Bud Hollowell facts for kids

Buddy Ryan "Bud" Hollowell was an American baseball player. He was also a manager in minor league baseball. Later in his life, he became a teacher and an author. Buddy was born on January 1, 1943, and passed away on May 16, 2014.

Buddy Hollowell's Sports Career

Buddy grew up in Long Beach, California. He was a great athlete at Long Beach Polytechnic High School. He played football as a quarterback in 1959 and 1960. His teams were amazing, winning 22 games and losing only one! They also won two state championships.

After high school, Buddy went to the University of Southern California. He played baseball for the USC Trojans baseball team as a catcher. In 1963, his team made it to the finals of the College World Series. They won the national championship by beating the Arizona Wildcats baseball team!

Buddy was named the College World Series Most Outstanding Player in 1963. He hit for a .350 average. He also set a home run record that year, which is still tied by other players today. Buddy even represented the United States in baseball at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Baseball was a special "demonstration sport" at those Olympics.

Playing for the Alaska Goldpanners

In 1964, Buddy played for the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks in the Alaska Baseball League. He had a great season, hitting .316 with 14 home runs and 71 RBI (runs batted in). He was named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP). While playing for the Goldpanners, Buddy was the catcher for Tom Seaver. Tom Seaver later became a famous pitcher in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Buddy also returned to coach the Goldpanners in 1975, 1983, and 1997.

Professional Baseball Journey

From 1965 to 1969, Buddy played professional baseball for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. He played in the minor leagues, but he never made it to the major leagues.

• In 1965, he played for the Santa Barbara Dodgers and Pocatello Chiefs. He hit .271 with 11 home runs that year.
• In 1966, he played for Santa Barbara again, hitting .256 with 12 home runs.
• In 1967, still with Santa Barbara, he hit .279 with 14 home runs and 68 RBI.
• In 1968, he played for the Albuquerque Dodgers, hitting .270 with 11 home runs and 54 RBI.
• His final professional season was 1969, also with Albuquerque. He hit .291 with three home runs and 21 RBI.

Managing in the Minor Leagues

After his playing career, Buddy became a manager. From 1970 to 1971, he managed the Ogden Dodgers. In 1970, he led his team to a second-place finish. In 1971, they finished sixth.

Life After Baseball: Educator and Author

After his baseball career, Buddy Hollowell went back to school. He earned several degrees, including a Ph.D., in physical education from the University of Southern California.

He taught at the University of Phoenix. He was honored as "Outstanding Professor of the Year" three times! He also led the Philosophy & World Comparative Religions department there. Later, he taught management and sports medicine courses at the American Military University.

Buddy was also recognized for his thinking and writing. He was given an "Honorable Mention" as an Outstanding Philosopher of the 20th Century. He also received an award from the State of Alaska for helping students.

Buddy co-founded a group called One World Insight. This group helps people learn about healthy aging and becoming "whole, not old."

Books by Buddy Hollowell

Buddy Hollowell wrote two books:

• The Eternal Dance: This book talks about religion and spirituality.
• The Quantum Gateway: At the intersection of Religion and Science: This book explores how religion and science connect.

A special moment for Buddy was when the Dalai Lama read parts of The Eternal Dance during a teaching session in India.

Buddy Hollowell passed away in Lakeland, Florida, on May 16, 2014.