Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

When it comes to baseball, no IUP alumnus has registered as many accomplishments as Bob Miscik from the time he became a collegiate All-American in the sport before graduating in 1980.

After that came nine years playing in the Pittsburgh Pirate and Anaheim (California) Angels systems, the last six in AAA level minor leagues, six more as a high-minors, pennant winning manager for the Baltimore Orioles, a stint as IUP's diamond coach, and now in a program-wide player development post with the Texas Rangers. Along the way, he also played winter ball in Venezuela and Mexico.

Setting the stage for all this were Miscik's credentials as a four-year all-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference pick, at third base as a freshman, then at shortstop his final three seasons.

Praised for his knowledge of the game by coach Arch Moore and others even as an undergrad, Miscik built his batting average from .308 as a freshman to .340 as a sophomore and .406 as a senior (after missing half his junior campaign with injuries). He played in every game in 1977, '78 and 1980 and as a senior led the team in hits, home runs, total bases and RBI’s.

This led to a free-agent contract with the Pirates and a pro playing career that saw his name reach the team's 40-man, end of- season roster in manager Chuck Tanner's final campaign.
Starring for Pirate farm teams in Bradenton, Florida, Shelby, North Carolina, Alexandria, Virginia, Buffalo, Hawaii and Vancouver, Canada, Miscik was traded in 1986 to the Angels' AAA team in Edmonton, Canada, where he played through 1988.

That year brought Miscik back to IUP for two years so he could complete a master's degree in exercise science and work as a graduate assistant specializing in cardiac rehabilitation.

Pro baseball called him again, though, this time to become a field manager of such Baltimore Oriole-affiliated teams as Frederick, the Rochester Red Wings (who won an International League division title in '93) and, for his final two seasons, Bowie, Maryland. More than a few Oriole standouts promoted to the parent club thanked Miscik's mentoring making it possible.

IUP called Miscik again, though, this time in the summer of 1996 to become its baseball coach. Although he fully intended to remain so for a long time to come, he unexpectedly got a call from the Texas Rangers in January, 1997, that he just could not pass by.

The offer from the Rangers was to become a key player development man based partly in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but with primary responsibility as a roving infield instructor.

He and wife Gretchen make their permanent home in Venice, Florida, and just last month became parents for the first time, of daughter Natalie.