Grand Forks baseball loses longtime Royals coach Nick Chine at 57

Longtime Grand Forks Royals head coach Nick Chine died of a heart attack on Friday at 57, shocking the local baseball scene. He had served as an assistant for 18 years before becoming head coach in 2012, and his tenure was marked by steadying the program and deep personal involvement. A moment of silence was held before the North Dakota Class AA Legion tournament game between Fargo Post 2 and Fargo Post 400 at Jack Williams Stadium.

Former coaches Brent Polum and Mark Varriano described Chine as a caring family man with a quiet exterior who quietly handled many duties, from cooking burgers to running the concession stand. In addition to his Royals role, Chine taught at Red River and was an assistant for the Roughriders baseball team, influencing generations of players both on the field and in the classroom.