Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame
Chandler, Tom
Tom Chandler
- Induction:
- 1991
Long-time Bryan resident and former Texas A&M University head baseball coach Tom Chandler retired from Texas A&M in 1984 after 26 years as baseball coach, bringing the Aggies' program into national prominence. Following his retirement, he served as a professional baseball scout for a number of major league clubs.
During his Texas A&M coaching career, Coach Chandler's Aggie teams won five Southwest Conference championships, and he was named SWC "Coach of the Year" seven times, including his final season in 1984.
More than 50 of his players signed professional baseball contracts following their collegiate careers, but more important to Coach Chandler himself, is that more than 75 percent of his players completed their chosen course of study at Texas A&M and earned their college degrees.
Tom Chandler was born on March 19, 1925 in Greenville, Texas. He attended Dallas public schools and graduated from Adamson High School in 1943. He then attended Arkansas A&M for two years in the Marine V-12 program. In 1946, he graduated from the Marine Corps Officers School. He served as a member of the Marine Corps Honor Guard that presented the colors at the funeral of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in April of 1945.
Following his service in the Marine Corps, Tom Chandler attended Baylor University where he earned All-Southwest Conference honors two years and was team captain for the Baylor baseball team.
After playing two years of professional baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, Coach Chandler began his coaching career at his high school alma mater, Dallas Adamson High. During the summers of 1950-58, he was player, field manager and general manager of the Alpine Cowboys, a semi-pro baseball club. He received his master's degree in Education and Administration from Sul Ross College in Alpine, Texas.
He became head baseball coach at Texas A&M in 1959, and during his 26-year career, presided over 999 Aggie baseball games, with a winning percentage that ranked him among the top college baseball coaches of all time.
In 1978, Coach Chandler was selected to lead a team of United States college all-stars in the World Amateur Baseball Championship Tournament in Italy. He received the "Lefty Gomez Award" in 1982, an annual award presented by the American Association of College Baseball Coaches that recognizes exceptional contributions to amateur baseball at all levels. Coach Chandler earned a number of "Hall of Fame" inductions, including the American Association of College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1977, the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, and the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991. He was also selected to join the Sul Ross State University Hall of Honor.
During his coaching career, Coach Chandler tutored many renowned players, including Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, whom he coached at Alpine, as well as a number of major leaguers, including All-Star second baseman and veteran field manager Dave Johnson, who was All-SWC for the Aggies in 1964.
Coach Chandler kept in close contact with many of his former players over the years following his retirement from coaching. On the occasion of his 50th wedding anniversary in 1998, he and his wife Willowdean were honored with a "Captain's Tribute," an event hosted by 30 of Coach Chandler's former Aggie team captains. More than 500 of his former players attended the tribute.
Additionally, there are hundreds of former players, students and associates nationwide who were touched by Coach Chandler's kindness, warmth and wisdom. Teaching baseball was his passion, and sharing his life with family and friends was his purpose. In both respects, he was a true success.
Tom Chandler passed away on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 at the age of 75 following a lengthy battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a form of Parkinson's disease. His wife, Beatrice Willowdean Drummond Chandler, passed away on March 6, 2015 at the age of 87. The couple, who were married for 53 years, had two children--Nancy Suzanne and Tom Dean. Both grew up surrounded by the traditions of Aggieland.
During his Texas A&M coaching career, Coach Chandler's Aggie teams won five Southwest Conference championships, and he was named SWC "Coach of the Year" seven times, including his final season in 1984.
More than 50 of his players signed professional baseball contracts following their collegiate careers, but more important to Coach Chandler himself, is that more than 75 percent of his players completed their chosen course of study at Texas A&M and earned their college degrees.
Tom Chandler was born on March 19, 1925 in Greenville, Texas. He attended Dallas public schools and graduated from Adamson High School in 1943. He then attended Arkansas A&M for two years in the Marine V-12 program. In 1946, he graduated from the Marine Corps Officers School. He served as a member of the Marine Corps Honor Guard that presented the colors at the funeral of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in April of 1945.
Following his service in the Marine Corps, Tom Chandler attended Baylor University where he earned All-Southwest Conference honors two years and was team captain for the Baylor baseball team.
After playing two years of professional baseball in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, Coach Chandler began his coaching career at his high school alma mater, Dallas Adamson High. During the summers of 1950-58, he was player, field manager and general manager of the Alpine Cowboys, a semi-pro baseball club. He received his master's degree in Education and Administration from Sul Ross College in Alpine, Texas.
He became head baseball coach at Texas A&M in 1959, and during his 26-year career, presided over 999 Aggie baseball games, with a winning percentage that ranked him among the top college baseball coaches of all time.
In 1978, Coach Chandler was selected to lead a team of United States college all-stars in the World Amateur Baseball Championship Tournament in Italy. He received the "Lefty Gomez Award" in 1982, an annual award presented by the American Association of College Baseball Coaches that recognizes exceptional contributions to amateur baseball at all levels. Coach Chandler earned a number of "Hall of Fame" inductions, including the American Association of College Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1977, the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991, and the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991. He was also selected to join the Sul Ross State University Hall of Honor.
During his coaching career, Coach Chandler tutored many renowned players, including Hall of Fame pitcher Gaylord Perry, whom he coached at Alpine, as well as a number of major leaguers, including All-Star second baseman and veteran field manager Dave Johnson, who was All-SWC for the Aggies in 1964.
Coach Chandler kept in close contact with many of his former players over the years following his retirement from coaching. On the occasion of his 50th wedding anniversary in 1998, he and his wife Willowdean were honored with a "Captain's Tribute," an event hosted by 30 of Coach Chandler's former Aggie team captains. More than 500 of his former players attended the tribute.
Additionally, there are hundreds of former players, students and associates nationwide who were touched by Coach Chandler's kindness, warmth and wisdom. Teaching baseball was his passion, and sharing his life with family and friends was his purpose. In both respects, he was a true success.
Tom Chandler passed away on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2001 at the age of 75 following a lengthy battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a form of Parkinson's disease. His wife, Beatrice Willowdean Drummond Chandler, passed away on March 6, 2015 at the age of 87. The couple, who were married for 53 years, had two children--Nancy Suzanne and Tom Dean. Both grew up surrounded by the traditions of Aggieland.
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