NEW CASTLE – Marion “Bo” Trumbo, a former standout pitcher for Bridgewater College with several pitching records having stood the test of time for nearly four decades, was inducted into the Bridgewater College Athletic Hall of Fame Oct. 31, along with five others making up the class of 2014 for the hall.
Trumbo’s career 1.62 earned-run-averages remain the best in program history, and he still owns the single-season record with a 1.02 ERA. The renowned left-handed player is also still tied for the most complete games in program history with 15, according to Bridgewater records. Trumbo is also known for setting the career strikeout record with 140, a mark he held for 25 years.
Assistant Principal of Craig County middle and high schools Marion “Bo” Trumbo (left) was recently inducted into the Bridgewater College Athletic Hall of Fame. He was escorted by and is pictured with Derrik Walling, who currently plays baseball for Bridgewater.
To know Trumbo is to know that his first love is still baseball. In 1996 he was the Middle Atlantic Major League Baseball Scouts Association’s Supervisory Scout of the Year and also served as treasurer for that league. From 1991-1999 he was the baseball talent scout for the Cincinnati Reds Baseball Club, helping to acquire players for the Reds’ national league baseball team. He has worked for the New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, and Seattle Mariners, and currently works for the Major League Scouting Bureau. He has signed 24 players, including three major leaguers.
In his acceptance speech, Trumbo thanked the Bridgewater College Hall of Fame committee and told them he was deeply humbled.
“Can you believe that a child born in Goshen, Virginia could achieve the dreams that I had athletically, like scouting in the Astrodome and, professionally, winning the John Marshall award, being in the Sorensen Institute’s Political leadership class, and being an ex-officio member of the Bridgewater Board of Trustees?” he asked.
Later in his speech he briefly addressed a balanced life and future. “The way you deal with the ups and downs of life will help you measure your success,” Trumbo said. “You must pick yourself up after any adverse situation.”
After graduating from Bridgewater with a B.A. degree in history, he began a career in education as a teacher and a coach. His career as a history teacher has led him down many paths. He has been a member of the state “We, The People” competition staff and participated in the “We, The People” summer program in 2004. Since that time he has been a member of the state competition staff and a member of the state advisory staff for the total program. He is currently Virginia’s 9th District coordinator.
He is a member of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute Political Leadership Program Class of 2009, the Senate of Virginia project, and participated in a three-year academic study of American history in the global context through the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library TAHG Grant through Bedford County Public Schools.
Trumbo also holds a master’s degree in education from Western Carolina University. In 2012 he was the John Marshall Foundation’s High School Teacher of the Year. He is currently serving as an ex-officio member of Bridgewater College’s Board of Trustees and was president of the Alumni Association in 1989.
He has been employed as assistant principal for Craig County’s middle and high schools since August 2013.