Temple University Athletics
BASEBALL COACH SKIP WILSON RETIRES AFTER 46 SEASONS
8.29.05 | Baseball
PHILADELPHIA -- Temple head baseball coach James "Skip" Wilson, who led the Owls to a pair of College World Series appearances and compiled 1,034 wins in 46 seasons, has decided to retire, Director of Athletics Bill Bradshaw announced. Wilson guided Temple to 14 NCAA Tournaments and 10 conference championships during his tenure, which is currently tied for the longest in Division I history with Virginia Tech's Chuck Hartman.
"It was a great lifetime of working with kids," Wilson said. "I'll miss teaching them how to play the game the right way.
"I found it quite easy to retire because I've been retired for the past 48 years. All my life, I've had nothing but fun. The reason I had fun is because I had great players and great kids. It's very easy to coach when you have great players and great kids. I've had nothing but pleasure working here at the University."
Wilson, 75, is the winningest coach in Temple history, regardless of sport and captured his 1,000th win on March 14, 2004 when the Owls defeated Manhattan, 10-9. He finished his career with a record of 1,034-824-27 (.556) and ranks 29th in NCAA history in victories. Of the coaches ahead of him, only three (Bob Morgan (Indiana), Bob Hannah (Delaware) and Bob Warn (Indiana State)) are from Northern schools.
"Skip Wilson is a Temple and a Philadelphia collegiate baseball institution," Bradshaw said. "More than the wins and championships, what you've done for these young men is what your legacy is going to be.
"He will long be remembered as not only one of the greatest coaches in the rich history of Temple athletics, but as one of the best at any sport, college or pro, in the Philadelphia area."
The veteran mentor had a wealth of success during the 1970s. He led Temple to two College World Series appearances in 1972 (third place) and 1977 (eighth) and earned four more NCAA bids during the decade. The Owls won the Middle Atlantic Conference title in 1972 and 1973 and captured four straight East Coast Conference championships from 1975-1978.
The Cherry and White moved to the Atlantic 10 in 1983 and immediately made its presence felt. Paced by future major leaguers John Marzano and Jeff Manto, Temple won the A-10 and reached the NCAAs in 1983 and 1984.
Wilson made his last appearance in the NCAA Tournament following a dramatic 2001 season. After opening the year 0-14, the Owls went 24-14 the rest of the way and won the Atlantic 10 and reached the NCAAs for the final time in Wilson's career.
Named the District Coach of the Year three times (1972, 1977, 1978), Wilson was honored by the University on February 16, 1981, when he was inducted into the Temple Athletics Hall of Fame. Wilson also had the distinction of being inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame on January 11, 1987, and the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame on April 7, 1994.
A Philadelphia native, Wilson had over 100 players sign professional contracts. Most notable in the major leagues right now is Detroit Tigers outfielder Bobby Higginson. Other names of note are Philadelphia's own Joe Kerrigan, former pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox manager; Manto, who spent 10 seasons in the big leagues with seven teams; Marzano, a former major leaguer who serves as a post-game analyst for Phillies games on Comcast SportsNet; Ed Wade, general manager for the Philadelphia Phillies; and Steve Javie, a highly regarded NBA referee.
Wilson graduated from Manayunk's St. John's High School in 1948 and went to Georgetown University on a basketball scholarship. But the next year, scouts took an interest in his baseball skills and he signed with the Philadelphia Athletics. Wilson spent several years in the A's farm system before enrolling at Temple in 1951.
Soon after, he received a draft notice from the United States Army and spent two years in the military. After graduating from Temple in 1958, Wilson coached the Owls freshman basketball team through the 1970--71 season.
He added baseball responsibilities in 1960, becoming Temple's head coach after serving one year as an assistant to former Owl athletic director Ernie Casale. Wilson, who earned his master's degree in 1961 from Temple in health and physical education, taught at Roxborough High School for 34 years before retiring from teaching in February, 1992.
A national search is underway for Wilson's replacement.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT SKIP WILSON
"Skip has been tremendous for college baseball, tremendous for Temple University and tremendous for the literally thousands of players who were privileged enough to be on his teams.
"Playing for Temple meant that you knew how to fundamentally play the game. Skip taught it right and made you respect the game. And he cares about his players, be it the best, or, like me, the guys who were short on talent but loved and respected the game."
-Ed Wade (1974-75), General Manager, Philadelphia Phillies
"Skip Wilson was happy that I did well as a baseball player and made it to the major leagues. But when I struggled in major league baseball and got operated on and sent down, he was the first one to call to make sure I was doing well with my life and taking care of my family. I still talk to him once or twice a week about life and what I'm doing on TV."
- John Marzano, Temple All-American (1984), major leaguer and Phillies analyst on Comcast SportsNet
"Skip taught me how to play the game. I was successful professionally because of what he taught me. He has a knack for staying close and absolutely caring about people. His instruction went beyond baseball and he became a great friend."
-Jeff Manto (1984-85), former major leaguer, spent 10 seasons with seven teams
"Skip probably touched more lives at Temple than anyone in the university's history. From a professional level, he was probably as good of a combination baseball/basketball coach at the Division I level than I've eve run into."
-Joe Kerrigan (1972-73), former major league pitcher and pitching coach
"I truly believe that Coach Wilson enjoyed teaching the game of baseball above all else. Well beyond his 1,000 plus wins, which is a remarkable and honorable accomplishment, he appeared to be most inspired by sound, fundamental play.
"Many great memories were spawned during my years at Temple. League and Regional Championships and a trip to the World Series are a distant past, but Coach Wilson's teachings continue to inspire the many who were privileged to play for him.
"He was my coach and now he is my friend."
-Rod Johnson (1976-79), Temple All-American (1978) and Hall of Famer (1994)
