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From Clarence to Cito, a baseball life

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 8:29 pm
by LittleOzzy
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 “Brother”.

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!”

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.


Cito’s 5 BEST moments

1. 1989 season

Taking over the 12-24 Jays, catching the Orioles to win the AL East in the 161st game with a three-run eighth against Baltimore. After two lead-off walks, Gaston had Lloyd Moseby bunt the runners over. Mookie Wilson and Fred McGriff singled in runs before George Bell knocked in the game winner with a fly ball.

2. Robbie Alomar’s homer, Game 4 1992 ALCS

A’s Dennis Eckersely ended the Jays’ eighth-inning rally fanning Ed Sprague, firing an imaginary pistol at Sprague and the Jays dugout. Devon White led off the ninth with a single and Alomar pulled a two-run homer to right on Oct. 11. The Jays won in 11 to go up 3-1.


Cito’s 5 WORST moments

1. 1985 ALCS

The Jays went ahead of the Kansas City Royals 3-1, the first year the ALCS moved from a best-of-five to a best-of-seven series. Danny Jackson won Game 5 for the Royals in K.C., Mark Gubicza won 5-3 at the Ex and the Royals led Game 7 2-1 when Jim Sundberg hit a three-run triple off Dave Stieb as the Jays fell 6-2.

2. 1987 stretch run

The Jays won the first three games of a four-game series against the Tigers and were three outs away from being 4 1/2 games up with six games remaining. But then Kirk Gibson homered off Tom Henke and hit a game-winning bloop off Jose Nunez in the 11th making the lead 2 1/2. The Jays dropped three in a row to Milwaukee and three straight in Detroit.


http://www.torontosun.com/sports/column ... 99191.html

Fantastic read.