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Wilson High’s baseball team defeated Cabrillo 21-10 on Friday, a seemingly unusual game that actually solidified a remarkable historic accomplishment. The victory for the Bruins was the 600th career win for their longtime head coach, Andy Hall, who became just the 37th coach in the history of California high school baseball to reach that number according to Cal-Hi Sports’ official coaching records.
Like a lot of high school coaches, Hall does not relish talking about himself or his accomplishments.
“To be perfectly honest I wasn’t aware of any of it until towards the end of last year, one of my assistants told me we were close to it,” he said. “When you start the season and you know you only need eight wins–it sure took us a long time to get there. We’re 8-8 but we could be 13-3 or 3-13.”
The win means that the Moore League is the first league in California history with two coaches who own 600 or more victories in the sport, fitting since the league has been so dominant in both championships and in prospects produced over the last century. Still, with all the legendary coaches who’ve gone through the league, none have won more games than current Lakewood coach Spud O’Neil (second all-time in the state with more than 950) and Hall.
Hall said it was nice hearing that he and Spud were joined in that history.
“I had never heard that stat before, that kind of gives a special feel and meaning to it,” he said. “You say ‘coaching fraternity’ in Long Beach and it does feel like that. Whenever we play I run into guys I’ve known for 10, 15, 20 years. I’m following Spud’s legacy–I’ll never get to 900, I promise you that.”
The annals of Long Beach’s rich baseball history are filled with legendary high school coaches, including Skip Rowland, John Herbold, Dan Peters, and many others. For Long Beach guys like O’Neil and Hall, having their names up there with the all-time greats is a treasure.
“Long Beach has a tremendous history and you try to follow their lead, those guys with their names up there at Blair Field,” said Hall. “The list goes on and on. To be in Spud’s shadow all these years so to speak is motivating. Being on the field with the kids and seeing them smiling the day after a loss reminds you of what it is. It’s high school baseball, it’s fun.”
Hall said he’s put a lot more emphasis on the emotional side of the game as he’s gotten deeper into his career, being more willing to carry a larger varsity roster in order to grow the family.
“I play more guys, I hope that’s a part of my legacy now is trying to make kids feel wanted and part of something,” he said. “I think it’s important especially at a big comprehensive high school like Wilson that kids have a place to call their home.”
Hall spent the first decade of his career at St. Anthony from 1991-2000 where he won 137 games before taking over the Bruins, where he’s been ever since. His 2007 Wilson team went 32-3 and won the CIF-SS Division 1 title as well as Baseball America’s national championship, and is one of the best teams in city history. The Bruins were CIF-SS finalists in 2004 and 2008 under Hall as well.
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