Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State Baseball set to retire Fibber Hirayama's #3 jersey on Sunday
4/26/2017 2:30:00 PM | Baseball
Fresno State Baseball will see its 11th jersey induction in program history on Sunday afternoon as former Bulldog Satoshi "Fibber" Hirayama number three jersey will be retired in a pre-game ceremony before the Bulldogs take on San Jose State.
FRESNO, Calif. - On Sunday afternoon at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium, Fresno State Baseball will see its 11th jersey induction in program history as former Bulldog Satoshi "Fibber" Hirayama number three jersey will be retired in a pre-game ceremony before the Bulldogs take on San Jose State.
Honored previously this season on a "Night To Remember" that marked the 75th anniversary of a presidential decree that led to the World War II-era incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans, that included Hirayama, along with former Bulldog Kenichi Zenimura, Sunday will honor the former Bulldog legend for his many contributions to the Fresno State baseball program.
Often referred to as the greatest pound-for-pound athlete in Fresno State history, at just 5-foot 3-inches and 140 pounds, Hirayama was a dynamic offense, defense, and special teams star for the Bulldog football team. On the baseball diamond, despite saying he only came out for baseball to avoid having to participate in spring football, he would become a record-breaker in program history. Pete Beiden's 1951 Bulldogs produced the greatest winning percentage in program history, finishing the season 36-4, with three of those losses coming against professional competition, as Hirayama stole a then-school record 36 stolen bases as nobody would surpass him until future major leaguer Tom Goodwin in 1987.
Hirayama, who turned 87 in February, recorded five stolen bases in a single game in 1951, a mark that still stands today. His exploits with the glove and a surprisingly strong throwing arm also helped make him a fan favorite. The 1951 Bulldogs had been left out of college baseball's postseason, despite that gaudy record, but as a senior in 1952, Hirayama led Fresno State to its first NCAA bid. Fibber finished his Bulldog career with 71 steals, a record that lasted nearly 40 years before being broken by Goodwin.
"It's really a thrill, it really is," said Hirayama on having his number retired. "I never thought it would happen. It was the last thing in my mind, that my number would ever be retired."
Hirayama will be the first Bulldog player to have his number retired since Dick Ruthven and Tom Goodwin had their Nos. 17 and 1, respectively, retired in 2008. Hirayama, along with his former teammate and Bulldog Baseball Hall of Famer Jake Abbott and Voice of the Bulldogs Paul Loeffler will all be a part of Sunday's ceremony. Bulldog Baseball Hall of Famer Jack Hannah will sing the national anthem and Fibber will deliver the first pitch.
Here is a quick look at the other 10 Bulldogs in program history who have had their numbers retired.
#1 Augie Garrido (1959-61)
Finishing his time at Fresno State in 1961, Garrido played three years for the Bulldogs and took part in the 1959 College World Series helping the 'Dogs finish third. As a junior in 1961, Garrido hit .430 from the plate, the second-highest batting average in a single season in program history, as he finished his Bulldog career as the career leader in triples (13) and batting average (.383).
After his time with the Bulldogs, he signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians and spent six years in the minor leagues before retiring to coach. He went on to be a Division I head coach for 47 years before retiring after the 2016 season and left as the winningest head coach in Division I baseball history with 1,975 wins and finished with a career winning percentage of .682.
A head coach at five different programs, he won five national titles in his career winning three at Cal State Fullerton and two at Texas. AÂ six-time National Coach of the Year, Garrido made 15 trips to the College World Series in his career and his teams won conference championships in 20 different seasons.
A 1993 Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Garrido joined elite company in 2016 as he was named to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. In his career, he coached three Golden Spike Award winners, four National Players of the Year and 53 All-Americans in his career.
#1 Tom Goodwin (1987-89)
A Fresno native, Goodwin played three years for his hometown Bulldogs and helped lead Fresno State to the 1988 College World Series where the 'Dogs tied for seventh finishing the season with a school-record 56 wins. The 'Dogs also made the 1989 NCAA Tournament in his final season at Fresno State as he was named a First-Team All-American leading the nation with 61 stolen bases and put together a school-record 29-game hitting streak helping the 'Dogs to 44 wins.
Goodwin wrapped up his career as the program record holder in stolen bases with 164 and remains in the top 10 in school history in batting average (.350), at-bats (821), runs (207), hits (287) and triples (13). Goodwin went on to be a first round selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989 where he put together a 14–year MLB career with seven different teams and was inducted into the Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995. He is currently the first base coach of the New York Mets.
#2 Pete Beiden (1948-66, 1968-69)
The sixth head coach in program history, Beiden was at the helm of the Bulldog baseball program for 21 seasons posting a winning record in every season but one and accumulated 602 victories. He led the 'Dogs to nine conference championships, seven postseason appearances and Fresno State's first appearance in the College World Series in 1959. Hirayama's coach from 1950-52, the 'Dogs went 98-28 over those three seasons and posted the best winning percentage in school history in 1951 with a .900 clip going 36-4.
#8Â Terry Pendleton (1981-82)
An All-American and a First-Team All-NCBA selection in 1982, Pendleton put together a fantastic final season at Fresno State in 1982 leading the 'Dogs to a 45-13 record and a berth in the District 8 Playoffs.
The Point Hueneme, Calif. native hit .397 from the plate on the season, eighth-best in program history for a single-season, smacking 98 hits, 29 for extra-bases, drove in 65 RBIs and scored 63 runs leading the conference (NCBA) in hits, runs and RBIs.
A 7th-round selection of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, Pendleton went on to have a 15–year career in the MLB and was named the 1991 National League MVP with the Atlanta Braves.
#17 Dick Ruthven (1970-72)
A three-year pitcher for the Bulldogs in the early 1970's, Ruthven ranks 10th all-time in program history with 28 wins and is the all-time leader in program history in ERA among pitchers who have thrown at least 200 innings as he posted a stingy 1.52 ERA and ranks fourth in program history with 372 strikeouts.
Helping the 'Dogs to a 101-70 overall record in his three seasons, Ruthven won a career-high 13 games in 1971 with a 1.50 ERA which still stands as the lowest mark in a single season for a pitcher tossing more than 100 innings. He added 177 strikeouts for the fourth-most in a single season in program history and a year later in 1972 added 10 wins, 153 strikeouts and a 1.53 ERA on his way to earning First-Team All-American honors by the American Baseball Coaches Association & The Sporting News and was named the PCAA Player of the Year.
Ruthven was a Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame Charter Inductee in 1991 and currently resides in Georgia.
#18 Truman Clevenger (1951-53)
A teammate of Hirayama's for a pair of seasons in 1951-52 and one he remains close with to the day visiting him weekly, Clevenger had a stellar final season as a pitcher at Fresno State in 1953 finishing with 10 wins, 158 strikeouts and a 1.37 ERA. His ERA and strikeout totals ranks fourth and seventh, respectively, in program history for a single season as the 'Dogs went on to win 27 games that season.
Clevenger was a Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame Charter Inductee in 1991.
#22 Jimy Williams (1963-64)
A Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee in 2004, Williams played for the 'Dogs for a pair of seasons in 1963 and 1964 leading the team with three home runs in 1963 and was the team-leader in RBIs in 1964 with 22. He went on to have a 12-year MLB career as a manager leading the Toronto Blue Jays (1986-89), Boston Red Soxs (1997-2001) and Houston Astros (2002-2004) compiling 910 wins and added 14 postseason wins while with the Red Soxs reaching the American League Championship Series in 1999.
#23 Bobby Jones (1989-91)
A starting pitcher and a reliever during his at Fresno State , Jones ranks third in program history in career wins with 32, third in saves with 16, fifth in ERA (2.45), complete games (23) and strikeouts (342) and seventh in innings pitched (357.0).
Combining with Beiden to lead the Bulldogs for 55 straight seasons, Bennett was the head coach at Fresno State for a year in 1967 before returning three years later in 1970 and was at the helm for the next 33 seasons as he left as the winningest coach in Bulldog history with 1,302 wins and is one of only 11 Division I coaches to reach 1,300 wins in NCAA baseball history.
In his tenure, Bennett guided the 'Dogs to 17 conference championships, three conference tournament titles, 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, two College World Series appearances, earned 14 Conference Coach of the Year Awards. In addition, he coached 32 All-American to 59 honors and had nine players go on to be First-Round selections in the MLB Draft.
A four-year letter winner as a player at Fresno State from 1952-1955, Bennett was a two-time All-CCAAÂ selection behind the plate as the 'Dogs went 117-52 (.692) over his four seasons.
#28 Mark Gardner (1984-85)
A Second-Team All-American pitcher with Fresno State in 1985, Gardner won 16 games that season, going the distance in 15 of them, and struck out 187 batters, as he led the nation in strikeouts and posted the second-highest season total in Fresno State history. Helping the 'Dogs to 43 wins in 1985 and an NCAA Tournament berth, Gardner tossed 168.1 innings, the fourth-most in a single season in program history, posted a 3.37 ERA on the season and was named the Pacific Coast Athletic Association Player of the Year.
Gardner went on to be an 8th-round draft selection of the Montreal Expos in 1985 and played for four teams in a 12-year major league career, picking up 99 wins as a professional recording 1,256 strikeouts finishing with a 4.56 ERA. Gardner was inducted into the Fresno State Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993 and currently works for the San Francisco Giants.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
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Honored previously this season on a "Night To Remember" that marked the 75th anniversary of a presidential decree that led to the World War II-era incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans, that included Hirayama, along with former Bulldog Kenichi Zenimura, Sunday will honor the former Bulldog legend for his many contributions to the Fresno State baseball program.
Often referred to as the greatest pound-for-pound athlete in Fresno State history, at just 5-foot 3-inches and 140 pounds, Hirayama was a dynamic offense, defense, and special teams star for the Bulldog football team. On the baseball diamond, despite saying he only came out for baseball to avoid having to participate in spring football, he would become a record-breaker in program history. Pete Beiden's 1951 Bulldogs produced the greatest winning percentage in program history, finishing the season 36-4, with three of those losses coming against professional competition, as Hirayama stole a then-school record 36 stolen bases as nobody would surpass him until future major leaguer Tom Goodwin in 1987.
Hirayama, who turned 87 in February, recorded five stolen bases in a single game in 1951, a mark that still stands today. His exploits with the glove and a surprisingly strong throwing arm also helped make him a fan favorite. The 1951 Bulldogs had been left out of college baseball's postseason, despite that gaudy record, but as a senior in 1952, Hirayama led Fresno State to its first NCAA bid. Fibber finished his Bulldog career with 71 steals, a record that lasted nearly 40 years before being broken by Goodwin.
"It's really a thrill, it really is," said Hirayama on having his number retired. "I never thought it would happen. It was the last thing in my mind, that my number would ever be retired."
Hirayama will be the first Bulldog player to have his number retired since Dick Ruthven and Tom Goodwin had their Nos. 17 and 1, respectively, retired in 2008. Hirayama, along with his former teammate and Bulldog Baseball Hall of Famer Jake Abbott and Voice of the Bulldogs Paul Loeffler will all be a part of Sunday's ceremony. Bulldog Baseball Hall of Famer Jack Hannah will sing the national anthem and Fibber will deliver the first pitch.
Here is a quick look at the other 10 Bulldogs in program history who have had their numbers retired.
#1 Augie Garrido (1959-61)
Finishing his time at Fresno State in 1961, Garrido played three years for the Bulldogs and took part in the 1959 College World Series helping the 'Dogs finish third. As a junior in 1961, Garrido hit .430 from the plate, the second-highest batting average in a single season in program history, as he finished his Bulldog career as the career leader in triples (13) and batting average (.383).
After his time with the Bulldogs, he signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians and spent six years in the minor leagues before retiring to coach. He went on to be a Division I head coach for 47 years before retiring after the 2016 season and left as the winningest head coach in Division I baseball history with 1,975 wins and finished with a career winning percentage of .682.
A head coach at five different programs, he won five national titles in his career winning three at Cal State Fullerton and two at Texas. AÂ six-time National Coach of the Year, Garrido made 15 trips to the College World Series in his career and his teams won conference championships in 20 different seasons.
A 1993 Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, Garrido joined elite company in 2016 as he was named to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. In his career, he coached three Golden Spike Award winners, four National Players of the Year and 53 All-Americans in his career.
#1 Tom Goodwin (1987-89)
A Fresno native, Goodwin played three years for his hometown Bulldogs and helped lead Fresno State to the 1988 College World Series where the 'Dogs tied for seventh finishing the season with a school-record 56 wins. The 'Dogs also made the 1989 NCAA Tournament in his final season at Fresno State as he was named a First-Team All-American leading the nation with 61 stolen bases and put together a school-record 29-game hitting streak helping the 'Dogs to 44 wins.
Goodwin wrapped up his career as the program record holder in stolen bases with 164 and remains in the top 10 in school history in batting average (.350), at-bats (821), runs (207), hits (287) and triples (13). Goodwin went on to be a first round selection of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989 where he put together a 14–year MLB career with seven different teams and was inducted into the Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995. He is currently the first base coach of the New York Mets.
#2 Pete Beiden (1948-66, 1968-69)
The sixth head coach in program history, Beiden was at the helm of the Bulldog baseball program for 21 seasons posting a winning record in every season but one and accumulated 602 victories. He led the 'Dogs to nine conference championships, seven postseason appearances and Fresno State's first appearance in the College World Series in 1959. Hirayama's coach from 1950-52, the 'Dogs went 98-28 over those three seasons and posted the best winning percentage in school history in 1951 with a .900 clip going 36-4.
#8Â Terry Pendleton (1981-82)
An All-American and a First-Team All-NCBA selection in 1982, Pendleton put together a fantastic final season at Fresno State in 1982 leading the 'Dogs to a 45-13 record and a berth in the District 8 Playoffs.
The Point Hueneme, Calif. native hit .397 from the plate on the season, eighth-best in program history for a single-season, smacking 98 hits, 29 for extra-bases, drove in 65 RBIs and scored 63 runs leading the conference (NCBA) in hits, runs and RBIs.
A 7th-round selection of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, Pendleton went on to have a 15–year career in the MLB and was named the 1991 National League MVP with the Atlanta Braves.
#17 Dick Ruthven (1970-72)
A three-year pitcher for the Bulldogs in the early 1970's, Ruthven ranks 10th all-time in program history with 28 wins and is the all-time leader in program history in ERA among pitchers who have thrown at least 200 innings as he posted a stingy 1.52 ERA and ranks fourth in program history with 372 strikeouts.
Helping the 'Dogs to a 101-70 overall record in his three seasons, Ruthven won a career-high 13 games in 1971 with a 1.50 ERA which still stands as the lowest mark in a single season for a pitcher tossing more than 100 innings. He added 177 strikeouts for the fourth-most in a single season in program history and a year later in 1972 added 10 wins, 153 strikeouts and a 1.53 ERA on his way to earning First-Team All-American honors by the American Baseball Coaches Association & The Sporting News and was named the PCAA Player of the Year.
Ruthven was a Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame Charter Inductee in 1991 and currently resides in Georgia.
#18 Truman Clevenger (1951-53)
A teammate of Hirayama's for a pair of seasons in 1951-52 and one he remains close with to the day visiting him weekly, Clevenger had a stellar final season as a pitcher at Fresno State in 1953 finishing with 10 wins, 158 strikeouts and a 1.37 ERA. His ERA and strikeout totals ranks fourth and seventh, respectively, in program history for a single season as the 'Dogs went on to win 27 games that season.
Clevenger was a Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame Charter Inductee in 1991.
#22 Jimy Williams (1963-64)
A Bulldog Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee in 2004, Williams played for the 'Dogs for a pair of seasons in 1963 and 1964 leading the team with three home runs in 1963 and was the team-leader in RBIs in 1964 with 22. He went on to have a 12-year MLB career as a manager leading the Toronto Blue Jays (1986-89), Boston Red Soxs (1997-2001) and Houston Astros (2002-2004) compiling 910 wins and added 14 postseason wins while with the Red Soxs reaching the American League Championship Series in 1999.
#23 Bobby Jones (1989-91)
A starting pitcher and a reliever during his at Fresno State , Jones ranks third in program history in career wins with 32, third in saves with 16, fifth in ERA (2.45), complete games (23) and strikeouts (342) and seventh in innings pitched (357.0).
A First-Team All-American in 1991 by three different publications, Jones went 16-2 with a 1.88 ERA while striking out 166 batters in 172.0 innings pitched as the 'Dogs won 42 games that year advancing to the College World Series where they finished fifth. His wins are tied for second-most in a single season, while his innings pitched are third and his strikeouts and ERA rank sixth as he was named the Big West Pitcher of the Year.
Jones was a first-round draft pick in the 1991 MLB Draft by the New York Mets and went on to a 10-year career as a professional with the Mets and the San Diego Padres and was inducted to the Fresno State Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
Combining with Beiden to lead the Bulldogs for 55 straight seasons, Bennett was the head coach at Fresno State for a year in 1967 before returning three years later in 1970 and was at the helm for the next 33 seasons as he left as the winningest coach in Bulldog history with 1,302 wins and is one of only 11 Division I coaches to reach 1,300 wins in NCAA baseball history.
In his tenure, Bennett guided the 'Dogs to 17 conference championships, three conference tournament titles, 21 NCAA Tournament appearances, two College World Series appearances, earned 14 Conference Coach of the Year Awards. In addition, he coached 32 All-American to 59 honors and had nine players go on to be First-Round selections in the MLB Draft.
A four-year letter winner as a player at Fresno State from 1952-1955, Bennett was a two-time All-CCAAÂ selection behind the plate as the 'Dogs went 117-52 (.692) over his four seasons.
#28 Mark Gardner (1984-85)
A Second-Team All-American pitcher with Fresno State in 1985, Gardner won 16 games that season, going the distance in 15 of them, and struck out 187 batters, as he led the nation in strikeouts and posted the second-highest season total in Fresno State history. Helping the 'Dogs to 43 wins in 1985 and an NCAA Tournament berth, Gardner tossed 168.1 innings, the fourth-most in a single season in program history, posted a 3.37 ERA on the season and was named the Pacific Coast Athletic Association Player of the Year.
Gardner went on to be an 8th-round draft selection of the Montreal Expos in 1985 and played for four teams in a 12-year major league career, picking up 99 wins as a professional recording 1,256 strikeouts finishing with a 4.56 ERA. Gardner was inducted into the Fresno State Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993 and currently works for the San Francisco Giants.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter:Â @Fresno StateBSB
Instagram:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
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