Fresno City’s CCCMBCA Hall of Fame Coach, John Toomasian, passes away at 91

by Woody Wilk

Former Fresno City College head basketball coach, John Toomasian  passed away on Sept. 5 in Fresno after a lengthy illness at the age of 91.  

 After several seasons as top assistant  to another California Community College Men's Basketball Association Hall of Fame member, Joe Kelly, Toomasian succeeded him following the 1965 season when FCC lost a dramatic state championship game in overtime 69-67 to Jerry Tarkanian's Riverside City College Tigers in San Mateo.

 Toomasian coached the Rams from 1965 to 1975 and then stepped away to teach in FCC's social science division. He retook the FCC men's hoop reins for the 1983-84 season when it appeared the program would be victim to budget cuts. His final retirement from coaching was after the 1986-87 season. Toomasian's overall record was 265-143 with three conference titles, seven conference runnerup finishes and three appearances at the state chanpionships. He was greatly admired by many students as well as his former players.

Memorial services were held at St. Paul Armenian Church in Fresno on Sept. 17. Among his many former players who attended were Roscoe Pondexter, who still holds FCC's single season rebound record at 436; Dr. John Glavinovich, who built a succesful medical practice in Southern California, also a top rebounder and scorer; and Kenny Travis, who played for Toomasian from 1983-85 and built a successful pro career on the international level. Also attending were former College of the Sequoias head coach Tom Gilcrest and numerous basketball officials who had suffered the slings and arrows of Toomasian's barbed one-liners. But, when the buzzer had sounded, ill will was left in the gymnasium.

Toomasian was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy. He is survived by his son, John Marshall Toomasian and his wife, Denise; daughter Pamela Thomas and three grandchildren. He is also survived by two sisters, Mary Petrosian and Eleanor Johnson.

From all who knew and admired him, 'Big Daddy,' rest in peace.