BOB MORELLI – HIS STORY

Statistics can be a bit cold as they tell us little about the character of a man. This holds true for a very special Bishop Garcia Diego High School teacher, coach and all around athlete who has given so much to students and in whose honor this Bishop golf tournament is named.  A few insights along with some facts will refresh our memories as we keep Bob Morelli in our lives and in this game of golf.

Bob Morelli was born June 2, 1913 in Los Angeles and raised in Bakersfield, California.  He attended Bakersfield High School, participating in football and track (low hurdles, broad jump and pole vault).  He led the team to the San Joaquin Valley Championship.  Bob continued his studies at Santa Barbara State College (now UCSB) at their campus up on the Santa Barbara Riviera, where he earned the nickname “Scooter” for his football skills.  He majored in Industrial Arts and Physical Education and simply excelled in athletics, playing rugby, track and field and football. Bob was all-conference in 1935 and 1936 in football as a halfback.

Bob married Jeanne Knipper, June 16, 1942.  That same year, he served his country as Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy.  The joke was Jeanne spent her honeymoon with her mother traveling from Santa Barbara to Illinois where her new hubby was stationed!  In 1945 Morelli returned to Santa Barbara to start his teaching and coaching career with Santa Barbara Catholic High School.  He taught mechanical drawing, architectural drawing, woodshop and P.E.  He coached football, basketball, golf and track. He continued his career at the present day campus of Bishop Garcia Diego High School in the fall of 1959 when the new campus was opened.  Bob did almost anything and everything at the school, from teacher, coach, athletic director, department chairman, and dean of boys, booster club and Dad’s club faculty rep., to even school bus driver back in the day!  His performance was always exemplary!

Whenever the call came, first from Santa Barbara Catholic High and then Bishop Garcia Diego Catholic High, Bob was there to do his part.  He taught for 37 years, missing only one day of school to attend his father’s funeral.  After 25 years of teaching, Bob was feted with a dinner at Bishop; in attendance were Spud Harder, Bob’s football coach and thirteen of Bob’s teammates from the conference-winning 1936 team.  One of those teammates, Don Hart, was mayor of Bakersfield and presented Bob with a key to the city.  Caeser Uyesaka, from the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table, presented Bob with a plaque and the Bishop Letterman’s Club presented Bob with a gold plated golf cart!

Bob’s personal life was as rich as his school career.  He loved to play golf in his free time and to walk the foothills of Santa Barbara with his children, grandchildren and his dog.  He and his wife were also members of the Santa Barbara Miniature Club.  Bob spent many hours making ¼ inch scale and ½ inch scale dollhouses, while Jeanne made porcelain dolls, paintings and put the final touches on the dollhouses.  He taught his children and grandchildren about sportsmanship, woodworking, painting, gardening and life in general.  As teacher, coach and parent, Bob’s days were long.  Bob’s family often “hung out” at school, either at a practice or in his classes.  His son, Stephen, remembers cruising the campus with the nuns and sitting on the sidelines during football practice, where the worst thing to come out of Coach Morelli’s mouth was, “you knucklehead!” and “son of a biscuit!”   His granddaughter, Bonnie came to school and learned to cook and sew with the girls in Jeanne’s home economics and sewing classes.  She also hung out with the boys in mechanical drawing with her T-square, #2 pencil and her Snoopy lunch bag being quiet and learning to draw.
 
With both his family and students, Bob instilled a love of the game well played.  He did not have a favorite team; he appreciated a good play or a good, hard fought game.  “Coach” treated everyone with respect and dignity and expected the same from all his students.  He was a quiet man, but when he spoke, people listened. 

At his retirement dinner, part of the program for the evening read, “The deepest appreciation goes to Bob from all who know him, for his loyalty, service and dedication to the ideals of Catholic Education and Good Sportsmanship.  Yes, he truly is ‘Mr. Santa Barbara Catholic High School’”.

Morelli’s advice to the class of 1982 was, “Have a hobby.”  He had many hobbies, but most of all, he had a knack for reaching people, getting to them, and thereby making them a better person.  Many former students voiced, “You were a better person for knowing Mr. Morelli”.  “He showed us respect and love and always had a smile for us”.  He taught many students who would not go on to college, but they too became successful in life, by way of the lessons he instilled in them.  Bob touched hundreds of people’s lives: his students, athletes, their families, and his family.  He showed by example how to live a good life.  Bob’s reputation and skills are respected and honored throughout the Santa Barbara community. Bob “Scooter” Morelli is a member of the Gaucho Athletic Hall of Fame, elected to the Hall in 1966.  Bob Morelli passed away August 15, 1997 at age 84.

Vic Bottiani, Vince Stumpo, and Jim Stovesand along with other members of the Bishop High Dad’s Club began this golf tournament in 1971, looking for a way to raise some money to support the school’s athletic department. Bob Morelli was the golf coach at school at the time, and after his retirement, Bishop High honored Bob by naming the tournament after him.  Many things have changed in Santa Barbara since 1971.  The Bob Morelli Memorial Golf Tournament continues to draw alumni and community members, and that’s something that hasn’t changed for 37 years.

A very special thank you to Bob Morelli; coach, teacher and athlete.  We are pleased to have so much more than simple statistics to explain who you are to our newer school members and the community at large.

Patty (Sebastian) Charest, Bishop High Class of 1977
Cardinal Alumni President

Acknowledgment
Many people were very helpful in supplying information about Coach Bob Morelli and need to be recognized for their invaluable contributions.  Many thanks to Bonnie Jeanne Wilbur, granddaughter of Bob Morelli and daughter of Roberta Jeanne Stauffer Wilbur Morelli for her photos and stories.  Thanks to Steve Morelli, son of Bob Morelli, for photos and memories.  Special thanks to Cynthia Steinheimer, niece of Bob Morelli for her connections to his family.  Also, Ralph Karleskint, Mike Morando, Stan Larsen, Peter Georgi, Marty Herrera, Mike Sbaraglia and Cliff Taylor, all alumni, are to be thanked, for the stories about life with Coach Morelli.

Click here to see some of the photos shared by family and friends.