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Gary Ashby | 1971 - 1973 | Monterey High School | Baseball

In the storied history of Lubbock Monterey Plainsmen baseball there have been many players who were deserving of accolades on many levels. Gary Ashby is perhaps the all-time best first baseman to ever don the Columbia blue and scarlet of MHS. It could be argued he is the best to have ever played the position in the history of Lubbock ISD baseball. Ashby was a three-year starter for one of the greatest coaches in Texas High School history, Bobby Moegle, from 1971-73. He helped lead the Plainsmen to a state title contest in his sophomore season as he hit at a .429 clip. He was a key component of the first-ever state championship in Monterey baseball history in his junior campaign and the Plainsmen narrowly missed another shot at the state crown in his senior year, losing to eventual state title winner, Midland Lee, in the regional final. Ashby became the first-ever Plainsman – and Lubbock ISD baseball star - to be named to first-team all-state honors.

Following his amazingly successful schoolboy career for MHS, Ashby stayed close to home and played for the Red Raiders of Texas Tech, starting all four seasons and becoming a two-time All-Southwest Conference first-team selection. He garnered NCAA All-America team honors in 1977 after leading the SWC in RBIs and when his Tech career was complete he held single season records for home runs, RBI’s and doubles as well as finishing as the career leader in doubles and RBI’s. A 1977 draft pick of the San Diego Padres, Ashby played five seasons for the Padres’ organization before beginning a college-coaching career in 1982. June 18th, 1979 was a special day as it was declared “Gary Ashby Day” in the city of Lubbock.

His only stop on the coaching trail was for his alma mater, Texas Tech, as he joined the staff in 1982 as an assistant coach and served as the Red Raider head coach from 1984-86, leading the program to two of its most prolific seasons for wins in both 1984 and 1986. The Red Raiders led the nation in batting average, home runs and slugging percentage in 1984. The Monterey product was inducted into the Texas Tech Athletic Hall of Honor in 1999.
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