In his sports obituary that ran over the wire services on Jan. 5, 2006, he was described as "college baseball’s greatest leader and amateur baseball’s greatest ambassador." In coaching the team for 45 years, he won 11 College World Series crowns -- although he says it's 12 -- and 28 conference titles. His overall record 1,332-571-11 (.699 winning percentage). "Rod not only was college baseball's greatest coach, he was the sport's and USC's greatest ambassador,” said then Trojans coach Mike Gillespie, who played for Dedeaux and was a member of the 1961 championship team. His players: Fred Lynn, Tom Seaver, Steve Kemp, Rich Dauer, Dave Kingman, Randy Johnson, Mark McGwire, Steve Busby, Don Buford, Bill Lee, Ron Fairly ... a total of 59 big leaguers. "The things I remember best about playing at USC are that we worked hard, learned a lot and had a really great time doing it,” Seaver once said. “I learned more in one year at USC under coach Dedeaux than I would have in two or three seasons in the low minors. I learned concentration and to stay in the game mentally."
In 1999, Dedeaux was named "Coach of the Century" by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. As part of the 50th anniversary of the College World Series in 1996, Dedeaux was named the head coach of the All-Time CWS team by a panel of former World Series coaches, media and college baseball officials. In 1999, he was presented with keys to the city of Omaha (home to the College World Series). And there's another reason why No. 1 also comes into play here: That's what he accepted his his annual salary at USC. One dollar. He had already become a self-made millionaire starting his own trucking company with his father in 1936, turning a $500 investment in Dart (Dedeaux Automotive Repair and Transit) Enterprises. The man who called everyone "Tiger" had his No. 1 retired at USC.

Runner-up:
==Seabiscuit, 1940 Santa Anita Handicap
The climatic scene in the 2003 movie is Seabiscuit coming back from an injury to win this race, and then retire. Seabiscuit was injured and out of commission for most of the 1939 racing season. Coming into the sixth annual Santa Anita Handicap, his prospects for a comeback were slim. Seabiscuit, guided again by the weathered Red Pollard, had raced only three times in the weeks before, winning at San Antonio two weeks prior to the big handicap day. Seabiscuit could set the all-time money winning record if he could chalk up a win at the race that had eluded him twice before. And, as the movie goes, he did win it.
The throughbred that also won the 1938 Hollywood Gold Cup is imortalized with a statue at Santa Anita Park, so he really hasn't left the Southern California sports scene.
Watch the 1940 Big Cap on YouTube at this link.

Other No. 1s:
==Pee Wee Reese, Dodgers (he played only one year in L.A., 1958, for 59 games at age 39, after 15 years in Brooklyn, where he established his Hall of Fame career)
==Bobby Knopp, Angels coach ('79-'92). Wore No. 29 as a player, switched to No. 2 in honor of the late Deron Johnson from '93-'96
==Dot Richardson, UCLA softball ('81-83)
==Jordan Farmar, UCLA basketball ('05-06)
==Bobby Winkles, Angels manager ('73-'74)
==Dusty Dvorak, USC men’s volleyball ('77-'80)
==Mike Williams, USC football ('02-03)
==Mario Lessard, Kings ('78-'84)
==Jamie Storr, Kings ('94-'03)
==Bill Grabarkewitz, Dodgers ('69-'72)
==Efren Herrera, UCLA football ('71-73)
==Bengie Molina, Angels ('98-'05)
==Brad Friedel, UCLA soccer ('90-'92)

Sports Illustrated's choice for the all-time No. 1: Warren Moon, over Oscar Robertson

Did we miss anyone?
You've got our vote, now let's see yours: