Conley Gibson died this week. But for family, friends and the thousands of people he touched — no matter how briefly — he’ll never be gone.

Gibson was the youngest 90-year-old on the planet.

The Los Angeles transplant was a baseball man like few others.

He spent a parts of nine decades on the diamond. For several seasons, Gibson was an assistant coach to former UC Davis and Solano Thunderbirds skipper Phil Swimley — working college players hard every day, even through his 80s.

Gibson loved the game almost as much as baseball loved him.

“I met him about 10 years before I retired at UCD,” Swimley recalls. “(Former Aggie and major-leaguer) Rich Chiles brought him to a practice. I didn’t really know who he was, where he came from or what he could do. I did know that if Rich Chiles recommended him, he was a good baseball man.”

Swimley snatched up Gibson, started him slowly (remember, this was a guy in his 70s at the time), but grew to understand what a gem Conley was — as a coach and a confidant.

“How he related to and counseled the players was very special,” Swimley continues. “He had a way of knowing when to be serious and when to loosen things up. He loved being with the players.”

One day during batting practice before a Thunderbirds summer game in Vacaville, University of Arizona outfielder Chipper Crum was having a home-run contest with a teammate. Crum, standing behind the cages, asked his coach if there was anything he could do to help him win the friendly wager. Crum hadn’t homered in his first go-round.

Conley thought for a minute. He knew Crum didn’t have downtown power and told the visiting Wildcat: “I think I can keep you even, if that helps.”

I remember Crum looking sideways at Gibby.

Before Crum’s opponent took his second swing in the cage, Conley asked the kid to step out. Then he whispered a couple of things to the hitter.

The batter’s three rotations in the cages resulted in no balls over the fence — something unusual for this particular player.

The wager fizzled, the two tied without a dinger and Crum was saved from paying for a steak dinner.

I asked Gibson what the discussion was about …

“I told (Crum’s opponent) I’d give him $25 if he would hit nothing but line drives — nothing over the fence. I told him it would be our little secret … and it paid for both their dinners tonight.”

Conley went to Swimley that night and said the line drive-hitting kid looked good in BP. “I’d give him a start, skip,” Gibson suggested.

That night, Crum’s batting cage partner went 3-for-4 — all line-drive singles. The two T-Birds celebrated with a free steak dinner. Wily ol’ coach …

At UCD, Conley was charged with keeping in-game stats and help manage the bench. When he joined Swimley in Solano County for the T-Birds seasons, “he became a major attraction,” the former Aggie coach remembers.

“He got to know everyone, players and fans alike. He continued to keep his meticulous records, but how he did it and converse with half of the crowd during the game is a mystery.

“He loved the people. He will be missed.”

As much as baseball was in his heart, Gibson’s first love was his wife Florence. They were together for more than 60 years, and I never saw Gibson at a social event without Florence by his side.

There sat Conley, encircled by the young and old; folks listening to his great stories about serving as a parimutuel clerk at Hollywood Park, coaching and umpiring high school baseball — or his priceless and colorful yarns about old the Pacific Coast League.

Over the years, Conley Gibson fought heart disease. He had a series of heart attacks late in life — one time coming back to the dugout just five weeks after the episode.

But Gibson’s heart was always big enough to withstand any challenge — and still have plenty left to give to others.

Family members gathered Friday to lay Gibson to rest at the Davis Cemetery.

Son Glen Gibson explained that his dad requested a simple service. But Conley knew this thing we call life was just one big bullpen.

He’s used that time on Earth to warm up for his first appearance Upstairs.

And not to be caught short when given The Signal, Gibson’s not-so-final resting place sees him dressed in a ball cap, his Aggie jersey and game pants.

Glen says his dad also left us with a baseball in his hand …

“He told one of his home-care aides last week that he was looking forward to getting back on the mound to pitch again,” Glen told me. “He truly loved the game and the people who play it.”

Gibson is survived by Florence, son Glen and his wife Nicole, another son Steve, adult grandchildren Christopher, Casey, McKenna and Matt and Casey’s wife Anya.

Glen reports that his extended family will establish a “foundation of some sort to memorialize him. You can bet your last buck, it will have to do with baseball.”

While I Have You Here: Don’t forget the fun that football fans will have Saturday at Ron & Mary Brown Stadium. The Junior Blue Devils — from Junior Pee Wees to Midgets — will put their best feet forward in a series of scrimmages beginning at 10 a.m.

In the afternoon, the Davis High freshman footballers get it on first, followed by a junior varsity scrimmage and varsity special-teams play.

Junior Blue Devil and high school pep squad members, two groups that have gone through their own summer sessions in preparation for a big fall, also make their debuts on Saturday.

Blue Devil gear will be on sale, interested folks can find out more about becoming a Blue Devil Football Backer and, thankfully, the concession stands will be open all day.

— Bruce Gallaudet is a staff writer for The Davis Enterprise. Reach him at [email protected] or (530) 747-8047.

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