Barbara chosen as one of 49ers' all-time best

By Eric Boyum, On-Line Forty-Niner

Tuesday, September 15, 1998

They call him Herman. However, the nickname has nothing to do with "The Babe" George Herman Ruth. 49er Hitting Instructor Don Barbara or "Herman" will be inducted into the 1998 class of the Long Beach State Athletic Hall of Fame on Oct. 14.

Barbara was an All-American selection as a first baseman in 1990 when he led the nation in hitting with a .474 average. Barbara feels honored that he is being recognized as one of the all-time 49er greats.

"It's a good feeling. It shows me that I caught somebody's eye with my abilities and by working hard," Barbara said. "It's a good honor and I'm happy to be going in there."

Long Beach State Head Coach Dave Snow, who gave Barbara the nickname Herman, acknowledged that Barbara has contributed to the success of the baseball program both as a player and through his role as the current hitting instructor.

"He was a big part of my first College World Series team in 1989," Snow said. "He played a big role in getting us back to the College World Series last season as our hitting instructor and deserves a lot of credit in terms of our offensive accomplishments."

Barbara, whose college career ended in 1990, still finds his name at the top in two all-time 49er records. He holds the highest batting average for a season (.474 average), and most doubles (27) for a season. His record of 102 hits during a single-season stood for seven seasons until three 49er players from last season's team set new highs, bumping Barbara to fourth on the list.

"I was happy for them," Barbara admitted in regards to seeing his single-season hit record fall. "But as I told those guys, there is still my batting average record of .474 percent. I told them they are going to have to get a whole lot of hits to break that one."

Although it was his ability to hit the baseball that will standout in most people's minds when they recall Barbara's playing days, he also fielded his position with precision.

In 1990, Barbara started every game for the 49ers at first base and had a perfect fielding percentage. His 530 putouts that year ranks as the third most ever at The Beach for a single-season.

"In 1990, he had a dream season," Snow said. "He had one of the best single-college seasons ever."

His college batting average of .427 during his two years at The Beach is still a career high in the Long Beach State record books. After his junior year, Barbara was drafted by the California Angels.

Barbara's contract was then sold to the Los Angeles Dodger's organization.

He played at Triple-A, for the Albuquerque Dukes and for the Pawtucket Red Sox before returning to Long Beach to play semi-pro baseball for the Long Beach Riptide.

After the Riptide moved to Mission Viejo, Snow brought Barbara back to be the 49er's hitting instructor.

"I've been very fortunate to come back here and coach with no doubt in my mind the best coach in the country," Barbara said. "Then to go to the College World Series, and then getting inducted into the Hall of Fame has summed up a very good year for me."

Barbara retains mixed emotions on what role he enjoys more, playing or coaching. "I may be 30 years old, but I still think I could play this game for a few more years," Barbara said.

"But I know my time has come to end my (playing) career. I've got a new career and that is coaching," he said.

The difference between the two roles is something that Barbara is trying to cope with during his second season as a hitting instructor.

"Being a coach is crazy because there is pressure. As a kid you are just out there playing and giving it your all," Barbara said. "When I went to the College World Series as a player in 1989, we didn't expect it and we were all excited. It was such a better feeling being a coach and getting to the 1998 College World Series because you saw the amount of growth between all 30 kids we had and how they kept working to get there. "

So why do they call him Herman?

"When I showed up at the first practice in 1989, I had a big cast on my foot. I was waddling around the field and Coach Snow said, 'you look like Herman Munster with that big thing on your foot,' the nickname stuck," Barbara said.

Barbara was a monster of a player in his playing days, and the nickname of Herman fits perfectly for this future Long Beach State Hall of Fame member.

The Daily Forty-Niner will feature an article on each of the 1998 Hall of Fame class.