Fans used to gather just beyond the left field fence and watch Ohio State baseball from the bed of their pickup trucks in the crisp spring air.

That was before the light towers of Bill Davis Stadium rose into the skyline with the Buckeyes’ basketball palace and football cathedral.

Those were simpler times for Bob Todd. It came well before his 900 victories at Ohio State, eight Big Ten titles and two NCAA regional championships. It was before baseball meant much of anything at a school dominated by football.

Sitting in the dugout before Ohio State’s 8-4 victory against Ball State last week, Todd remembered how it use to be in Columbus, Ohio.

“We were basically playing on a glorified high school field,” he said. “The thought of putting lights up was unheard of. We slowly built the program and it became a thing to go to an Ohio State baseball game.”

There aren’t too many moments left for Todd at the Northern powerhouse he created.

The 61-year old announced his retirement after the season on May 6 after 23 years with the Buckeyes.

His career could come to a close this weekend when Ohio State hosts Minnesota, needing a strong weekend to make the Big Ten Tournament, which will be played at Bill Davis Stadium.

This wasn’t supposed to be the way Todd went out. Before the season began, Ohio State looked like a contender to reach the College World Series. Led by ace Alex Wimmers, who stepped into the spotlight with a no-hitter against Michigan last year, the Buckeyes were favored to win the Big Ten.

But Wimmers has missed most of the conference season with an injured hamstring and reliever Drew Rucinski has struggled to pitch through a blister.

Meanwhile, Ohio State has suffered. After making the Tallahassee, Fla., Regional final last year the possibility of missing the postseason completely is very real for the Buckeyes.

“It’s just a snowball effect that this team hasn’t been able to overcome in many aspects,” Todd said.

With or without the postseason this year, Todd’s legacy in college baseball is cemented. He was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2009 and has been credited by some for reviving baseball in the North.

Todd won’t take credit for bring baseball back to the Rust Belt, but returning Ohio State back to national prominence is his doing. After making just one NCAA Tournament in the 20 years before Todd was hired, the Buckeyes have reached the tournament 13 times in his tenure.

One fellow Northern coach realizes how difficult it was for Todd to carve the baseball program a place at Ohio State.

“He came to Ohio State University, known as a football school, and has built this baseball program into a regional, if not national, name,” Ball State coach Greg Beals said. “Building the stadium, endowing scholarships, you name it, he’s done it here.”

Still, his teams have never made it to the College World Series. Todd isn’t willing to write off not making it to Omaha as a reality of being a Northern team.

He is disappointed that the players weren’t able to take part in the best experience college baseball has to offer.

“We’ve had some teams that I’ve felt were very capable of getting there,” Todd said. “The players really would have enjoyed it and you want those kinds of positive things to happen for your players.”

After last year’s very successful year that included another regular season Big Ten title, Todd signed a three-year contract extension. But this year, he had a change of heart. Coaching just wasn’t as much fun as it used to be for him.

“My heart was telling me its time,” Todd said. “I didn’t want to be a guy who hung around. I would rather get out too early than too late.”

Todd has no grand plans for retirement. No trips around the world or long lists of golf courses to play. His grandchildren all reside near Columbus, but he doesn’t want to be a burden to the new coach.

Though baseball has been a huge part of Todd’s life, he’s not sure what role it will have a month from now.

“I don’t know how anyone plans retirement,” he said. “I just want to see if I can get a little bored for a couple months.”