Cliff Gustafson
Biographical details
Born(1931-02-12)February 12, 1931
Kenedy, Texas, U.S.
DiedJanuary 2, 2023(2023-01-02) (aged 91)
Austin, Texas, U.S.
Playing career
1952Texas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1953–1967South San Antonio (TX) HS
1968–1996Texas
Head coaching record
Overall1,466–377–2 (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
College Baseball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006

Clifford L. Gustafson (February 12, 1931 – January 2, 2023) was an American high school and college baseball coach who was, for twenty-nine seasons, the head coach of the Texas Longhorns, representing the University of Texas at Austin.

Early life

Gustafson was a native of Kenedy, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and played college baseball for the Texas Longhorns, including the 1952 team that won the Southwest Conference championship and reached the College World Series. Gustafson posted a .308 batting average for his collegiate career and went on to play professional baseball.

Coaching career

South San Antonio High School

After briefly playing baseball professionally, Gustafson embarked on a successful 14-year-high school coaching career that began in 1953 at South San Antonio High School in San Antonio, Texas. During his 14 seasons at South San, Gustafson's teams won the Class 3A State Championships an impressive seven times: 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966,1967.[1]

The University of Texas

In 1968, after hanging up initially on University of Texas football coach & athletic director, Darrell Royal (Gustafson thought it was a prank phone call) Gustafson took a pay cut to coach the baseball team at The University of Texas at Austin. While there, he led the Longhorns to twenty-two Southwest Conference Championships, a record seventeen College World Series appearances, with finals appearances resulting in two national championships in 1975 and 1983.[2]

Many of Gustafson's players went on to play Major League Baseball. Among that group are Jim Acker, Billy Bates, Mike Brumley, Mike Capel, Roger Clemens, Dennis Cook, Scott Coolbaugh, Keith Creel, Kirk Dressendorfer, Ron Gardenhire, Jim Gideon, Jerry Don Gleaton, Burt Hooton, Bob Kearney, Brooks Kieschnick, Keith Moreland, Calvin Murray, Spike Owen, Karl Pagel, Mark Petkovsek, Shane Reynolds, Andre Robertson, Bruce Ruffin, Calvin Schiraldi, J.D. Smart, Greg Swindell, Jose Tolentino, Richard Wortham, and Ricky Wright. Coach Gustafson has been inducted into the University of Texas Hall of Honor (1983),[3] American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (1992)[4] and the Texas Sports Hall of Fame (1994).[5] He was named National Coach of the Year in baseball in 1983 and awarded the 1998 James Keller Sportsmanship Award.[6] He was also named an inaugural member of the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.[7]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
University of Texas Longhorns[8] (Southwest Conference) (1968–1996)
1968 Texas 23–1112–41stCollege World Series
1969 Texas 40–614–21stCollege World Series
1970 Texas 45–814–11stCollege World Series
1971 Texas 35–1115–31stNCAA Regional
1972 Texas 50–912–6T-1stCollege World Series
1973 Texas 50–715–31stCollege World Series
1974 Texas 54–820–41stCollege World Series
1975 Texas 59–623–11stCollege World Series champions
1976 Texas 48–1619–51stNCAA Regional
1977 Texas 53–1017–72nd
1978 Texas 36–1712–125th
1979 Texas 61–822–21stCollege World Series
1980 Texas 53–1318–61stNCAA Regional
1981 Texas 62–11–116–51stCollege World Series
1982 Texas 59–712–41stCollege World Series
1983 Texas 66–1418–31stCollege World Series champions
1984 Texas 60–1416–51stCollege World Series Runner-Up
1985 Texas 64–1416–51stCollege World Series Runner-Up
1986 Texas 51–1416–5T-1stNCAA Regional
1987 Texas 61–1118–31stCollege World Series
1988 Texas 58–11–118–2–11stNCAA Regional
1989 Texas 54–1814–73rdCollege World Series Runner-Up
1990 Texas 51–1715–52ndNCAA Regional
1991 Texas 48–1914–71stNCAA Regional
1992 Texas 48–1728–81stCollege World Series
1993 Texas 51–1611–7T-2ndCollege World Series
1994 Texas 43–219–94thNCAA Regional
1995 Texas 44–1914–104thNCAA Regional
1996 Texas 39–2417–71stNCAA Regional
Texas: 1466–377–2 (.795)472–151–1 (.757)
Total:1,466–377–2 (.795)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

After coaching

Until his death, Gustafson resided at his home in Austin, Texas.

Gustafson died on January 2, 2023, at the age of 91.[9]

Achievements

National Championships: 1975, 1983

SWC Championships: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996

SWC Tournament championships: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994

Collegiate Career Record: (1968–1996): 1466-377-2 (.795)

NCAA tournament Record: 122–55 (.689)

National Coach of the Year: 1982, 1983

College World Series appearances: 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1993

Coached 35 First Team All Americans, 12 Second Team All Americans, and 9 Third Team All Americans

Inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

Inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Named an inaugural member of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Gustafson's Longhorns had a 39–0 record against minor league & semi-pro teams in exhibitions.

In his 1,466 Longhorn games, as coach, Gustafson was never ejected from the game.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Finger, Mike (June 15, 2015). "Gustafson built baseball dynasty at South San". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  2. ↑ "NCAA Division I Baseball Championship History". NCAA.com. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  3. ↑ "University of Texas Hall of Honor: Cliff Gustafson". texassports.com. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. ↑ "American Baseball Coaches Association: Cliff Gustafson". abcahalloffame.org. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  5. ↑ "Texas Sports Hall of Fame: Cliff Gustafson". tshofinductees.org. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Texas Baseball History: Academic Honors". texassports.com. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  7. ↑ "2006 College Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees". MLB.com. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Texas Year-By-Year Results"
  9. ↑ Legendary Longhorn baseball coach Cliff Gustafson dies at 91
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