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Ken Frank is what they call a "Baseball Lifer."

The legendary Toms River High School South baseball coach has spent his springs on a baseball diamond for more than 60 years.

Since 1970, Frank has spent his springs coaching baseball at Toms River South. New Jersey's all-time winningest baseball coach with 894 had begun his 43rd season as the Indians' head coach March 6 when practice for the season began.

Now, with the closure of schools and the spring sports scholastic season in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic, Frank, like everybody else is adjusting to the "new normal."

"I guess it doesn't feel like spring without baseball," said Frank, 73."This is the first spring I haven't been on a baseball diamond. Not being on a baseball field does feels a little different.

"Every time you think you've seen everything, something new happens. Right now, I'm worried about the health and safety of everybody. What the governor (Gov. Phil Murphy) is doing right now (with all the safety measures that have been put in place) is the right thing for all of us.

"Everybody has to understand why things are being done, be supportive of them and make it work. Whatever the governor wants us to do, we've got to do it."

Toms River High School South head coach baseball coach Ken Frank, shown in June 2017, is currently experiencing a spring without baseball for the first time in more than 60 years.(Photo: FILE PHOTO)

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As competitive as ever, Frank was excited with what he had seen from his team before practices were halted late last week.

"I was enjoying myself and enjoying being around them and the coaches (his assistant coaches).The kids were working very hard and showing a lot of energy,"Frank said.

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Frank, whose teams have won 56 championships (a Shore Conference-recordfive NJSIAA group championships, a Shore-record 10 NJSIAA sectional titles, a record 12 Ocean County Tournamentchampionships,a co-record seven Shore Conference Tournament titles and 22 Shore Conference divisional titles), always tells his players they have to be prepared for everything during both life and the course of a baseball game.

His message, in these unusual times, has even more truth to it.

"Youhave to be able to adjust in life,"Frank said. "This is an adjustment. You have to be able to handle adjustment and difficulties in life."

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One of the things Frank, who has coached some of the legendary players in the Shore Conference, including current Texas Rangers' third baseman Todd Frazier, has always preached is there are aspects of life that are more important than baseball.

"Number 1 is family first. Then yourself and your kids 2ndand baseball's 3rd,"said Frank, who along with his wife Cecila has four daughters and 10 grandchildren and has a younger brother, Bill Frank, the former highly successful Toms River High School East head coach. "I worry all the time about my kids and family."

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Frank is concerned for both his current and his former players, especially those who began their collegiate season, like 2017 graduate Justin Fall, who was 1-0 at Arizona State before his season was halted. He wonders how they are handling life without baseball. The NCAA has canceled all its tournaments through the spring, including the College World Series.

"I'm concerned for every ballplayer at every school who had their season stopped. It could affect their future as far as signing (with either a professional team or getting a collegiate baseball scholarship) goes,"Frank said.

With way more spare time on his hands than he is used to at this time of year, Frank, who keeps almost everything from both his family and baseball history, has been going through all his family pictures andall the albums of every team he has coached going back to his time as an assistant coach to the late Al Fantuzzi at Toms River South. He has alsowatchedtapes of old Toms River South games.

"I'm trying to do things around the house to keep me busy,"Frank said.

Like everyone else, Frank wonders when, and if the crisis will pass and whether he will get to coach even what would be a much shorter season should one actually take place.

"We've been in contact with our kids,"Frank said. "Right now, there's nothing to tell them. Nothing to say. We've got take things a couple of weeks at a time.''

Steven Falk covers scholastic football, wrestling and baseballfor app.com and is a life-long resident of the Shore area who loves the rich history of sports in the Shore area. 732-643-4267; sfalk@gannettnj.com

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Coronavirus: Toms River HS South 'baseball lifer' stuck with time on his hands - Asbury Park Press