FAMU Coach Costa Kittles enshrined into the ABCA Hall of Fame
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Legendary Florida A&M University (FAMU) coach Acosta “Pop” Kittles was selected and enshrined into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame in a lavish ceremony at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington D.C. on Jan. 3. The ceremony was sold out as baseball elite gathered to honor the new inductees. The ABCA Hall of Fame is the ultimate shrine to the greatest coaches in amateur baseball, including college and high school.
Kittles, who had two popular monikers, was a multi-talented athlete that translated to an even better coach at FAMU. He was called “Costa,” which was a shortening of his actual name, Acosta, however those who knew him closest knew him simply as “Pop.” He was the nicest of people in one minute and the sternest of coaches in the next. All who encountered him loved and admired him. His legacy at FAMU, especially among his former players, looms larger than life.
ABCA Hall of Fame committee member Ron Maestri felt a sense of satisfaction that Kittles was finally enshrined.
“When you looked at his record, when you looked at what he did for the community, and you look at the players he had…not only as great players, but great men. Hal McRae, The Hawk (Andre Dawson), Vince Coleman, my goodness. Great men, great leadership, hall of famers…what can you say?”
Kittles began his association with FAMU as a high school graduate who came to school to play football and baseball. He was an All-American end at FAMU for the football team and was an All Star catcher for the Rattler baseball team. He played for College Football Hall of Fame coach Jake Gaither at FAMU. He played an integral part in Gaither’s first national football championship in 1960.
Kittles played baseball under the “Father” of FAMU baseball, Oscar A. Moore, Ph.D. The Florida A&M University baseball field named after both men (Moore-Kittles Field) in 1999. They were both assistant professors of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
Kittles would earn an amazing .758 winning percentage as head coach, garnering an amazing 401-128 record. He took the helm of the Rattlers in 1960 and immediately won seven consecutive Southern intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) championships. He would win eight SIAC championships in all, appeared in six NAIA district playoffs, and advanced to the 1962 NAIA World Series in 1962.
Kittles recruited and coached greats like Andre Dawson, Hal McRae, Vince Coleman and Bill Lucas. Dawson would go on to be enshrined into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY in 2010. He would credit Kittles for his success during his hall of fame acceptance speech. It was a testament to the foresight of Kittles and his investment into his players.
“(I want to thank) coach Costa Kittles who gave me a chance at Florida A&M University as a walk-on when no other college would look at me because of a knee injury,” Dawson said during his Pro Baseball Hall of Fame address.
At the ceremony Kittles, who passed in 2003, was honored with the reading of some of his biographical information. He was awarded a plaque and a ceremonial ring. Two of Kittles’ former FAMU players, Stanley Strong and William “Soup” Campbell, traveled to Washington, D.C. to witness their former coach being enshrined.
Campbell, who was inducted into the FAMU Sports Hall of Fame for his play under Kittles, was ecstatic to see Kittles being honored.
“He was very strategic and he made you reach down inside yourself and find out what you were made of. He would challenge you. I took that with me the way he coached. He wouldn’t just give you the whole package, he would break down the parts. He would break down the hitting, he would break down the fielding, he would break down the throwing…the technique. He would go from the parts, then put it all together for you,” Campbell said.
Strong echoed Campbell’s sentiments about Kittles.
“He’s one of the few coaches that I know, and we didn’t know at that time, he would check all of our schedules to make sure we were on line to graduate, taking the courses and in class. He was a special guy and I’ve always had the utmost love and respect for him.”
Media Contact:
Alonda Thomas
Alonda.Thomas@famu.edu
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