Tom was a legendary baseball coach at Edwardsville High School from 1981 to 1998, where he compiled a record of 579-148 and led the Tigers to a state title in 1990 and a second-place finish at state in 1991. The Tigers were ranked No. 1 in the nation both years.

During that span, Edwardsville High won 64 consecutive games. In 1998, Edwardsville won another state title under Pile with a perfect 40-0 record and another No. 1 national ranking.

In 1987, Pile was a driving force behind the construction of the Edwardsville High School Sports Complex. The baseball field now bears his name.

During his illustrious career, Pile received over 60 coaching awards for his baseball accomplishments. Those included National Coach of the Year, three-time Coach of the Year by the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association and the American Baseball Coaches Association.

Pile coached three future Major Leaguers and 21 future minor leaguers. Over 70 of the young men that he coached went on to play college baseball.

He coached three seasons at Washburn High School in Washburn, Illinois and played high school baseball for Winchester High School, where he is in the school’s Hall of Fame. Pile attended McKendree College from 1963-65 and in 2014, he was inducted as a baseball player in the McKendree Sports Hall of Fame.

Pile served in Vietnam after graduating college and returned home a decorated war veteran. He then began his teaching and coaching career, developing one of the most successful baseball programs in the State of Illinois.