PSU Magazine Spring 2003

levels. He got a job as a skipper of Triple-A Hawaii, the highest affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. A year later, in 1984, he was named first-base coach of the Milwaukee Brewers. When manager Rene Lachemann was fired, Trebelhom was reassigned as a minor-league instructor and thought his major league dreams were dashed. But new third-base coach Tony Muser was injured in an accident and the Brewers called old, reliable Trebelhorn to fill in. Then when manager George Bamberger was fired during the 1986 season, veteran players Robin Yount, Cecil Cooper, Paul Molitor, and Jim Gantner approached the general man– ager and asked for Trebelhorn to take over with nine games left in the season. Portland State had its first major league manager. "I told the boys, 'Fellas, I think this is my only chance to manage in the big leagues,"' he said. "'So I want you guys to play hard for the manager next year."' That was vintage Trebelhorn. He managed the Brewers for five seasons, three of those \.Vinning seasons. He was fired by new general manager Sal Bando and moved on to a coaching job with the Chicago Cubs for the 1992 and 1993 seasons. ln 1994 he took over for Jim Lefebvre and suddenly was skipper of baseball's loveable losers. T rebelhorn's friendly style was infectious in Chicago and the media considered him a dar– ling. Trebelhorn recalls a Sunday game in 1994 in Houston, when the Cubs were playing well on the road and not so good at home. After winning that game in Houston, the media asked about the upcoming homestand and Trebelhorn guaranteed they would win the next game. "I told them if we don't win tomor– row, I will meet every fan that wants to talk about the Cubs at the firehouse across the street," he promised. "If we lose tomorrow, I'll be out there." The Cubs lost that next day to the Colorado Rockies. Trebelhorn met about 1,000 people that late Monday night, including fans who were burn– ing newspapers and calling for Trebelhorn's head. After a few soothing words, Trebelhorn had the fans on his side and suddenly was a Chicago favorite. Trebelhorn ate with the firefighters after every Friday night home game. "It was the best food in Chicago," he says. Unfortunately for Trebelhorn, he lasted just one season in Chicago. The baseball strike wiped out the last two months of the 1994 season and Trebel– horn was not asked back for 1995. A year later he took a job as a minor-league coordinator for the Baltimore Orioles, and returned to the field in December 2000 when he was named third-base coach. Trebelhorn is happy and has no desire to return to managing. "I don't think I can do the job like I want to," he says. "These days you have to be media friendly, and I would rather spend that time getting my team ready for the game." or Trebelhorn, it's been an amazing ride from Portland State to the major leagues. He says he never thought he would make it this far. Standing in the sunshine outside the clubhouse before a game in Jupiter, Florida's Roger Dean Stadium, Trebelhorn reminisces, "Because of hard work and great training with my college coach and high school coach, I was ready for the opportunity when it came along. I never had a bad break in baseball. I have had a great time, made more money than I ever thought I'd make, and learned so much." □ (Gary Washburn is a writer for the Major League Baseball Web site. He lives in Baltimore.)