John W Kovach

John Kovach has spent more than 30 years as a history professional. He has served as a curator, education director and executive director of two museums. Kovach spent 20 years as the archivist at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana and during that time he was the County Historian for St. Joseph County, Indiana for a record 16 years. In 2007, he curated a major traveling museum exhibition title: Linedrives and Lipstick: The Story of Girls and Women In Baseball. This exhibit traveled for...See more

John Kovach has spent more than 30 years as a history professional. He has served as a curator, education director and executive director of two museums. Kovach spent 20 years as the archivist at Saint Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana and during that time he was the County Historian for St. Joseph County, Indiana for a record 16 years. In 2007, he curated a major traveling museum exhibition title: Linedrives and Lipstick: The Story of Girls and Women In Baseball. This exhibit traveled for nearly eight years and was hosted by museums, historical societies and other venues from all across the United States. Kovach has continued to create numerous exhibitions on the history of girls and women in baseball as well as giving presentations both nationally and internationally on the subject. He has authored four baseball books, including: From Goosepasture To Greenstockings, Benders! Tales of South Bend Baseball Past, Baseball In South Bend (IN) and Women's Baseball. Kovach is also an activist, helping to create more on the field participation for girls and women who want to play and coach baseball. He helped co-author "The Differences between Baseball and Softball Position Paper" for the Women's Sports Foundation and is consulted on a regular basis by parents, players and attorneys on this subject. He has been a recipient of numerous awards for his advocacy including the Eastern Women's Baseball Conference's, prestigious #10 Award. He is the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fames' only three-time Manager of the Year selection. Kovach has been coaching baseball coach for over 45 years, leading teams on the youth through collegiate to elite level. All three of his daughters played baseball for him. For 20 of those years (1996-2015), he served as organizer and manager of the Blue Sox women's baseball team. Kovach is a member of the Society For American Baseball Research (SABR) and former chairperson of its Women In Baseball Committee; the American Baseball Coaches Association and the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He is also a member of the Small Museum Association. He has also served as an At-Large Board Member for the US National Committee For UN Women's Chicago Chapter. He and his wife Lisa, live in Memphis, Tennessee. See less