Cito Gaston: A baseball life
By BOB ELLIOTT, QMI Agency
Toronto Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston’s last home game as the team’s skip will be Wednesday night at the Rogers Centre.
As a youngster and a young major leaguer he was known as Clarence Gaston.
Home, back then, was 239 Belmont Street on the east side of San Antonio, Texas — a six-minute drive from the Alamo. Clarence had five sisters. They mostly called him “Brotherâ€.
Here, in Toronto, where Gaston managed for 13 seasons, winning back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and ’93, he’s just plain “Cito†— easily the most revered manager the Blue Jays ever had.
And, there have been a few.
Jim Fregosi excelled at Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif.
His school produced major leaguers Barry Bonds, Gregg Jefferies, Chuck Lofgren and Dan Serafini; NFL stars Tom Brady and Lynn Swann; USC coach John Robinson; CFL Hall of Famer Tom Scott; and the “best Serra athlete of them all,†according to Fregosi … “Me!â€
Ex-manager Jimy Williams’ roots trace to the Cal State University Fresno Bulldogs.
His school produced major leaguers Matt Garza, Tom Goodwin, Dan Gladden, Bobby Jones and Terry Pendleton; NFLers David Carr and Trent Dilfer; NFL coach Mike Martz along with college coaches Lane Kiffin and Jerry Tarkanian.
John Gibbons was a former No. 1 pick in the 1980 draft from Douglas MacArthur high in San Antonio.
The MacArthur Brahmas also produced major leaguers Jerry Grote, Ken Pape and Jason Szuminski.
Another Jays manager played fast-pitch softball for the Alamo Bank in the Bankers League and then baseball for the Cardona Welders.
Clarence “Cito†Gaston is the only Alamo Bank and Cardona Welders grad to make the majors and then manage.
“Think hitting here is tough? Try hitting fast pitch from 45 feet,†Gaston says. “They can make the ball rise and sink, or start the ball at your ankles and have it wind up around the letters.â€
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