Pat Doyle to Be Honored with 2026 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award
Pat Doyle to Be Honored with 2026 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award
Pat Doyle, whose remarkable contributions to the game span local, national, and international levels, has been named the recipient of the 2026 ABCA/Wilson Lefty Gomez Award.
Named after the great Lefty Gomez, this annual award is presented to an individual who has contributed significantly to the game of baseball locally, nationally and internationally. Presented by Wilson Sporting Goods, the Lefty Gomez Award presentation takes place each year during the Hall of Fame Banquet at the ABCA Convention.
Doyle started his coaching career at Lodi High School in California, then became the first head coach at the newly opened Tokay High School in Lodi in 1972. In 1976, he transitioned to the college level as an assistant baseball coach at San Joaquin Delta College and became head coach the following year.
During his 23 seasons leading the Delta program, Doyle guided his teams to over 560 victories and 17 California Community College Athletic Association playoff appearances.
A member of the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association (CCCBCA) Hall of Fame, Doyle served as President of the CCCBCA from 1989 to 2006. In recognition of his lasting impact, the organization later established the Doyle Scholarship in his honor.
Doyle's influence reaches far beyond California. He has coached and managed national teams for Ireland, Great Britain, and Israel, and worked as an envoy and consultant for MLB International, where he helped develop players, coaches, and facilities across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
He currently continues to serve the global baseball community as a member of the Board of Directors for both the International Sports Group and Play Global—and as a longstanding member of the ABCA Lefty Gomez Award Committee.
Doyle's profound impact on the game was recognized in 2019 with his induction into the ABCA Hall of Fame, the fifth Hall of Fame nod of his career. He has also been a recipient of the National Baseball Congress Coach of the Year Award (1991) and the European Baseball Coaches Association Coaching Achievement Award.