San Luis Obispo Blues General Manager announces the hiring of Dan Marple as the new Blues Head Coach and Director of Baseball Operations.
Marple, a California native, began his coaching career at Cuesta College in 1979. He was an assistant coach at Templeton high school for ten years and most recently coached baseball for the North County Indians, a semi-professional baseball team, from 2012 to 2014.
Prior to a 26 year career with the California Highway Patrol, where he served Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Templeton, Marple’s baseball career began as a player for Huenemee High School where he was named to 1st team All-CIF as a senior in 1971. Later that year, he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, but chose to attend Cal Poly on a baseball scholarship instead.
After an MVP sophomore season for the Mustangs, Maple was again drafted by the Orioles organization where he spent three years playing professional baseball; reaching as high as AA with O’s. Upon his release, Marple returned to Cal Poly and completed his degree in Journalism.
In 2016, the San Luis Obispo Blues saw the mid-season departure of Jamie Clark as Head Coach. The organization decided to move quickly in the pursuit of Marple.
“Dan has always been high on our list. He’s local and has ample experience in baseball, but most of all he cares about his players. All of those attributes are extremely important to us. We’re truly honored to have a gentleman of his caliber leading us into the 2017 campaign.”- SLO Blues General Manager, Adam Stowe
Marple currently resides in Paso Robles, CA, with his wife, Susan, of twenty-seven years. They have two sons and two daughters. Both sons played collegiate baseball and one went on to play in the Phillies Organization for 6 years in the minor league system.
Dan Marple BIO Notes:
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Named first team All-CIF in 1971
- Drafted by Orioles in 1971 (15th round)
- Attended Cal Poly for two years on baseball scholarship
- Named MVP his sophomore season for the Mustangs
- Drafted by Orioles in after Junior year in 25th round
- Played three years of professional baseball. Played with Orioles, Tigers, A’s
- Highest level achieved: AA with Orioles
- Finished his degree in Journalism at Cal Poly upon his release
- Hired in 1979 as Assistant Coach at Cuesta
- Named Head Coach for Cuesta in 1980. Coached for three years before resigning to pursue a career in law enforcement
- Assistant Coach at Templeton High School for ten years
- Has umpired three NCAA Div. II College World Series (Montgomery, AL) and two Div. I regionals (Houston, TX and Lincoln, NE)
- Head Coach three years with North County Indians (2012-2014)
- Currently resides in Paso Robles, CA
- Married for 27 years to wife Susan
- Couple has two sons and two daughters
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Both sons played collegiate baseball (Cal State Monterey Bay and Oral Roberts University).
- Step-son, Chase, went on to play for six years in the Phillies Organization