John Altobelli facts for kids
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| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 8, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | January 26, 2020 (aged 56) Calabasas, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| College and Minor League Baseball | |
| 1982–1983 | Golden West |
| 1984–1985 | Houston |
| 1985 | Miami Marlins (Florida State League) |
| Position(s) | Outfielder |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1987 | Houston (asst.) |
| 1988–1992 | UC Irvine (asst.) |
| 1993–2019 | Orange Coast |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 705–478–4 (.596) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
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| Awards | |
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John Edward Altobelli (May 8, 1963 – January 26, 2020) was a well-known American college baseball coach. He worked for 27 years at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California. During his time there, he led his team, the Pirates, to win four California state junior college titles. In 2019, he was named National Coach of the Year.
Sadly, John Altobelli died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. Eight other people also died in the crash in Calabasas, California. This included his wife, Keri, and his daughter, Alyssa. Famous basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were also among the victims.
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Early Life and School Days
John Altobelli was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 8, 1963. He was one of seven children in his family. His father, Jim Altobelli, was also a professional baseball player.
John went to Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California. After high school, he attended Golden West College. There, he played college baseball as an outfielder for the Golden West Rustlers. An outfielder is a player who fields balls hit into the far part of the baseball field.
He then moved to the University of Houston. He finished his college baseball career playing for the Houston Cougars from 1984 to 1985. He was a captain on the baseball team. John was a strong player, leading his team in many ways. He was good at getting players home (runs batted in) and scoring runs himself. He also had many hits that went for two or three bases.
After college, John played a short time in 1985 for the Miami Marlins. This team was part of the Florida State League, a lower level of professional baseball. He played only 15 games before returning to school. John earned his first degree in physical education from the University of Houston in 1987. In 1988, he earned a higher degree in education from Azusa Pacific University.
Becoming a Baseball Coach
John Altobelli started his coaching journey in 1986. He was a junior varsity coach at Newport Harbor High School. In 1987, he went back to the University of Houston as an assistant baseball coach. From 1988 to 1992, he was an assistant coach at UC Irvine.
In July 1992, John became the head coach at Orange Coast College. This happened two months after UC Irvine stopped its baseball team due to money reasons. John led the Orange Coast Pirates to win state championships in 2009, 2014, 2015, and 2019. He won his 700th game as a coach in 2019! He was also named National Coach of the Year in 2019. In his 27 seasons at Orange Coast, Altobelli had an amazing record of 705 wins, 478 losses, and 4 ties.
For three summers, from 2012 to 2014, Altobelli also coached the Brewster Whitecaps. This team plays in the Cape Cod Baseball League, a famous summer league for college baseball players. Some of the players he coached there later became professional stars. These include Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Jeff McNeil of the New York Mets.
About His Family
John Altobelli had a son named John James, or J.J., with his first wife, Barbara Jean WooSam. J.J. played college baseball and then professionally. He later became a scout for the Boston Red Sox. John and his second wife, Keri L. Sanders, had two daughters, Alexis and Alyssa.
His Passing
John Altobelli died on January 26, 2020. He was traveling in a helicopter that crashed in Calabasas, California. All nine people on board were killed. This included his wife Keri and their 14-year-old daughter Alyssa. Also on board were former professional basketball player Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. Other victims included Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, Christina Mauser, and the pilot Ara Zobayan.
Alyssa Altobelli, Gianna Bryant, and Payton Chester were all teammates. They played on the Mamba Sports Academy basketball team. The group was flying to a basketball tournament when the helicopter crashed.
John Altobelli and Kobe Bryant became friends because their daughters played together. They had often traveled to practices and games. John even invited Kobe to speak to his baseball team in 2018. Nate Johnson, a coach at Orange Coast College, said that John was like "his own Kobe of the junior college baseball world." This meant he was just as famous and respected in his own sport. The cause of death for all passengers was serious injuries from the crash.
Remembering John Altobelli
On January 26, 2022, two years after the crash, the baseball stadium at Orange Coast College was renamed. It is now called John Altobelli Park. This was done to honor his memory and his great contributions to the college and baseball.
