FULLERTON, Calif. – The American Baseball Coaches Association announced eight individuals to be inducted to the ABCA Hall of Fame in January 2021. Induction to the ABCA Hall of Fame is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. The ABCA was founded in 1945 and the Hall of Fame began in 1966. The 2021 ABCA Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held during the 77th annual ABCA Convention on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 at the Gaylord National in Washington, D.C. Tickets to attend the Hall of Fame Banquet will go on sale September 1.
The ABCA Hall of Fame Class of 2021 includes:
George Horton, Cal State Fullerton/University of Oregon
Bill Anderson, Occidental College (Calif.)
Hal Baird, Auburn University (Ala.)
Roger Cador, Southern University (La.)
Sammy Dunn, Vestavia Hills High School (Ala.)
Wayne Graham, Rice University (Texas)
Tony Robichaux, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Don Sneddon, Santa Ana College (Calif.)
Horton spent 11 seasons at the helm of his alma mater and national power Cal State Fullerton, leading the Titans to seven conference titles and the 2004 National Championship. Overall, Horton posted a record of 490-212-1 (.697) with the Titans, and oversaw six appearances in the College World Series, including a pair of back-to-back berths (2003 and 2004, 2006 and 2007). Following his squad's title run in 2004, Horton received National Coach of the Year honors from the ABCA/Diamond Sports and Collegiate Baseball. He was also named National Coach of the Year by Baseball America in 2003 and was a five-time Big West Conference Coach of the Year.
Before taking the reins at Fullerton, Horton worked for six years as an assistant coach for the Titans under legendary college baseball coach Augie Garrido before succeeding him 1997.
Horton also served six years as the head coach at Cerritos College before joining the Titans' staff, compiling a junior college record of 226-53 (.810) from 1985-90 and capturing three California state baseball championships (1985, 1987, 1989).
Horton earned the USA Baseball Rod Dedeaux Coach of the Year Award after serving as the head coach for the 2016 Collegiate National Team and was a member of the U.S. coaching staff in 2012.
Horton played two seasons at Cerritos College before joining Augie Garrido at Cal State Fullerton. Horton earned All-PCAA honors in 1975 and 1976 as both a junior and a senior and was on the first Fullerton team to go to the College World Series in 1975. Horton is one of 17 men to have appeared in Omaha as a player and a head coach.
In 1994, Horton was inducted into the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. He also was inducted into the Downey High School Hall of Fame in May of 2003 and was honored in 2005 with the Orange County Manager of the Year Award, given by the Orange Coast Chapter of the Society for Advancement of Management. In October 2013, Horton was inducted into the Cal State Fullerton Hall of Fame as part of the 1995 team before being inducted in 2017 as an individual.
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