Baseball | 7/25/2016 1:08:00 PM
ASPENDELL, Calif.--- This past month in Aspendell, California, "Coach" Tom Morgan died at the age of 83. Morgan was the head baseball coach at San Francisco State University from 1961-63, where he guided the Gators to three straight-conference championships.
While serving as head baseball coach at San Francisco State University, Morgan led the Gators to an overall winning percentage of .735 during his three-years. His winning percentage remains the highest by a baseball coach in the school's history. Morgan coached many student athletes that went on to play professionally including Mets stand-out Bud Harrelson. In 2002, he was inducted into the San Francisco State University Department of Athletics' Hall of Fame.
While at San Francisco State, he coached several All-Far West Conference selections including Player of the Year honorees Fred Glosser and Joe Panella. Morgan also was named the Far West Conference Coach of the Year for three-straight years.
"Coach Morgan taught his players on how to grow up, be a man and also be accountable," said San Francisco State University Department of Athletics Hall of Famer Terry Christman. "Coach always told us he coached us that those three years, were his favorite as a coach."
Morgan also coached football at San Francisco State University, where he was an assistant under fellow SF State coaching icon Vic Rowen. During his career, he held coaching positions at Pomona College, the University of Arizona and American River Community College.
While coaching baseball at Long Beach State (1967-72), Morgan, a life-long advocate for education, began evening classes at the University of Southern California to earn his doctorate. He received an EdD in education in 1974. As a professor at Long Beach State— "Dr. Morgan"- led the student teaching program in the physical education department.
Morgan also dedicated 17 years to the California Collegiate Athletic Association, as its commissioner. He orchestrated the merger of the CCAA with the NCAC, to create the first "super conference" in Division II athletics. San Francisco State University has been a member of the CCAA since 1998.
"Tom (Morgan) was a special guy, an old school baseball coach," said Former CCAA commissioner Robert J. Hiegert. "He did everything professionally and laid a solid foundation for the CCAA resulting in the success the conference enjoys now."
Born January 2, 1933, in San Clemente, California, Tom Morgan grew up a true son of the West. His father, Fred, was a horse wrangler and ranch manager who worked for the Academy Award winning film director Howard Hawks, raising and training horses for westerns. His mother was a homemaker. As a child, Tom accompanied his father on horse buying trips and round-ups chasing wild horses. For the rest of his life Morgan was happiest on the wild backroads and mountains of California and Arizona and imparted this love of the outdoors to his children a lifelong gift.
Morgan earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Cal State Los Angeles, where he played both baseball and football. He was an avid sportsman who loved fishing in Baja and hunting in Arizona and Oregon. This passion inspired he and his wife Patricia to buy a cabin west of Bishop, 8,500 feet up in the Sierras, where they could fish the lakes and streams each summer.
Coach Morgan died at the cabin, in the mountains he loved. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Betty Lou Farr, and his son Michael. He is survived by his wife, Pat, daughter Kitty, brother Hugh, nephew Dan, grandniece Danielle and grandnephew Trevor.
Thanks to Tom's daughter, Kitty Morgan, for the assistance with this story.
