Bethany University is pleased to announce that former MLB player, Thad Bosley, is named the new head baseball coach. Last season, Bosley volunteered his time to the baseball program, but Bethany is now ready to pronounce that he will take over the program.

After signing with the California Angels as a high school All-American in baseball and an All-CIF basketball star, Thad Bosley’s professional baseball career of twenty-two years would span four decades. Bosley spent seventeen years as a player and five as a major league coach.

In 1974, his rookie year, Bosley led the Pioneer League in walks, was third in stolen bases, and batted .242. Advancing to the Midwest League the following season, Bosley made his first minor league All-Star team with an improved batting average of .298 and a fielding percentage of .981, which was the best among the league’s regular outfielders. After an outstanding season in the California League with the Salinas Angels in 1976, Bosley was voted to the All-Star team and named Player of the Year after hitting .324 and stealing 90 bases in a single season.

Bosley skipped Double A and started the 1977 season with the Triple A Salt Lake City Gulls. There he continued showing signs of hitting for average, batting .326 with 26 doubles and 23 stolen bases in the first two months of the season. Convinced he was ready for the Big Leagues, the California Angels called Bosley up to the majors on June 29, 1977. In his major league debut at twenty years old, the media reported that “Bosley got the 17,500 fans sky high as he belted a two-run triple in the fourth inning and scored the third Angel run of the night, then added a run scoring single in the fifth to key the win.” Bosley finished the season with a .297 batting average, tops on the California Angels that year.

Bosley was traded in the off-season to the Chicago White Sox with Richard Dotson and Bobby Bonds. He remained with the White Sox organization for three years and later played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Chicago Cubs, distinguishing himself as one the best pinch hitters in the majors. During the 1985 season, Bosley hit .328 and was voted the best pinch hitter in baseball. After being traded to the Kansas City Royals in 1987, Bosley returned again to the California Angels in 1988. In 1989, he signed with the Texas Rangers and ended his playing career on June 1, 1990.

From 1990 to 1999, Bosley concentrated on another passion, music. He learned the philosophy of songwriting and record producing from his mentor, former owner of Stax Records, Alvertis Isbell (Al Bell). As owner of B&E Records, a music production company, Bosley wrote and produced Contemporary Christian music and R&B ballads. While underwriting the start-up of BellMark Records and the development of new artists, Bosley also facilitated contract negotiations, distribution agreements, and participated in marketing and promotion decisions.

Returning to major league baseball in 1999, Bosley took a coaching position with the Oakland A’s. During his tenure as hitting coach, the team set numerous team and franchise records and individual players experiences outstanding success. In 2000, Jason Giambi was named the American League MVP; in 2001, Terrence Long was voted runner-up Rookie of the Year for the American League; and in 2002, Miguel Tejada earned the American League MVP award.

Bosley credits his knowledge and understanding of hitting to great men of the game who were his hitting coaches during his career: Frank Robinson, Larry Doby Sr., Orlando Cepeda, Vada Pinson, Harvey Kuenn, Billy Williams, and Hal McRae. Bosley was also privileged to participate in Major League Baseball’s Executive Development Program, where courses in leadership, executive management, and contract negotiations were taught by professors from Harvard University, the Wharton School of Business, and other prominent members within Major League Baseball.

After the Oakland A’s 2001 playoff loss to the New York Yankees, Bosley managed the Arizona Fall League’s Phoenix Desert Dogs, where his team won the championship game on a ninth inning, two out, walk-off homerun. In 2003, Bosley was asked to join Frank Robinson, Dave Stewart, and Eddie Rodriguez as a coach for the USA Qualifying Olympic Team.

Bosley is the owner and CEO of Kinnor Holdings, LLC, an Investment Company specializing in facilitating the private placement of significant funds. Kinnor Holdings, LLC is uniquely positioned to offer its clients opportunities in domestic and international markets through real estate investment, participation agreements, commodities, and hedge funds.