 | |
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1963-05-08)May 8, 1963 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | January 26, 2020(2020-01-26) (aged 56) Calabasas, California, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| College andMinor League Baseball | |
| 1982–1983 | Golden West |
| 1984–1985 | Houston |
| 1985 | Miami Marlins (Florida State League) |
| Position | Outfielder |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1987 | Houston (asst.) |
| 1988–1992 | UC Irvine (asst.) |
| 1993–2019 | Orange Coast |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 705–478–4 (.596) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| |
| Awards | |
| |
John Edward Altobelli (May 8, 1963 – January 26, 2020) was an Americancollege baseballcoach who worked for 27 seasons atOrange Coast College inCosta Mesa, California. During his career, he led the Pirates to four California state junior college titles and in 2019 was named National Coach of the Year by theAmerican Baseball Coaches Association. In January 2020, Altobelli, along with his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa, died ina helicopter crash inCalabasas, California, which also killed basketball playerKobe Bryant.
Altobelli was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 8, 1963.[1][2] He was the sixth of seven children. His father, Jim Altobelli,[3] was aprofessional baseball player.
Altobelli graduated fromNewport Harbor High School inNewport Beach, California. He enrolled atGolden West College, where he playedcollege baseball for the Golden West Rustlers as an outfielder.[4] He transferred to theUniversity of Houston, where he finished his college baseball career with theHouston Cougars from 1984 to 1985 and was a captain on the baseball team.[5][4][6] In 1984, his junior season, Altobelli led the Cougars inruns batted in (34),runs scored (47), andtriples (three). He shared leads indoubles (14) andstolen bases (eight). As a senior in 1985, Altobelli had a single-season record 57walks and led the team in runs scored (68) and stolen bases (13).[7]
After his senior season, Altobelli played briefly in the 1985 season for theMiami Marlins of theFlorida State League, which at that time was an independentfull-season Class A team.[8] Altobelli returned to school after playing only 15 games. He graduated from the University of Houston with abachelor's degree inphysical education in 1987.[9] In 1988, he earned hismaster's degree in education fromAzusa Pacific University.[4]
Altobelli began his coaching career in 1986 as junior varsity coach at Newport Harbor High School.[4] In 1987, he returned to Houston as an assistantbaseball coach.[7] From 1988 to 1992, Altobelli was an assistant coach atUC Irvine under Mike Gerakos.[4]
Two months after UC Irvine cut its baseball team for budgetary reasons, Altobelli became head coach atOrange Coast College in July 1992.[5] Altobelli led the Orange Coast Pirates to state championships in 2009, 2014, 2015, and 2019. He won his 700th career game in 2019.[10] He was named National Coach of the Year for the Pacific Association Division by theAmerican Baseball Coaches Association in 2019.[11][12][6] In 27 seasons as Orange Coast head coach, Altobelli had a cumulative 705–478–4 record.[7]
For three summer seasons between 2012 and 2014, Altobelli served as head coach for theBrewster Whitecaps in theCape Cod Baseball League. Among his players wereAaron Judge of theNew York Yankees,Jeff McNeil of theNew York Mets, andRyon Healy of theMilwaukee Brewers.[8][13]
Altobelli and his first wife, Barbara Jean WooSam, had one son, John James (J.J.).[14][15] J.J. played college baseball for theOregon Ducks[16] before playing professionally for theJohnson City Cardinals, and later became ascout for theBoston Red Sox.[4][17][18][19] Altobelli and his second wife, Keri L. Sanders, had two daughters, Alexis and Alyssa.
Altobelli underwent open heart surgery in December 2012.[20]
Altobelli died on January 26, 2020, when the helicopter he was traveling in crashed inCalabasas, California.[21][22] All nine passengers on board were killed, including Altobelli's wife Keri, the Altobellis' 14-year-old daughter Alyssa, former professional basketball playerKobe Bryant, Bryant's 13-year-old daughterGianna, Sarah Chester, her 13-year-old daughter Payton, Mamba Sports Academy assistant coach Christina Mauser, and helicopter pilot Ara Zobayan.[23] Alyssa Altobelli, Gianna Bryant, and Payton Chester were teammates on the Mamba Sports Academy basketball team.[23] The group was traveling to Mamba Sports Academy inThousand Oaks for a basketball tournament when the helicopter crashed.[24]
Altobelli and Kobe Bryant became friends through their daughters and had previously traveled to practices and games together. Altobelli invited Bryant to speak to his baseball team in 2018. Orange Coast College associate baseball coach Nate Johnson said of Altobelli, "He kind of gets overshadowed by Kobe a little bit, but he was his own Kobe of the junior college baseball world".[25]
Like all of the other passengers, Altobelli's cause of death wasblunt trauma.[26]
On January 26, 2022, on the second anniversary of the crash, the baseball stadium at Orange Coast College was renamed to John Altobelli Park.[27]