Gary Cooper

Background

Cooper was born in Lynwood, California.

Education

Cooper attended Brigham Young University, where he is a member of their Hall of Fame.

Career

He was a starter on their nationally ranked #1 in 1983 and he started nearly every of his 292 games as a Cougar, helping fashion records of 54-11 in 1983, 42-17 in 1984, 44-29 in 1985 and 34-18-2 in 1986. Included in those records were National Collegiate Athletic Association Post-season Tournament appearances in Tempe, Arizona, in 1983 and Fresno, California, in 1985, Western Athletic Conference crowns both those seasons, and Women's Army Corps division titles in 1983, 1984 and 1985. The product of Mountain View High in Orem set a Brigham Young University record of five stolen bases in one game in 1984.

He was named All-America first-team in 1986 and 1985.

He was a three-time All-Women's Army Corps division selection. Cooper finished second in National Collegiate Athletic Association career runs scored (320), fourth in National Collegiate Athletic Association career hits (349), sixth in National Collegiate Athletic Association career total bases (612) and set Women's Army Corps and Brigham Young University career records for runs, hits, Reserve Bank of India, stolen bases and walks.

Batting a collegiate career.409, he was drafted in the seventh round by the Houston Astros in 1986. Cooperative(s) led the Anchorage (Alaska) Glacier Pilots to a third-place finish in the National Baseball Congress All-American Tournament in Wichita, Kansas in the summer of 1985.

Cooper was 27 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 15, 1991, with the Houston Astros.

The majority of his playing time was on the triple A level with teams like the Tucson Toros. He also played in the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations. Gary Cooper was named after his famous namesake, the actor Gary Cooper.

Camden and Shea are named for MLB ballparks, Camden Yards (Baltimore) and Shea Stadium (New York).

Achievements

• As a senior he was named Women's Army Corps Player of the Year. He played in several American Automobile Association all-star games during his 10-year pro career and was named Most Valuable Player of one of those games as well as being voted Outstanding Player of the Year in the Pacific Coast League.