The American Baseball Coaches Association has announced seven individuals to be inducted to the ABCA Hall of Fame in January 2019.
The ABCA Hall of Fame Class of 2019 includes:
Joe Carbone, Ohio University
Gary "Bo" Collins, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
Ron Davini, Corona del Sol High School (Ariz.)
Pat Doyle, San Joaquin Delta College (Calif.)
Dave Grant, Glendale Community College (Ariz.)
Steve Kittrell, University of South Alabama
Scott Pickler, Cypress College (Calif.)
The 2019 ABCA Hall of Fame inductions will be held during the 75th annual ABCA Convention on Friday, Jan. 4, 2019 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Registration for the convention as well as tickets to attend the Hall of Fame banquet will go on sale September 1.
Induction to the ABCA Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. The ABCA was founded in 1945 and the Hall of Fame began in 1966.
LINK: ABCA Hall of Fame Website
Joe Carbone, Ohio University
Joe Carbone spent 24 seasons (1989-2012) in the dugout as the head baseball coach of his alma mater, Ohio University, compiling a 689-611-2 (.529) overall record. His 689 wins make him the winningest coach any sport at the institution and place him third all-time in Mid-American Conference (MAC) history. Additionally, his 368 conference wins rank second in MAC history.
During his tenure, Ohio won two MAC titles and Carbone was named MAC Coach of the Year twice (1991, 1997). He was also honored as the ABCA/Diamond Mideast Region Coach of the Year in 1997, following the Bobcats’ 43-win season.
Over the course of his coaching career, 44 players signed professional baseball contracts. Eight of Carbone's players achieved All-America status, and he coached 43 First-Team All-MAC and 33 All-Mideast Region performers during his 22 years at Ohio.
Carbone took over the Bobcats’ program after 18 years as an assistant coach at Marshall, Toledo and Ohio State. He also coached with USA Baseball and helped develop the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League. The league’s Manager of the Year Award is named in Carbone’s honor.
Carbone's success is not limited to his coaching career. A three-year starter at Ohio (1968-70), he proved himself versatile, seeing time at second base, shortstop, third base and in the outfield. In those three seasons, Ohio compiled an overall record of 74-24, going 36-4 in MAC play with three conference titles. Carbone was captain for the 1970 team that participated in the College World Series.
In addition to the ABCA, Carbone has received Hall of Fame recognition from a number of organizations, including the Kermit Blosser Ohio University Hall of Fame where he was inducted in 2011 as a player and a coach.
He is also a member of the Tioga County, Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League, George Whitfield Baseball Clinic and All American Amateur Baseball Association Halls of Fame.
Carbone has been a frequent speaker at coaches' clinics across the United States and Canada. He has produced baseball videos and publications and has also spoken at the ABCA Convention four times.
Carbone earned a bachelor's degree in education from Ohio University and a master's degree in physical education from Marshall University (W.Va.)
Gary "Bo" Collins, Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
In 34 seasons as the head baseball coach at his alma mater, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Gary “Bo” Collins compiled a 1,028-766-7 (.571) record. His 1,028 wins make him the winningest coach in any sport at SIUE and at the time of his 1,000th win in 2011, he was one of only 18 active collegiate coaches throughout the NCAA to have reached that plateau.
During his tenure, Collins mentored 18 All-Americans, 94 All-Region performers and 59 All-Conference selections. Collins coached three conference Players of the Year, three conference Freshmen of the Year, and one conference Pitcher of the Year.
Collins was a two-time clinic speaker at the ABCA Convention and also served as a host at the ABCA Convention. He was a clinic speaker at the local and state level on many occasions as well.
In addition to his induction into the ABCA Hall of Fame, Collins was inducted to the St. Louis Amateur Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Collins had a professional baseball career of his own, playing in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. In 1969, he became SIUE's first player in any sport to sign a professional contract.
Collins’s coaching career began as an assistant at SIUE prior to heading to Lewis & Clark Community College. Collins returned to SIUE in 1979 as head coach and led the Cougars to 14 NCAA Div. II Regional appearances and five NCAA Div. II College World Series appearances in his first 30 years. He successfully transitioned SIUE into the Division I era beginning in 2009, culminating with the Cougars winning 28 games in 2011 and 27 in his final season of 2012.
Collins earned a bachelor's in physical education in 1970 and a master's in counselor education in 1973, both from SIUE.
Ron Davini, Corona del Sol High School (Ariz.)
Following a stellar playing career at Arizona State that included a national title and College World Series MVP honors, Ron Davini has served as a high school baseball coach in Arizona for over 40 years.
Davini, who was inducted into the Arizona State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, signed with the Chicago White Sox in 1969, and for the next five years taught high school in California and Arizona and while playing professional baseball.
Davini served as the head baseball coach for six years at McClintock High School before starting the baseball program Tempe Corona del Sol High School in 1977 when the school opened. In 28 seasons at Corona del Sol, he guided the Aztecs to over 400 wins and the 5A Arizona High School state championship in 1993. He retired in 2005 with a career coaching record of 444-368-6 (.543), but continues to assist the program as a volunteer coach.
Throughout his career Davini has received several coaching awards and honors, including being named National Coach of the Year by USA Baseball (1997) and the NHSBCA (2005). He was also selected to coach the West team in the Aflac All-American High School Baseball Classic.
From 1977-1997, Davini served on the Board of Directors for the Arizona Coaches Association before spearheading the establishment of the Arizona Baseball Coaches Association in 1997. He also served as President of the NHSBCA in 1997 before being named the association's Executive Director, a position he held for 13 years (2005-17).
Since 1988, Davini has been involved with USA Baseball and has coached three Junior National teams in World Championship competition. In 2003, he helped coach the 16-U Youth National Team to a Gold Medal in the World Championships.
His induction into the ABCA Hall of Fame marks the 11th Hall of Fame honor Davini has received either as a coach or player.
Pat Doyle, San Joaquin Delta College (Calif.)
Pat Doyle got his coaching start at Lodi High School (Calif.) and Tokay High School (Calif.) before being hired as an assistant baseball coach at San Joaquin Delta College in 1976. He took over as leader of the program the following year and remained head coach through 2000. In his 23 seasons, he led Delta to the playoffs 17 times and compiled a 568-274 record (.675).
For two seasons (1990-91), Doyle served as manager of the Anchorage (Alaska) Glacier Pilots, and has also served as a manager and assistant coach for several teams that have competed internationally.
After serving as an assistant coach for Team USA in the 1994 Baseball World Cup, he was named head coach for the 1996 Republic of Ireland National team, managed the British national team in the 2010 European Baseball Championship, and was head coach of Team Israel in the 2011 European Baseball Championship Qualifiers. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach for Team Israel in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Since 1993, Doyle has worked for Major League Baseball International as a coach, coordinator and envoy. He has helped construct baseball fields and worked with players and coaches in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
Doyle currently serves on the Board of Directors for Play Global! and the International Sports Group (ISG). He has also been an active speaker at numerous baseball clinics at the national and international level.
He is a member of several Halls of Fame, including the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Doyle has also been a recipient of the National Baseball Congress Coach of the Year Award (1991) and the European Baseball Coaches Association Coaching Achievement Award.
Dave Grant, Glendale Community College (Ariz.)
Dave Grant spent over four decades as a coach across the collegiate and high school ranks. In 35 seasons as head coach of the Glendale Community College (Ariz.) baseball program, Grant eclipsed the 1,000 career win mark and sent over 400 student-athletes onto four-year universities.
Throughout his career, Grant was heavily involved in the ABCA, NJCAA and Arizona Community College Athletic Conference. Grant served two terms as the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association President as well as President of the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference. Additionally, Grant served as the NJCAA Chair on the ABCA’s Executive Committee for six years. Additionally, he served on the ABCA Standing Committee for two years and still serves on the ABCA’s Lefty Gomez Committee.
A member of both the NJCAA Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame and the Arizona Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame, Grant took two teams to the NJCAA World Series (1991, 2003) during his tenure.
Grant’s coaching career began in 1973 as Head Coach of the Brophy College Prep in Phoenix, Arizona. After four years at Brophy, Grant took over as head varsity coach at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, California, where he served for one year, before becoming an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Additionally, Grant has coached with USA Baseball in several roles including 18U team assistant coach in 1994 and head coach of the 2002 18U team. He was also the head coach of the 2010 NJCAA All-Star team that competed in an international series with Chinese Taipei.
Off the field, Grant served as a residential faculty member in the English Department at Glendale and was the school's Director of Athletics from 2000 until 2014.
Steve Kittrell, University of South Alabama
Steve Kittrell retired from the University of South Alabama after the 2011 season, having compiled 1,052 victories in 28 seasons with the Jaguars. Kittrell won his 1,000th game in 2009, making him the 50th coach in NCAA baseball history to reach that milestone.
Across his 28 seasons with the Jaguars, Kittrell was named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year six times, won 14 Sun Belt regular-season championships, eight league tournament titles and reached the NCAA Regionals 18 times.
Also during his tenure, Kittrell had 22 student-athletes earn All-America honors, 41 all-region selections as well 79 individuals who received all-conference accolades; that group included five Sun Belt Players of the Year as well as the conference's Pitcher of the Year in 2006. He also coached a pair of Academic All-Americans.
Kittrell, a longtime ABCA member, also served seven years on the ABCA All-America Committee. In addition to his ABCA Hall of Fame induction, Kittrell is also a member of the University of South Alabama Athletics Hall of Fame (1993), Mobile (Ala.) Sports Hall of Fame (2004) and Alabama Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2007).
Kittrell returned to his alma mater, South Alabama, in 1984, following stints at Niceville High School (Fla.), University Military School (Ala.), Enterprise State Junior College (Ala.) and Spring Hill College (Ala.). At those four stops, Kittrell posted a combined 215-98 record.
Currently, Kittrell is serving as the head softball coach at Spring Hill College. In 2018, Kittrell’s Badgers 18-1 in conference play in 2018.
Kitrell graduated from South Alabama in 1971 with a degree in health, physical education and recreation. He still holds the program record as a player for four-year players with a .368 batting average. His No. 3 jersey is retired by the Jaguars.
Scott Pickler, Cypress College (Calif.)
Scott Pickler completed his 34th season with the Cypress College in 2018. He took over the Cypress College program in 1985 and has since led the Chargers to five state championships (1991, 1994, 1997, 2003, 2013) and four runner-up finishes (1996, 1999, 2004, 2007).
Pickler has amassed a career record of 981-493 (.666) and has been honored as National Coach of the Year for California Community Colleges four times. He has also sent hundreds of players on to four-year schools and the professional ranks.
Pickler has served as a coach for USA Baseball and has spent 18 seasons as a coach in the Cape Code Summer League, where he's led the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox to five Cape Cod League championships. Over 70 of Pickler's Cape League players have moved on to the Major Leagues.
Before coming to Cypress, Pickler had an outstanding high school coaching career. In six seasons at Savanna and Loara High Schools, he posted a combined record of 123-36 (.774) and won the CIF championship with his 1983 Loara squad.
Pickler is a 1968 graduate of Savanna High School where he was named Athlete of the Year and inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside his brother (Brad Pickler) in 2016. He attended Cypress College and earned all-conference recognition under Coach Larry Mercadante. He earned a degree in physical education from San Diego State University, where he played second base.