Cliff Gustafson

Cliff Gustafson is a former Texas high school & college baseball coach who was, for twenty-nine seasons, the head coach of The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn baseball team.

Cliff Gustafson
Biographical details
Born (1931-02-12) February 12, 1931
Kenedy, Texas
Playing career
1952University of Texas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1953-1967South San Antonio High School
1968-1996University of Texas
Head coaching record
Overall1,466-377-2 (college)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Awards
College Baseball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006

Early life

Gustafson, born February 12, 1931, is a native of Kenedy, Texas. He played baseball at UT, 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 coached at South San Antonio High School from 1953 to 1967. During his 14 season, Gustafson led the Bobcats baseball to Texas Class 3A State Championships(6x) in 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 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, and two national championships in baseball 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 1982 and 1983 and awarded 1998 James Keller Sportsmanship Award.[6] He was also named an inaugural member of National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.[7]

After coaching

Gustafson resides at his home is Austin, Texas. He enjoys spending time with his family and continues to proudly support The University of Texas Longhorns.

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

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.

See also

References
  1. "Gustafson Built Dynasty at South San Antonio"
  2. "NCAA D1 College Baseball - History"
  3. "University of Texas Athletics - Official Athletics Website". University of Texas Athletics. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  4. "Gustafson - ABCA Hall of Fame"
  5. "Texas Sports Hall of Fame"
  6. Collegiate Baseball Coach of the Year award
  7. "2006 College Baseball Hall of Fame"
  8. "Texas Year-By-Year Results"
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