021 banquet.
