EUGENE, Ore. -- A ceremony to honor terminally ill former Oregon baseball coach Mel Krause was both a roast and a time for memories. And Krause loved every minute of it.

Krause has leukemia and was told in January he had two to six months to live. He turned 80 in February.

Today more than 1,000 gathered at the Club Room at Autzen Stadium to honor him.

Speakers included current Duck baseball coach George Horton and some of Krause's former players from his Oregon and high school coaching days.

Krause played for Oregon under the legendary coach Don Kirsch and coached the team from 1971 to 1981, when the program was cut because of budget restraints.

He helped raise enough money to convince Oregon that baseball could be supported again. Krause never had a losing season at Oregon.

Horton said it is sad that Krause probably won't live to see Oregon take the field again next spring.

But Krause told those there to honor him not to count him out. He said he renewed his driver's license just last month.

Oregon honors former baseball coach Mel Krause

EUGENE, Ore. -- A ceremony to honor terminally ill former Oregon baseball coach Mel Krause was both a roast and a time for memories. And Krause loved every minute of it.

Krause has leukemia and was told in January he had two to six months to live. He turned 80 in February.

Today more than 1,000 gathered at the Club Room at Autzen Stadium to honor him.

Speakers included current Duck baseball coach George Horton and some of Krause's former players from his Oregon and high school coaching days.

Krause played for Oregon under the legendary coach Don Kirsch and coached the team from 1971 to 1981, when the program was cut because of budget restraints.

He helped raise enough money to convince Oregon that baseball could be supported again. Krause never had a losing season at Oregon.

Horton said it is sad that Krause probably won't live to see Oregon take the field again next spring.

But Krause told those there to honor him not to count him out. He said he renewed his driver's license just last month.