Perry West, a name long synonymous with baseball at Brooke High School and the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference, will be inducted into the OVAC Hall of Fame this summer as a contributor.

West, who passed away in 2021, was selected for his dedication to the OVAC along with his storied head coaching career, which saw him rack up 460 wins at Brooke High.

The Hall of Fame banquet is scheduled for Aug. 15 at Wheeling’s WesBanco Arena. Other inductees for the 2026 class include Weirton Madonna’s Ross Comis and Cambridge’s Eric Fox, each representing athletes from the 2010’s; Bellaire’s Ashley Vavrek and Harrison Central’s Trent Luyster from the 2000’s; Cameron’s RC Anderson and Barnesville’s Ryan Grear from the 1990’s; Weir’s Eric West and Bellaire’s Charlie Ward from the 1980’s; Bellaire St. John’s Ed “Buzzy” Evans and St. Clairsville’s Jeff Rice of the 1970’s; and Steubenville’s Sandy Williams and Warwood’s Bob Dunlevy from the 1960’s.

Perry West was, first and foremost, a baseball man. He was named OVAC Baseball Coach of the Year in 1987 when the Bruins captured the OVAC title, then five years later earned W.Va. Region I Baseball Coach of the Year. He has been posthumously inducted into both the W.Va. Baseball Coaches Association, and Brooke High Halls of Fame.

West was also an OVAC Baseball director from 2000-2019, and was instrumental in establishing the OVAC Baseball Showcase and the OVAC baseball scholarship with his long-time cohort Steve Wojcik.

“What a special guy,” said Wojcik, himself an OVAC Hall of Famer. “Great coach, an even greater person. He always thought of ways to bring attention to the baseball players of the OVAC.”

West spent 37 years as a teacher and 36 years as a baseball coach at Follansbee and Brooke High Schools, taking one year off (1970) to return to Valley High in Pine Grove to coach the football team. He also served for years as an assistant football coach at Brooke, helping the program to three state Class AAA championships (1985, ’87, ’90).

Born April 21, 1938 in Deep Valley, WV, West graduated from Mannington High in 1956, after which he earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Salem College, and his master’s degree in vocational education from Marshall University.

Perry West passed away at age 83 in 2021, and is survived by his wife, Nancy.