to learn how to play the sidewalk in front of her, the equipment was stored in a men's room, and "our electrical source for a pitching machine was an extension cord thrown out the window of the carpentry shop." The 1980 team played home games on three different fields, and Garman was responsible for transporting the equipment and concession supplies to the field in the back of her truck. A friend presented her players with homemade buttons that read, "Garman's Gypsies." Despite the limited facilities, Garman quickly built one of the most successful softball programs in the United States. Between 1981 and 1988, she led Fullerton to eight consecutive 50-win seasons, including 59 wins in 1987, 57 wins in 1986, and 56 wins in 1983. She led Cal State Fullerton to the Women's College World Series championship in 1986. She also led the Titans to four earlier trips to the College World Series, resulting in two second-place and two third-place finishes. Garman retired as Fullerton's softball coach after the 1999 season. She was only 55 years old at the time of her retirement and told the Orange County Register that the breast cancer death of her close friend Vicky Larson, a former coach and girls athletic director at Loara High School, was a major factor in her decision. Garman noted, "There's a lot I still want to do in my life while I'm healthy. This job has become seven days a week, 15 hours a day. I can't keep up that pace anymore." Garman compiled a career record of 913–374–4 at Cal State Fullerton. International coaching Garman returned to coaching in 2001 as the head coach of the Italian national softball team. She led Italy to the European Championship and a fifth-place finish at the 2002 ISF Women's World Championship. Coaching records and Hall of Fame In March 1996, Garman became the first college softball coach to win 1,000 games (including 211 wins at Golden West) with a 1–0 win over Long Beach State. With 1,1249 wins in 28 years (913 at the Division I level), Garman was the winningest coach in college softball history at the time of her retirement. Other coaches later surpassed that record, including Margie Wright and Mike Candrea. Garman was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1993. Garman has also written a book, Softball Skills & Drills. See also National