College baseball’s all-time wins leader and former Texas Longhorns coach Augie Garrido died on Thursday at the age of 79.
March 15 (UPI) — College baseball’s all-time wins leader and former Texas Longhorns coach Augie Garrido died on Thursday at the age of 79.
He was recently hospitalized and passed away in Newport Beach after complications following a stroke.
Garrido won five National Championships during his 48-year baseball coaching career. He spent 20 seasons with the Longhorns.
„This is a very, very sad day,“ University of Texas vice president and athletics director Chris Del Conte said in a news release from the Longhorns athletic department. „We lost one of the greatest coaches of all time, a truly special Longhorn Legend and college athletics icon. There will never be another Augie Garrido.“
„He was a once-in-a-lifetime personality whose impact on Texas Athletics, collegiate baseball and the student-athletes he coached extended far beyond the playing field. If you were fortunate enough to have spent time with Augie, or if you followed him in any way, he had a great effect on you with his brilliant combination of wisdom, wit and charm. He was just an incredible coach, molder of men and a great person. He will be missed, but the memories of him and his awesome accomplishments will carry on forever. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Jeannie, and his family.“‚
Garrido left the diamond in 2016, with 1,975 wins. He also won three National Championships at Cal State Fullerton.
The six-time National Coach of the Year led teams to the College World Series 15 times and made 33 NCAA Regional appearances. He led squads to 16 NCAA Regional Tournament titles and 25 conference championships.
Garrido played three seasons for Fresno State before signing a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians. He played in the minor leagues for six years before accepting a coaching gig at Sierra High School in Tollhouse, Calif.
He went on to coach at San Francisco State and Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, before being hired by Cal State Fullerton.
Several players had parting words for their former coach Thursday on social media, including pitcher Huston Street.
Garrido is a member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Omaha College Baseball Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Titan Athletics Hall of Fame and the Longhorn Hall of Honor.
