Former Palomar baseball coach Bob Vetter dies suddenly after surgery

Bob Vetter, a Hall of Fame baseball coach at Palomar College and before that at United States International University (USIU), died Saturday after a brief illness.

He was 71.

Vetter was the head coach at Palomar for 24 years and compiled a 542-393 record, winning eight conference championships and finishing second in the state in 2005.

He was inducted into the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2007.

After a stint as chairman of the Palomar College Department of Kinesiology, Health and Recreation, Vetter returned to the field as an assistant coach on Buck Taylor’s staff in 2016, then for current coach Ben Adams.

Vetter was the driving force behind Palomar’s new on-campus baseball field, one of the best in the county.

“We’re all in a state of shock,” said Adams, who got the news of Vetter’s passing in the dugout during a Saturday scrimmage.

Vetter was on Adams’ staff this season.

“He had surgery Friday, and it went well,” Adams said. “But something happened, then we got the news he was gone.

“Bob did so much for everyone else. He was a man of his word.”

Vetter was the center fielder on Cal Western’s 1973 NAIA World Series championship team.

“We were teammates on that team and remained close,” said Art Warren, Cal Western’s catcher. “There weren’t too many people better than Bob Vetter.”

After his playing career, Vetter returned to Cal Western in 1978, which had been renamed USIU, as coach, the youngest college head baseball coach in the country at the time.

His USIU teams were 104-84 in five seasons, giving Vetter a career record of 646-477.

“I played for Bob at USIU and recommended him for the Palomar job,” said Dick Christman. “We had heard Jim Clayton was retiring at Palomar, and Bob was perfect for the job.”

Vetter served one year as Clayton’s assistant, then was appointed head coach.

“Bob was a very good coach, and a better friend,” Christman said. “He was a wonderful human being.”

Taylor, who’s now the pitching game coordinator at Kansas State, succeeded Vetter at Palomar.

“Bob’s passing is a gut punch,” Taylor said. “The worst news ever.”

Six of Vetter’s players at Palomar played in the major leagues, not including Darren Balsley, who was the longtime San Diego Padres pitching coach.

Vetter is survived by wife Sarah, daughter Emily and son Robby.

Services are pending.