Johns Hopkins Mourns the Loss of Mike Durgala

Funeral Set For Wednesday in Annandale, VA

Mike Durgala's exploits on the baseball field are well documented. His impact on Johns Hopkins University and those close to him extends far beyond the playing field.

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Aug. 4, 2006

BALTIMORE, MD -- Mike Durgala, a 2005 Johns Hopkins graduate, a four-year member of the Blue Jay baseball team and an assistant coach last season under head coach Bob Babb, was killed in a chain-reaction car accident Thursday (August 3) afternoon. Durgala was returning to Baltimore after working at a baseball camp in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The accident occured on Route 140 northwest of Reisterstown near the border of Baltimore and Carroll counties.

The viewing has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 8 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home. The funeral home is located at 9902 Braddock Road in Fairfax, VA, the phone number is (703)425-9702. The funeral mass will be held on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The church is located at 8800 Braddock Road in Annandale, VA. The phone number is (703) 978-8074. The internment will follow at Fairfax Memorial Park, 9900 Braddock Road.

Condolences can be sent to Mike's parents:

John and Mary Durgala
8800 Nero Street
Annandale, VA 22003

Durgala was a two-time Second Team All-Centennial selection for Babb and the Blue Jays during his career. He helped lead Johns Hopkins to three Centennial Conference Championships and three appearances in the NCAA Tournament during his career. He was a key member of the 2004 team, which posted a 40-4 record and spent virtually the entire season ranked number one in the nation.

A tireless worker, Durgala concluded his career ranked among the all-time leaders in numerous statistical categories, including home runs (3rd/26), doubles (3rd/45), RBIs (6th/133) and runs scored (10th/123). He began his career as a third baseman before making the seamless transition to first base.

A true student of the game, Durgala served as the team's strength and conditioning coach and worked closely with the Blue Jay catchers during his season as an assistant coach. He was active working with youth baseball players, often providing individual instruction. His personality and demeanor were tailor-made for coaching the intricacies of the game.

A native of Annandale, Virginia, Durgala graduated with a degree in computer science and was a student assistant in the Sports Information and Games Operations deparments at Johns Hopkins. He worked countless hours both in the office and at athletic events and quickly demonstrated a prfessionalism that belied his age.

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