John Osborne walks at his own pace.
He’s allowed to, as he nears his 90th birthday.
That could also be why he loves baseball so much.
“There is no ‘time’ in baseball,” Osborne said. “Because of that, it makes the game exciting. There are wild rallies where you can come from behind and win. It’s never finished until you get through nine innings.”
“Or seven innings in high school,” he chuckled.
John “Ozzie” Osborne laughs during his 90th birthday party at the Edwards Barn in Nipomo.
Baseball has been a constant source of pride, life lessons and entertainment for Osborne.
That was the theme when family, friends and former players gathered at Edwards Barn in Nipomo to celebrate an early 90th birthday party for the long-time Allan Hancock College baseball coach.
He joked that the date had to be weeks before because his actual birthday in February was not available at the venue.
Osborne, or “Ozzie” as he is known to most, coached the Bulldogs from 1966-1996, finishing with 698 wins, 12 conference titles and a 1972 state championship. His 698 wins are the third highest in California community college history.
He also spent time as the college’s athletic director and, after that, was St. Joseph High School’s athletic director and baseball coach.
But his love for the game of baseball started long before that.
Osborne played many sports growing up, but baseball was his favorite.
Former baseball coach John “Ozzie” Osborne looks at his lineup card during a game at Allan Hancock. Osborne celebrated his 90th birthday last weekend at Edwards Barn in Nipomo.
Contributed by the Osborne family
His favorite player was Yankee legend Mickey Mantle, who he was able to see in person during a 1951 exhibition game against the Pacific Coast minor league team Hollywood Stars at Gilmore Field in Los Angeles.
Osborne played primarily as a third baseman, but also spent some time at second and in the outfield. He worked his way through the junior leagues in Santa Barbara, then on into high school and then in college at UC Santa Barbara.
His childhood dream came true when he was drafted into the pros in 1957.
“I signed with the Dodgers,” Osborne said. “They were the Brooklyn Dodgers back then.”
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Osborne’s career lasted just three years before he got into coaching.
“We had a lot of good players,” Osborne said. “Coaching was more than just wins and losses. There were relationships I was able to build with players over the years. I always looked fondly at how they succeeded in life.”
Dean Teixeira, a Santa Maria resident and former left fielder for Hancock, sat near the back of the barn listening to stories about his former coach.
“Ozzie is just a great character,” said, Teixeira, who was on his 1972 championship team. “He’d help anybody and everybody. He’s a genuine coach.”
The 1972 Hancock baseball team finished with 26 wins, hosted the state small schools postseason tournament and defeated College of the Redwoods to clinch the title.
“It’s kind of foggy because it’s college, but I still distinctly remember Ozzie always chewing his tobacco. Oh, and don’t get to the right of him,” Teixeira laughed. “No one could say a bad word about Ozzie.”
Osborne’s coaching career not only included success on the diamond but life lessons off it as well. His five Ps say Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
In 2013, Osborne was immortalized when Hancock’s baseball field was named after him, but his life is more than just baseball. It is family.
He married his wife Mardi in 1979, has seven kids, 14 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
His son, Jon, and grandson, Cole, have both followed in his footsteps, coaching baseball at Cabrillo High School.
Jon retired in 2019 and Cole took over the next year.
“His impact as a coach and as a man has reached far beyond Allan Hancock College,” Cole Osborne told the crowd. “Sure, the pressure of being an Osborne is still here but, stealing a quote from Ohio State football coach Ryan Day, ‘pressure is a privilege.’ Papa, it’s a privilege to be your grandson and it’s a privilege to carry on the coaching legacy you laid out for me and my dad.”
John Osborne has long since retired but still makes it out to the ball park.
He regularly attends Utah Tech college baseball games in his hometown of St. George, Utah.
He still occasionally comes out to watch his grandson’s Cabrillo team or attend a Hancock game.
Coaching was his passion, but does he miss it?
“No, not really,” he chuckled. “The daily grind is for the younger guys. Now it’s about family.”