St. John the Baptist retires numbers of Logan O'Hoppe, John Habyan and Buddy Corr
St. John the Baptist athletic director Ralph Dalton speaks to the crowd during a jersey retirement ceremony in rightfield on Tuesday. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Three current St. John the Baptist baseball players cut down a covering over a slice of the outfield fence, revealing the cutouts of three white jerseys affixed to it. There in red on each was a number and a notable name from the game when it comes to this program’s history.
Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe (No. 6), former Cougars pitcher and coach and ex-major leaguer John Habyan (No. 11) and former Cougars coach Buddy Corr (No. 19) had their St. John the Baptist numbers officially retired in a ceremony before Wednesday’s game against Kellenberg at Buddy Corr Field.
“Obviously, it’s a pretty great feeling and one that’s pretty surreal, and I’m sure it’s going to hit me when I see that thing in person,” O’Hoppe said after watching the ceremony from Maryland with the Angels scheduled to open their season Thursday in Baltimore.
The 80-year-old Corr, who became the JV coach in 1978 and coached the varsity from 1982-98, was on hand and feeling appreciative.
“It really is an honor,” Corr said.
Habyan was a senior on Corr’s first varsity team, which won the NSCHSAA title. The Orioles drafted the righthander in the third round that year. He pitched mostly in relief for 11 seasons in the majors, including 1990-93 with the Yankees. Then he coached the Cougars for 17 years.
“You’ve got three guys on the wall there,” Habyan said after viewing the ceremony from Arizona. “One guy’s 80, I’m 60, and another guy in his 20s, and we all know each other. … I think it’s something to be proud of, the way that program is, how we’re a fraternity; we’re a family. And we’ve been doing things the right way for a very long time.”
The Phillies drafted O’Hoppe in the 23rd round in 2018 after he batted .467 as a senior. They traded him to the Angels in August 2022. He debuted in the majors the following month, then launched 14 homers last season.
His Cougars days set the foundation.
“As far as IQ and the game itself, it really prepared me well,” O’Hoppe said.
Ralph Dalton, the longtime St. John the Baptist assistant baseball coach and athletic director who played for Corr, sees a common thread between the three honorees.
“Not only did they do so much for St. John’s while they were here, but they continue do it throughout the years,” Dalton said. “They all come back and help any way they can.”
