One of college baseball's most esteemed coaches, Bob Milano retired in 1999 as the most successful baseball coach at the University of California with 688 career victories. Head coach for 22 years and a veteran of 29 years directly involved in the Cal baseball program, Milano's career not only included three College World Series appearances and a stint in 1997 as the head coach of the United States National Team, but a gold medal as an assistant coach for the USA National Team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
There was practically nothing Milano did not accomplish in college baseball, and more specifically for Cal baseball. During his 22 years as head coach of the Golden Bears (1978-99), Milano led his team to College World Series appearances in 1980, '88 and '92; six NCAA Regional appearances (1980, '85, '88, '91, '92, '95) and a Pac-10 Southern Division title in 1980 when his team placed third at the CWS.
Milano concluded his coaching career with a 688-644-4 record, including Pacific-10 Conference Southern Division Co-Coach of the Year awards in 1980 and 1992. The veteran coach mentored 15 All-Americans and 49 all-conference selections during his head coaching career at Cal, including National Freshman of the Year Xavier Nady in 1998.
In 1987, Milano was the head coach of the USA National Baseball Team that placed fourth at the Intercontinental Cup in Barcelona, Spain, and was joined by former players, Brian Oliver and Jason Hill, on the USA National Team.
He was also an assistant athletic director at Cal from 1974-78 and a member of the NCAA Division I Baseball Committee from 1990-96. In all, he spent 29 years directly associated with the Cal baseball family (1960-61 as a player; 1962-63 as a varsity assistant; 1974-77 as an assistant coach).
On March 19, 1994, Milano became the winningest coach in Cal baseball history, surpassing Clint Evans' mark of 547-256 (1930-54), when his Bears defeated Arizona, 15-6, at Evans Diamond. The Cal athletic department went on to honor Milano on April 17, 1994, on what was designated "Bob Milano Day." Another crowning moment for the veteran coach came in 2003 when he became only the fourth person in Cal baseball history to have his game jersey (No. 7) retired.
Milano was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2004.
