The NYIT community feted the career of retired Head Baseball Coach Bob Hirschfield in January.

Friends, family, NYIT staff, and alumni gathered at the NYIT de Seversky Mansion on Jan. 26 to celebrate the career of a man whose name is synonymous with NYIT baseball. After more than three decades of coaching, mentoring, and inspiring young athletes, Bob Hirschfield announced he is retiring to spend more time with his wife, Rita, as well as their children and grandchildren.

Hirschfield joined NYIT in 1978 as pitching coach and, in 1982, became head coach—a season after the program moved into NCAA Division I. As of 2012, he holds the NYIT record for most wins in a coaching career (668).

“Hirsch” was more than somebody who knew how to get runners in scoring position. His former career as a guidance counselor and teacher ensured that his players scored well academically, and his individual instruction, mentorship, and guidance helped produce more than 50 professional baseball players across 33 years, including Ray Giannelli (B.S. ’96) of the St. Louis Cardinals, Brian Brady of the California Angels, and Al Watson, a first-round selection of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1991 and pitcher for the New York Yankees in the 1999 American League Championship Series. Many of his players have also been named Division I All-Americans by the American Baseball Coaches Association, including Watson, Fred Leone (B.S. ’86), Paul Bruno, and Tom Merkle (B.S. ’04).

Though he is retiring from NYIT baseball, Hirschfield will continue to manage the Old Westbury, N.Y.-based New York Baseball Academy for little leagues throughout Long Island and New York City, and plans to return to his alma mater, St. John’s, as a color commentator for the Red Storm baseball team.

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