Former Texas coach Cliff Gustafson remembered as baseball icon, family man, music lover

Former Texas baseball coach Cliff Gustafson was remembered Thursday as an iconic coach whose impact stretched well beyond the baseball field.

Former players, coaches, family and friends gathered at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on a cool, breezy afternoon to celebrate Gustafson's life. He died Jan. 2 at age 91. But for those who watched "Gusball" from 1968 to 1996, the legend lives on.

Former assistant coach Tommy Harmon recalled a coach who always had a "fire in his belly." Gustafson won two national championships at Texas and earned a career record of 1,466-377-2. Remarkably, Gustafson was never ejected in any of his 1,845 games.

"Coach knew how to control his emotions," Harmon said. "Maybe that's why some people thought Texas got some favorable calls" from umpires.

Harmon was a mainstay in the Longhorns' dugout during Gustafson's career. Gustafson was in his first year as head coach when Harmon arrived for his freshman year in 1968. He was also in the dugout as a coach when Gustafson coached his final game in burnt orange in 1996.

Gustafson's daughters, Jill Balderama and Jann Shepperd, said their father was particularly proud that he never got booted from a game. Nevertheless, there were many times he was mad about a call, and he often let the men in blue hear about it. But he always knew how to cut it short after his point was made.

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"He was never a yeller," Balderama said. "Even when he coached at South San (Antonio, from 1953 to 1967). He had a stern tone. If he was upset about something, he wouldn't hold back."

Sheppard told a story about the origins of her father's calm demeanor in the dugout. Gustafson was coaching at South San Antonio when his brother, Marvin, attended a game. The brothers had a serious discussion.

"Marvin went up to him and said, ❛I could never play for you,❜ ❞ Sheppard said. "He yelled too much."

Gustafson took his brother's comments to heart and made it a point to be cordial to umpires and opposing coaches for the rest of his baseball career.

Gustafson's daughters said they never took a family vacation that did not include baseball. Jill, Jann and Gustafson's beloved wife, Janie, enjoyed being a baseball family.

"Omaha was our Disney World," Balderama said. "I remember going to Omaha for the first time in 1972. And we were there when they won the championships in ❜75 and ❜83. I remembered we'd go to the zoo or go shopping on days they didn't have a game."

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Gustafson was born on Feb. 12, 1932, in Kenedy. He was the youngest of four children, and his parents were Swedish immigrant cotton farmers. He was passionate about all sports, his daughters said, but he also enjoyed music. His mother, Wendla, signed him up for violin lessons. He never wanted to play the violin, so he skipped the lessons and learned how to play the guitar somewhere else, Shepperd recalled.

Gustafson was an excellent golfer who played almost daily in the summer. He often played at Austin Country Club with fellow coaches such as Darrell Royal, Bill Bethea and Abe Lemons and longtime UT trainer Spanky Stephens.

When Gustafson began his high school career at South San Antonio, he wanted to be the school's basketball coach. When the baseball coached moved on, he took that job and never looked back. He went on to win seven Class 3A state championships with the Bobcats.

It's a well-known story that Gustafson took a pay cut when he left South San Antonio to become Texas' head coach. As athletic director at the high school in his final two years, he was making $11,500 a year. Royal hired him at Texas for $11,000.

Among the players who attended Thursday's celebration was Greg Swindell, one of the the greatest pitchers in UT history and a major league player for 17 years. Swindell started Texas' season opener in his freshman year and recalled a memorable moment he had with Gustafson when he was working on a no-hitter the same season.

Swindell, who described his former coach as "stoic" in the dugout, needed three more outs to earn the no-no when they had this discussion before he walked to the mound in the ninth:

Gustafson: "Don't let the No. 2 guy hurt you."

Swindell: "But coach, we're winning 14-0."

Gustafson: "You know what I'm talking about."

Swindell obviously knew he was working on a no-hitter and went on to retire the Texas Wesleyan side in order. Swindell pitched a second no-hitter later in the season.

Among the speakers Thursday were associate pastor Ken Baldwin and former Longhorns Burt Hooton, Keith Moreland, Ty Harrington and Brooks Kieschnick. The celebration ended when one of Gustafson's favorite groups, the Kyle Family, sang "I'll Fly Away." Everyone then stood for "The Eyes of Texas," with an image of the fabled coach on the outfield scoreboard.

Gustafson will be buried at the Texas State Cemetery in a private ceremony.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Cliff Gustafson remembered as baseball icon, family man, music lover