Posted: Mar 22, 2018

Time Goes By Too Fast...

Seems like only yesterday I got the call from Head Football Coach John Zinda – he was looking for a football/baseball coach. Two year head coach Pat Murphy decided to take the head coaching job at the University of Notre Dame. It was the summer of 1987 and a gallon of gas was 89 cents.

At the time, I was assisting Jim Bowen (Hall of Fame Coach) at my alma mater, California State University, Stanislaus (known as Turkey Tech back in the day), when an office staff person came out to Warrior Field. Jim and I were constructing the press box behind home plate. Claremont McKenna College, never heard of it. Jim thought I should take the call and make a visit for the interview experience.

The living space above the Marian Minor Cook Athenaeum was spacious like a Marriott suite. I remember thinking this college has class. Coach gave me the tour. No Roberts, no Kravis Center, no Stark Hall, no Biszantz, only Ducey Gym and Arce Field – it had character.

My interview was all baseball because I had never coached football. Coach Z liked that I had played some pro ball with the Cincinnati Reds and played on an NCAA Division III World Series team. A week later an offer…another week, I was on campus…football camp was beginning.

Coach Z spent considerable time educating me on the game and football jargon – weak-side, wild-cat, wishbone…My first coaching assignment was with the running backs – Chris Dabrow and company. Chris would be an All-American that year. “Keep that elbow up” is all I would need to say.

We won the SCIAC Baseball Championship in 1988 going 28-12 (16-2 in conference), ranked 10th nationally and the opponent of California State University, Stanislaus in the regional. I thought this is fun. Honeymoon year for sure.

Many good times in the Stag uni…times have changed though, gas is now $3.75 a gallon.