Former major leaguer will work with a young pitching staff

July 1, 2004

Florida Atlantic University's baseball team has added former Major League pitcher Tony Fossas to the coaching staff. Fossas, who played 10 years in the big leagues will work with a pitching staff that posted a 2004 record of 47-14, a 3.94 ERA and finished the season ranked in the top 30. The program captured its first A-Sun Tournament Championship in June to earn its seventh trip to the NCAA Tournament.

"I am pleased that someone of Tony's experience and stature will join our program," said head coach Kevin Cooney. "His background as a college player who slowly worked his way through the minor leagues and went on to have a solid big league career should be an inspiration to the young men he will mentor."

First drafted out of high school at St. Mary's in Boston, Massachusetts, Fossas turned down two professional contracts before signing with the Texas Rangers as a ninth-round pick out of the University of South Florida. While attending USF from 1975-1979, he worked his way into the Bulls record books. He is 10th with 224 career strikeouts and third in single season ERA, 2.09 and seventh in complete games after throwing seven in 1979. The left-hander was named to the All-Conference Team in 1979 after leading the team in ERA and strikeouts. He graduated with a B.A. in Education and a minor in Spanish before moving on to professional baseball.





During his 11-year stint in the minor leagues, the Cuban born pitcher, spent two years with the Texas Rangers' single A affiliate before moving up for a two-year stint in the AA affiliate in Tulsa, OK. Once making it to AAA he spent seven years waiting for his dream to become a major leaguer to come true.

In his first game as a Texas Ranger he faced George Brett and the Kansas City Royals. With the bases loaded he saw Brett ground into a double play on the first pitch and end the inning. In 1995 he had his best season with the St. Louis Cardinals as he appeared in 58 games and posted a 1.47 ERA, 3-0 record and struck out 40 in 36.2 innings.

While with the Cardinals his career's biggest opportunity came in 1996 when he pitched against the San Diego Padres in the Division Series and against the Braves in the NLCS.

Since retiring, he has devoted time to the baseball program at Piper High School and is coaching the Sunrise Bengals in the Connie Mack League.

"I thank God every day for giving me the opportunity to become a major league player and to wear the uniform," said Fossas. "Perseverance paid off at the end and now my time has come for me to start a new chapter in my life by becoming a member of the FAU coaching staff."

Fossas resides in Ft. Lauderdale with his wife Pura and children Keila (20) and Mark (18).

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