Gonsalves makes the Hall

Coaching legend is newest Hall 
of Fame member

By Eric Boyum, On-Line Forty-Niner

Tuesday, September 29, 1998

 

Former Long Beach State baseball player and coach, John Gonsalves, will be inducted into the 49er Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his 464 wins during 18 years of coaching.

In 1988, Gonsalves opted to stop coaching to spend more time with his family. He has remained on campus as a kinesiology and physical education instructor to this day. However, Gonsalves' arrival at The Beach almost never happened.

"I didn't want to come to Long Beach State, because it was a newborn athletic department," Gonsalves said.

Since no professional baseball draft existed prior to 1965, Gonsalves was ready to sign a professional free-agent contract after failing to qualify academically at UCLA. The Detroit Tigers was one organization Gonsalves considered joining after he played two years at Long Beach City College.

"I was going to sign that summer and I happened to be at Blair Field one night," Gonsalves said. "The 49er baseball coach, Bob Wuesthoff, happened to be there that night. Something happened because this is going to be my 37th year on campus."

After two years as a second baseman at Long Beach State,

Gonsalves' dream of playing professionally came true in 1965 with the New York Mets.

"I signed as a free agent at the World Series game between the L.A. Dodgers and the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium," Gonsalves said.

The Mets worked Gonsalves up to Triple A (Memphis) in his third year with the organization. Gonsalves was working on his masters degree during the summer at Long Beach State when his former coach offered him a coaching opportunity.

"Bob Wuesthoff said 'I thought you were going to take this assistant job,'" he said.

Gonsalves said he retired from professional baseball then and there. Oddly enough, it took him only a year to get the head-coaching job.

"I lasted for 19 good years [as a coach] and we had our ups and downs.

"I was so focused on baseball, it was my life," he said. "I really don't miss coaching now."

Currently, Gonsalves instructs eight classes a week including golf, softball and racquetball. He is a regular special committee member for the athletic department and still visits the ballpark to keep tabs on his friend, baseball head coach Dave Snow.

Gonsalves said he misses the friendships he developed during his coaching days, although he does not miss the new rules implemented by the NCAA.

"There are too many rules now," he said.

Gonsalves talked about retiring in three years when he passes the 40-year mark on campus.

"Then I will have hit my mark," he said.

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