SENIOR ADVISOR TO CENTERCOURT BASEBALL
My favorite sports memory/moment/event is…… winning a high school state championship at Steinert High School as a senior. It tops every amazing pro moment because it was accomplished with my friends, the same guys I hung out with off the field.
Coach Gallagher was drafted 1st round twice out of Mercer County CC. He won AA Eastern League batting title (.338) 1983 and made his MLB debut in 1987 with the Cleveland Indians. Gallagher was voted 5th for MLB “Rookie of the year” 1988 while with the Chicago White Sox.
Gallgher played in 9 MLB seasons: Indians, White Sox, Orioles, Angels, Mets, Braves, Phillies with highlights: 2 HR game vs Texas Rangers and 5 hit game vs Baltimore Orioles. Gallagher was the proud teammate of several Hall of Famers: Fisk, Baines, Ripken, Smoltz, Maddux , Glavine, Niekro, and Carlton.
Post playing career Gallagher was hired for 3 MLB/MLBPA cooperative programs:
- Rookie Career Program : Named resource player 27 consecutive years and counting. Objective is mentoring the top 4 MLB prospects for every MLB preparing them for an MLB career.
- Hank Aaron Invitational (formerly Elite Development Program): Coach Gallagher has accompanied 43 area players to this elite instructional program the past 7 summers. Held at Dodgertown and run by MLB alumni , it is considered the top instructional program in the country. Players are flown in, given equipment, accommodations and fed at Dodgertown for a week of learning and guest speakers at zero expense to their families!
- Healthy Relationships : Each spring training for the last 3 years Gallaghre acts as a host to introduce the staff of professional counselors to every MLB team. In Dave Gallagher’s words, “ my goal is to spark the interest of the players to simply tune in to this knowledgeable staff who can impart some educated wisdom on dealing with relationships in a career that involves so much failing and frustration”.
Dave Gallagher is married to wife Jayne 41 years and has 5 children: Shannon, Evan, Logan, Donovan, and Easton.