Devey led charge for statue for "inspiring" former Louisiana coach

A statue honouring the late Tony Robichaux, longtime baseball coach at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, was unveiled at the Ragin’ Cajuns home field in February. The statue was commissioned and paid for by a group of Robichaux’s former players, led by Canadian pitcher Phil Devey (Lachute, Que.) Photo: Phil Devey

May 9, 2020

By J.P. Antonacci

Canadian Baseball Network

It’s been over 20 years since Phil Devey last played college baseball. But the former Olympian and minor league pitcher from Lachute, Que. says he constantly thinks of the life lessons imparted by his University of Louisiana coach, Tony Robichaux.

“All day, every day,” Devey said.

“He never deviated from doing the right thing and what he believed was the proper thing to do – without fail. To have the opportunity to watch that firsthand and be around someone like that, it’s inspiring and uplifting. I was lucky enough to be mentored by him.”

Devey wasn’t the only player who saw “Coach Robe” as a mentor. In his 25 years at the helm of the Division I Ragin’ Cajuns baseball program, Robichaux helped hundreds of young ballplayers become future leaders, family men, and upright citizens.

“Whenever he spoke, everyone listened. When he walked into a room, no matter the situation, it just seemed like everyone stopped what they were doing in anticipation of hearing him say something that would make you a better person,” Devey said.

“I went in hoping to be coached baseball-wise by the right person. It just so happened that the same person taught me how to live my life.”

Robichaux’s untimely death of a heart attack last July at the age of 57 left his Louisiana family grieving. The tragedy also spurred Devey into action. He rallied former players to raise money to put up a statue honouring their beloved coach outside the school’s home field, M.L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park.

“The sports program developed because of him,” Devey said, citing a stadium that to his mind rivals any minor league park and a top-25 Division I baseball team that consistently gets national attention.

“I’ve been around a lot of coaches, but nobody held a candle to him. If he was at a prominent school he would’ve been on the pantheon of coaches. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

Under Robichaux’s guidance, the Ragin’ Cajuns made the NCAA playoffs 16 times, including four Super Regional appearances and a third-place finish at the 2000 College World Series. His overall record was 817-513-1.

But that’s not the tally that concerned Robichaux. Devey described his former coach as a man of faith who often spoke of how he would one day have to give an account of his work on Earth. Robichaux believed that when that day came, how many baseball games he won would pale in comparison to how many lives he touched.

“He talked the talk and walked the walk,” Devey said. “His message, his teachings, were more important than a baseball game.”

Robichaux was a humble man who Devey said would have flatly rejected the notion of putting up a statue in his honour. The only way Devey imagined Robichaux giving such an idea his reluctant blessing was if his players were the ones behind it.

So Devey reached out to former Ragin’ Cajuns through a private Facebook group and pitched the idea of raising $160,000 to put up the statue as a gift to Robichaux’s family and a tribute to their coach.

Devey was adamant that no corporate or donor money went into the project.

“The statue had to be paid for by former players. That was very important,” he said.

In no time, somewhere between 300 and 400 Louisiana baseball alumni stepped up to contribute $250,000, a list that included major leaguers like B.J. Ryan and Jonathan Lucroy and some former players who only played one season for Robichaux.

“People who literally hadn’t been back for 20 years. They were around Coach Robe for nine months, and they wanted to be a part of this. That tells you a lot,” Devey said, adding that the extra money was a surprise gift to Robichaux’s family..

The statue by renowned sculptor Brian Hanlon was unveiled in February, on the opening weekend of the season.

A front look at the statue devoted to beloved Louisiana baseball coach Tony Robichaux. Photo: Phil Devey.

It shows Robichaux in a familiar setting – talking to his players after the game, his sunglasses in their customary spot, flipped upside down on his cap. One hand on his hips, the other outstretched, he looks to be imparting some wisdom to the nine players who kneel in a semicircle in front of him.

Inscribed on the wall behind the players is one of Robichaux’s sayings: “Don’t hook your identity to a game. Let the way you live your life define who you are.”

“It’s in honour of him, but it’s not a glorification of him,” Devey said. “It’s really a work of art. It was just an honour to be part of it and get it done.”

Robichaux’s wife, Colleen, and their children, Austin and Ashley, as well as relatives, friends, former players, and current Ragin’ Cajuns players and fans were present for the unveiling of the statue in February. Photo: Phil Devey.

In the crowd for the unveiling were Robichaux’s wife, Colleen, and their children, Austin and Ashley, as well as relatives, friends, former players, and current Ragin’ Cajuns players and fans.

B.J. Ryan, Devey’s onetime college roommate, was among the spectators. Robichaux converted the young fireballer into a reliever, setting the stage for Ryan’s all-star seasons as the closer for the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays.

“Robe built a foundation for everything that I stood on when I went out on the mound. He’s the best baseball man that I’ve ever been around,” Ryan told the Acadania Advocate after Robichaux’s death.

“The impact that he made on me and my time when I was down there, I can’t say enough about it. He was just so wise and he was such a role model for everybody around. Everybody has a story of how Robe has impacted their lives. He just gave so much.”

Now Ryan is giving back as Louisiana’s volunteer pitching coach, inspiring young pitchers as he once was mentored by Coach Robe.

Devey was one of those players to blossom under Robichaux’s influence. His mother, a French teacher, met the coach at a teachers conference in Lafayette and came home with his business card.

“At the time I had applied and was accepted to go to McGill University in Montreal, but I always had a dream to play baseball in the United States at a Division I school,” Devey said.

“I called (Robichaux) every day for two weeks until he finally got tired of me calling and told me if I can find a way to get down to Louisiana, he would let me try out.”

The lefthander made the cut and went on to help the Ragin' Cajuns to two Sun Belt Conference titles and three NCAA tournament appearances. In his senior year, Devey was a National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association first-team All-American and was named to the Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America teams.

He went on to pitch seven seasons in the minors, mostly in the Dodgers organization. He said his time with the Canadian national team, including pitching at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece, was the highlight of his career because the camaraderie he felt with Team Canada reminded him of playing with the Ragin’ Cajuns under Robichaux’s influence.

“With Team Canada, that college feeling was back. Everybody was playing for each other and their country,” Devey said.

Now a married father of three running a real estate brokerage in Lafayette, Devey said he continues to be guided by the life lessons he learned from his former coach.

And should he ever need a refresher, he need only head to the stadium, where Robichaux’s mantra of doing good and living an honourable life is carved in stone as an enduring lesson for all who take the time to look.