Born on March 2nd, 1943, Robert Gottschall was a graduate of Unionville High School and matriculated collegiately at Western Maryland, Villanova and Cheyney. He received his Master’s degree in Education from West Chester. Robert served in the U.S. Army for three years (1962-1965), with one tour of duty in Vietnam. He taught in the West Chester Area School District in their elementary and middle schools for 34 years.

Gottschall began his extensive career as a baseball coach at 16 and was a Head Coach for nearly 65 years (1959 through 1962), at all levels from Little League to the West Chester Adult League. Bob coached baseball at Fugett Middle School for 12 years, and in 1986 was named Head Coach of the Chester County entry in the Philadelphia Phillies Carpenter Cup Baseball Tournament. His teams won the Carpenter Cup three times during his 25 years as coach, posting a record of 35-22. Gottschall also played baseball for many years as a player-coach for Kelly’s Sports in the West Chester Adult Baseball League.

Robert also spent much of his adult life both officiating and coaching three different sports (soccer, basketball, and baseball). In 56 years of officiating, Gottschall officiated in over 8,300 contests, including 34 years (1978-2011) as an umpire in the West Chester Adult Baseball League. He was Head Referee and Founder of the Chester County Sports Officials Organization (1982).

Gottschall is a member of the West Chester Adult Baseball League Hall of Fame (2012) and the Kennett Square Baseball Old Timers Hall of Fame (2017).