Gary Anthony Rausch

Gary Anthony Rausch, 79, of Tempe, Arizona passed away due to complications from sudden acute leukemia on January 9, 2023, at Chandler Regional Hospital. 

Gary was a graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and was a member of the Sigma Delta Chi professional journalistic society. Gary worked for Major League Baseball as the official scorer for the Arizona Diamondbacks.  He was a longtime score keeper for Arizona Spring Training games, Arizona Fall League, and the Arizona Rookie League covering the Phoenix Firebirds, Oakland A’s, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, and Chicago Cubs. Legend has it, Gary was the most accurate scorer in the league for a time, speaking at the Scorer’s annual meeting about his process for adjudicating plays. He held this title for many years until Joe Torre himself overturned one of Gary’s calls, breaking his streak.

Gary spent several years working as the Sports Information Director for the University of California at Los Angeles and Assistant Athletic Director for Arizona State University. He also previously worked as a sportswriter for MLB.com, Pro Football Weekly (PFW), Beckett Magazine, Sports Illustrated, the Scottsdale and Mesa Tribunes, the Arizona Republic, and the Long Beach Press Telegram where he originated the “Best in the West” survey of college coaches to determine top high school recruits for football and basketball.

Gary was also a United States military veteran with over twenty-two years of dedicated service to his country; first with the Army in Viet Nam, then with the Naval Reserve Seabees as a Petty Officer First Class before retiring honorably in 1994.

He is survived by his daughters Erin Rausch and Kelly Rausch Grant, granddaughter Eliana Grant, brother Kevin Rausch, sister-in-law Starr Rausch, and nephews Brian Rausch and John Rausch, sister-in-law Denise Covey, and his faithful Jack Russel Terrier Sophie.  He was predeceased by wife Sharon Rausch, father Victor Rausch, mother Mary Ann Rausch, sister Vicki Dotzenrod, nephew Andrew Rausch, father-in-law Harley V. Parr, mother-in-law Barbara Parr-Shambarger, and nephew Tate Fogelstrom.

A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held in Gary’s honor on Saturday, February 25th, 2023 at Church of the Master PC(USA) in Mesa, Arizona at 10 am with a reception to follow directly thereafter. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his name to the American Cancer Society or Arizona Humane Society.

The service will be live steamed at: https://www.youtube.com/@ChurchoftheMasterMesa/streams

He was a loving father, brother, uncle, cousin, grandfather, and best friend whose legendary story-telling and encyclopedic knowledge of sports will be sincerely missed.