Former University of Arizona Baseball coach, Jerry Kindall, passed away on Sunday after suffering a stroke on Saturday. The legendary coach was mourned by players and fans.
Under Coach Kindall, Wildcat baseball teams won three national titles.
According to Fanragsports.com:
Born in 1935 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Kindall played nine seasons in the majors before taking the reins in Tucson. His playing career included stints with the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins, a notable feat of longevity considering his batting average of .213, the lowest mark of any player since 1920 with at least 2,000 plate appearances.
Kindall enjoyed far greater success during 24 seasons with the Wildcats, the first coming in 1973. His teams advanced to the postseason 12 times and played in the College World Series on five occasions. He guided Arizona to three conference titles, and national champions in 1976, 1980 and 1986. Kindall finished his coaching career as the Wildcats’ all-time leader in wins, with a record of 860-579-7.
After retiring in 1996, he remained a fixture of the Wildcats’ program, calling games for television broadcasts as recently as last season. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 alongside former University of Minnesota coach Dick Siebert, with whom he won a national title as a player in 1956.