GRAND FORKS, N.D. — The Grand Forks baseball community is mourning the loss of Nick Chine, longtime head coach of the Grand Forks Royals American Legion team, who died of a heart attack early Friday morning at age 57.
Chine had been in the Royals dugout as recently as Thursday night during the North Dakota Class AA Legion tournament, where his team fell to Jamestown and was eliminated from the bracket. A moment of silence was held in his honor before Friday’s winners bracket final between Fargo Post 2 and Fargo Post 400 at Jack Williams Stadium in Fargo.
A Career Built on Steady Leadership
Chine spent 18 years as an assistant coach with the Royals before taking over as head coach in 2012. He also taught at Red River High School, where he worked alongside Red River baseball head coach Mark Varriano for more than two decades.
Former Royals coach Brent Polum credited Chine with helping elevate the program after taking the reins, saying he kept the team on solid footing during a period when Grand Forks was not widely regarded as a baseball powerhouse.
Polum recalled Chine’s hands-on approach to the program, noting he often handled tasks like grilling burgers and running the concession stand himself, with his family pitching in as well.
Both Polum and Varriano described Chine as a man raised in a military household who carried a tough, guarded exterior that gave way to warmth once people got to know him.
Polum said Chine would do anything for the people around him, while Varriano echoed that sentiment, describing him as someone who would help however he could once that initial barrier came down.
A Legacy Felt Across Generations
News of Chine’s passing spread quickly on Friday, with former players reaching out to Varriano and Polum in a wave of messages and texts. Varriano said Chine had a gift for connecting with players both on the field and in the classroom, since many of his students were also his athletes.
That dual relationship, he said, allowed Chine to build deeper bonds through everyday conversations rather than formal lessons alone.
Coaches from around the state also reflected on Chine’s impact following the news. Fargo Post 2 head coach Luke Rustad called him a good person who would be deeply missed, while Fargo Post 400 head coach Donn Bryant remembered him as a friend he spoke with throughout the winter months, someone who will be missed by everyone who knew him.
Chine’s death leaves a significant void in Grand Forks baseball, a program those close to him say he helped stabilize and strengthen over more than a decade at the helm.
