Howard Bushong

Howard Bushong
Sport(s) Baseball
Biographical details
Born June 4, 1953
Playing career
1975–1977 Texas
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2009–2010
2004–2009
2001–2003
2000
1994–1999
1990–1993
Oneonta/Connecticut Tigers
Texas State (Asst.)
GCL Tigers
AZL Padres
SW Texas State
Texas (Asst.)
Accomplishments and honors

Championships

Southland Tournament: 1997, 1999
Southland Texas Div: 1996, 1997

Awards

Southland Conference Coach of the Year: 1997

Howard Bushong is a former baseball coach at the high school, college, and minor league levels. He has moved between the college and professional levels several times, most recently coaching the Connecticut Tigers of the Class A New York–Penn League. He previously coached at Texas State as both a head coach (when it was known at Southwest Texas State) and an assistant, as well as the rookie league GCL Tigers and AZL Padres.

Playing career

Bushong played for Texas from 1975–77, including the Longhorns championship run through the 1975 College World Series.

Coaching career

Bushong began his coaching career at Austin Westlake High School, winning two Texas state championships and amassing a 311–84 record over twelve years.[1]


College coaching career

Bushong became an assistant coach at his alma mater, Texas, in 1990. After foure seasons, he took over as head coach of Southwest Texas State. Bushong led Southwest Texas State to their first ever division championships (Southland Texas Division, 1996 and 1997), Southland Conference Baseball Tournament title, and NCAA Tournament appearance in 1997.[2] He was named Southland Coach of the Year in 1997. His final season as head coach of SW Texas State was 1999, during which he again led the Bobcats to the Southland Tournament championship.

Following four seasons coaching at the minor league level, Bushong returned to the Bobcats, now known as Texas State, serving as an assistant coach to his successor, Ty Harrington, from 2004–2009.

College coaching career record

The following is a listing of Bushong's record as a head coach at the college level.[3][4]

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
SW Texas State Bobcats (Southland Conference) (1994–1999)
1994 SW Texas State 28–23 10–13 7th
1995 SW Texas State 23–31 10–14 6th
1996 SW Texas State 27–32 19–11 1st (Texas)
1997 SW Texas State 38–26 18–11 1st (Texas) Regional
1998 SW Texas State 28–28 13–11 5th
1999 SW Texas State 37–32 15–12 3rd Regional
SW Texas State: 181–172 85–72
Total: 181–172

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Professional coaching career

In his first foray into managing at the professional level, Bushong took over the San Diego Padres affiliate AZL Padres for the 2000 season. He then took over the GCL Tigers, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. After three seasons with the Tigers organization, he returned to college coaching at Texas State.

In 2009, Bushong returned to professional ranks taking over the Class A Oneonta Tigers, who later moved to Norwich, Connecticut to become the Connecticut Tigers.[1] Bushong's final season as manager was 2010.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 P. J. Harmer (June 19, 2009). "Bushong ready to take big step". The Daily Star. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  2. Mark Darnall and Bruce Darnal. "A Quiet Way". athletesinaction.org. Retrieved December 4, 2012.
  3. 2012 Texas State Baseball Factbook (PDF). txstatebobcats.com. pp. 21,41. Retrieved December 5, 2012.
  4. 2013 Southland Conference Baseball Record Book (PDF). Southland Conference. pp. 14–15. Retrieved December 5, 2012.