John Altobelli, the father of a Red Sox scout who was also head coach of the Brewster Whitecaps in the Cape Cod Baseball League from 2012–2014, was one of the people killed in the helicopter crash Sunday that killed Kobe Bryant.

Altobelli, his wife Keri, and daughter Alyssa were among those who perished in Southern California.

In a phone call Sunday evening, Brewster team president Chris Kenney recalled Altobelli as a class act who always had the best interests of his players at heart.

We are heartbroken and shocked to learn that our former head coach, John Altobelli along with his wife Keri and daughter Alyssa passed away this morning in the helicopter crash that also claimed the lives of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. — Brewster Whitecaps (@WhitecapsCCBL) January 26, 2020

“Obviously, we are shocked and saddened at the news,’’ said Kenney. “John was a trusted assistant who became our head coach. His family became part of our baseball family.


“He was a real baseball guy,’’ added Kenney. “People say that all the time about all sorts of people, but it was really the truth with John. He was just always focused on the success of his teams and success and development of his players.’’

Altobelli was the head baseball coach at Orange Coast College for 27 seasons. Alyssa was on the AAU basketball team with Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who also died Sunday, that Bryant coached.

While a part of the Cape League, Altobelli managed multiple future All-Stars, including Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Jeff McNeil of the Mets.

Kenney said Altobelli’s chance to coach his son JJ for a summer, however, meant more to him than helping multiple future big-leaguers.

“He always said the chance to coach JJ that summer in Brewster as being the best summer of his career,’’ recalled Kenney.

JJ, a former University of Oregon infielder, was drafted by St. Louis in the 18th round of the 2013 draft. He was hired as a scout by the Red Sox in 2018.