Tom Gamboa

Thomas Harold Gamboa (born February 28, 1948) is an American professional baseball coach and manager.

Gamboa has managed in the minor leagues as high as Triple-A (the Toledo Mud Hens in the International League and the Albuquerque Dukes in the Pacific Coast League), and coached first and third base as well as in the bullpen for major league teams (the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals). In September 2016, Gamboa was the bench coach for Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualifier, and he continued in the same role for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic main tournament in South Korea and Japan.

Early life and education Gamboa was born in Los Angeles, California, and now lives in Rancho Mirage, California. He was raised by his mother, Polly, and his step-father (whose surname he took), Jack Donald Gamboa. Gamboa is fluent in Spanish. He has five children.

He was drafted out of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California, where he was a first baseman, by the Baltimore Orioles, but chose to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara (B.A., History, 1971) on a full scholarship. There, he played primarily center field, along with a little first base, for the Gauchos baseball team for three years and won All-Big West Conference honors in 1969 and 1970.

Playing career During the 1971–1972 seasons Gamboa was an outfielder for and manager of Stratford (Ontario) in the Canadian Baseball League, where he was a two-time All-Star.

In 1986 he managed the Bristol Tigers in the Appalachian League and served as the Detroit Tigers western states scouting director, and in 1987 he managed the Glens Falls Tigers in the Double-A Eastern League; both, affiliates of the Detroit Tigers. He was the Director of Minor League Instruction for the San Diego Padres from 1991 to 1994. That year he also played "Scout Martinez" in the Oscar-nominated 2011 baseball movie Moneyball.

During the 2012 California Winter League (Palm Springs, California), Gamboa served as the Field Coordinator.

From 2014 to 2016, Gamboa managed the Brooklyn Cyclones of the Liw-A New York-Pennsylvania League, an affiliate of the New York Mets. While he was the Royals first base coach, he was attacked on the field at Comiskey Park by two fans during a game against the Chicago White Sox on September 19, 2002. Gamboa suffered permanent hearing loss in his right ear.

International winter leagues Gamboa managed the Indios de Mayagüez in Puerto Rico's Liga de Béisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente in seven winter league seasons from 1995 to 1996 through 2002–03, reaching the finals in six seasons and winning three championships, managed in six Puerto Rican League All-Star games, and was named Manager of the Year following the 1995–96 and 1996–97 seasons. In an interview, he said he was serving as a Coach, due to his longtime friendship with manager Jerry Weinstein, and his knowledge of MCU Park (where the Qualifier was being played) even though he wasn't Jewish. He continued in a similar role for Team Israel at the 2017 World Baseball Classic main tournament in South Korea and Japan. During those games, Gamboa served as the third base coach as well. Arkansas Travelers (2005) Palm Springs Power (2010) Inland Empire 66ers (2011) first half Brooklyn Cyclones (2014–2016)