Who is the Winningest Coach in College Baseball History?
College baseball is one of the most popular sports in the United States. The game has seen many great teams and players over the years, but there is one coach that stands out from the rest as the winningest in college baseball history. That coach is Augie Garrido of the University of Texas. Garrido is the all-time winningest coach in college baseball history with a record of 1,975 wins and 903 losses.
Early Life and Career
Augie Garrido was born in Vallejo, California in 1939. He was raised in Northern California and attended Fresno State University. At Fresno State, Garrido was a four-year starter for the Bulldogs and earned All-American honors in 1962. After graduating, Garrido was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 11th round of the 1963 Major League Baseball Draft. Garrido spent three years in the Angels organization before returning to Fresno State to begin his coaching career.
Garrido began his coaching career at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1971. He stayed at Cal Poly for two seasons before accepting the head coaching job at the University of Illinois in 1973. Garrido spent five seasons at Illinois before taking the head coaching job at Cal State Fullerton in 1977.
Cal State Fullerton
Garrido’s time at Cal State Fullerton was incredibly successful. He compiled a record of 854 wins and 357 losses while leading the Titans to five College World Series appearances and two National Championships. Under Garrido, the Titans won the College World Series in 1979 and 1984.
University of Texas
In 1996, Garrido was hired as the head coach of the University of Texas. In his 22 seasons at Texas, Garrido has led the Longhorns to six College World Series appearances and two National Championships. He has compiled a record of 1,112 wins and 546 losses at Texas, making him the all-time winningest coach in college baseball history.
Accolades and Awards
Garrido has been honored with numerous awards throughout his career. He has been named National Coach of the Year five times (1979, 1984, 2002, 2005 and 2009). Garrido was also inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010. He is the only coach to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame while still actively coaching.
Retirement
In March 2016, Garrido announced his retirement from coaching. He finished his career with an incredible record of 1,975 wins and 903 losses. He is the all-time winningest coach in college baseball history, a feat that is unlikely to ever be matched.
Legacy
Garrido’s legacy will live on for many years to come. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest coaches in college baseball history. He has been a mentor and role model to countless players throughout his career and his impact on the game will be felt for many years to come.
Notable Players
Garrido has coached many great players throughout his career. Some of the most notable include:
- Randy Johnson – Johnson was an All-American pitcher at Cal State Fullerton in 1982. He went on to become a first-round draft pick in the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft and a five-time All-Star.
- Kris Benson – Benson was an All-American pitcher at Texas in 1996. He was the first-overall pick in the 1996 Major League Baseball Draft and a three-time All-Star.
- Roger Clemens – Clemens was an All-American pitcher at Texas in 1983. He went on to become a seven-time Cy Young Award winner and a two-time World Series champion.
- Derek Holland – Holland was an All-American pitcher at Texas in 2007. He was a first-round draft pick in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft and a two-time All-Star.
Augie Garrido Day
In 2017, the University of Texas declared June 8th as “Augie Garrido Day”. The day was declared to honor Garrido’s incredible career and contributions to college baseball.
Final Thoughts
Augie Garrido is the all-time winningest coach in college baseball history. His career was marked with incredible success, numerous awards and accolades, and the mentorship of countless players. Garrido’s legacy will live on for many years to come and his impact on the game of college baseball will be felt for generations.