RIP Icon Gary Hughes
- Thread starter Where Are They Now
- Start date
He was unique. A people person to his core. At Serra HS as a senior in 1959, he played LF on a sterling CAL title team. His SS was Jim Fregosi. His 3b was Tim Cullen. Those two combined to play 24 years in MLB. Hughes would joke that he made them what they became. Gary was loyal, passionate about the sport, never too busy to impart wisdom to any of us through the decades. He coached the sport at Marin Catholic. He then spent more than a half-century working for a number of MLB clubs, evaluating talent and assisting front office folks. He never forgot his Peninsula roots, returning to Serra on countless occasions, supporting the school and providing perspective and knowledge. He grew up in San Mateo across town from Bill Neukom, San Mateo HS Class of 1959, who became managing general partner of the Giants. Gary was a member of athletic halls of fame in the Bay Area and beyond. He always hearkened back to his formative days. He loved his family, his friends, his baseball cohorts and his old classmates. He never forgot a face or name. He will not be forgotten. He is a legend. One of a kind. A special guy. God bless him.
Last edited:
He once told me he took a tour of San Quentin and an Inmate that he had signed years earlier yelled 'Gary, I was framed'.
I was hoping that colhenry would write about Gary Hughes and I was not disappointed. As a Washington Senators fan from the mid 60's until being stolen away to Arlington, TX after the '71 season, Tim Cullen was a player I saw play many times. Thanks for the info on him and Mr. Hughes. From everything I have read and heard, he was a helluva guy.
To honor the late legendary baseball scout and Serra alumni Gary Hughes ‘59, the Hughes Family has created the Gary Hughes Keep Swinging Foundation, a scholarship dedicated to providing an underprivileged student an opportunity to attend Serra High School.
This scholarship represents the loyalty Hughes has for his alma mater.
“We are so grateful to the Hughes family for starting the Gary Hughes Keep Swinging Foundation,” said Chief Advancement Officer Mike Fadelli ‘88. “His deep connection to Serra High School will continue to live on through this scholarship -- Gary was and always will be a true Padre!”
Hughes passed away last month after battling cancer. Hughes spent 54 years in professional baseball after graduating from Serra High School in 1959 and attending San Jose State University.
Hughes was a baseball coach at Marin Catholic before beginning his career in pro baseball. He was a member of the Giants, Mariners, Mets, Yankees, Expos, Marlins, Rockies, Reds, Cubs and Red Sox organizations before joining the Diamondbacks.
A larger-than-life man who loved his family, the game of baseball, and had legions of amazing friends, Hughes' connection to Serra High School was deep and represented so many attributes that defined him -- friendship, faith, family. In the spirit of one good deed changing someone's life, a scholarship to Serra was what he wanted to bring to fruition as part of his legacy.
According to a family statement, “If you've ever left our dad a voicemail, you'd hear his upbeat recording..."I'm on the move right now...leave me a message and keep swinging!"
This statement somehow encapsulated Hughes’ dynamic positivity, love of baseball and his 'don't give up/keep going for it' spirit.
To donate to the Gary Hughes Keep Swinging Foundation, read full story: www.serrahs.com/padre-life
This scholarship represents the loyalty Hughes has for his alma mater.
“We are so grateful to the Hughes family for starting the Gary Hughes Keep Swinging Foundation,” said Chief Advancement Officer Mike Fadelli ‘88. “His deep connection to Serra High School will continue to live on through this scholarship -- Gary was and always will be a true Padre!”
Hughes passed away last month after battling cancer. Hughes spent 54 years in professional baseball after graduating from Serra High School in 1959 and attending San Jose State University.
Hughes was a baseball coach at Marin Catholic before beginning his career in pro baseball. He was a member of the Giants, Mariners, Mets, Yankees, Expos, Marlins, Rockies, Reds, Cubs and Red Sox organizations before joining the Diamondbacks.
A larger-than-life man who loved his family, the game of baseball, and had legions of amazing friends, Hughes' connection to Serra High School was deep and represented so many attributes that defined him -- friendship, faith, family. In the spirit of one good deed changing someone's life, a scholarship to Serra was what he wanted to bring to fruition as part of his legacy.
According to a family statement, “If you've ever left our dad a voicemail, you'd hear his upbeat recording..."I'm on the move right now...leave me a message and keep swinging!"
This statement somehow encapsulated Hughes’ dynamic positivity, love of baseball and his 'don't give up/keep going for it' spirit.
To donate to the Gary Hughes Keep Swinging Foundation, read full story: www.serrahs.com/padre-life
More Tim Cullen trivia. He was a star on Serra's 1959 and 1960 CAL baseball championship teams; in his senior year, he was a standout guard on Serra's 1959-60 CAL basketball team, regular season co-champs with O'Dowd (coached by Frank LaPorte by the way.) Riordan beat both Serra and O'Dowd in the CAL playoffs at USF to capture the official CAL crown that year. Then, at Santa Clara, Cullen was a starter on both basketball and baseball teams. In 1962, the Broncos played for the College World Series title, losing to Michigan. SCU went 39-8 that year. That team featured a number of future big league players, among them Bob Garibaldi, John Boccabella and Ernie Fazio, along with Cullen. Ron Calcagno was also a key member of that team. That marked the only time the Broncos have played for the NCAA baseball crown.
Last edited:
Similar threads
