USC baseball assistant Tom House announces retirement from coaching

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Former major league pitcher Tom House, a USC assistant for four seasons, on Tuesday announced his retirement from coaching, effective after Sunday’s final game.

House, who played for USC in 1967 under legendary coach Rod Dedeaux, joined the Trojans’ staff under former coach Chad Kreuter, who was fired last August. Frank Cruz, who served this season as interim coach, was named full-time coach last week.

‘This was the most rewarding coaching experience of my career,’ House said in a statement. ‘I was trying in a small way to do for these kids what Rod Dedeaux did for me here. It was extremely fulfilling.’

USC entered Tuesday’s game against Pepperdine 22-29 overall and 12-12 in the Pacific 10 Conference. The Trojans play a three-game home series against Washington State this weekend.

House gained fame on April 8, 1974, when, as a member of the Atlanta Braves, he caught Hank Aaron’s 715th home run, the one that broke Babe Ruth’s all-time record, in the bullpen. USC said House would ‘focus his attention on the RDRBI (Rod Dedeaux Research and Baseball Institute) and serve as a non-coaching Life Skills Advisor to the USC program.’

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--Gary Klein