The University of California, Santa Barbara baseball program started in 1925 and Joe Martin was their first player to make it to the Major League level.

So what is a "gaucho" and why is the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) using that particular nickname for the team logo / mascot?

What is a Gaucho?

That's the question being asked around the country? Acoording to the dictionary a Gaucho is defined as a cowboy of the South American pampas.

UCSB adopted the Gauchos mascot in 1934, after having orginally been nicknamed the roadrunners. The Gaucho was known to be a liberty loving cowboy of the South Americas, combining the qualities of both Mexican and Indian hertiages. The Gaucho was colorful character, known for occasional rebel-rousing, but always respected.

But at UCSB the Gaucho is being defined by the actions and successes of our student-athletes.

Source: University of California, Santa Barbara Website.

Did you know that there are twenty former UC-Santa Barbara players who made it to the show? Send corrections or updates to Baseball Almanac.