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"From Sports Illustrated, May 14, 1984.

GOING, GOING... GONE!

Jack Smitheran, the baseball coach at Cal-Riverside, was thrown out of a recent game with Oral Roberts while he was going to the bathroom.

The home-plate umpire, unhappy about a couple of hit batsmen, warned both benches that the next such incident would result in the offending team's pitcher and coach being ejected. In the eighth inning, while Smitheran was in the dugout bathroom, out of sight and sound of the field, his pitcher, Walt Stull, hit a Titan batter, precipitating a bench-clearing brawl. "I didn't know how the fight started," Smitheran said later. "All of a sudden I heard some footsteps. I looked out, and there was nobody left in the dugout." Persuasive though this alibi was, the ump carried out his threat and gave Smitheran and Stull the heave-ho. Cal-Riverside won the game 11-4."

Although the guestbook will no longer be updated, previously posted articles will remain open as they continue to carry the spirit of UCR baseball. We invite both new and veteran visitors to continue experiencing history via the spirit and athleticism of fifty years of UCR baseball.



Freshman, Or Coat Tree?

Name: David Barret (former player) Sent: May 23rd 2008
The year was 1974, the first year of Coach Smitheran's tenure. On a misty, cold Saturday morning early in the season - possibly our first road trip - the destination was the University of San Diego. Before the game one of the players wanted me to hang onto his jacket to keep it from getting wet. In those days the venue had uncovered dugouts. Since the jacket was really a thin windbreaker, I put it on over my own windbreaker. As the game progressed, I accumulated another windbreaker from another player.

As a freshman, everything was new and exciting. My buddy and fellow freshman, Greg Gonzales and I decided to make the most of our bench warming experience that day. We were having a great time: college baseball, and we had the best seats in the house.

About the sixth inning, coach called for Cary Smith to warm up in the bullpen. Though an infielder, I found myself his bullpen catcher. Cary had to take off his nice warm parka to warm up. I put it on over the other windbreakers. Cary was called in to duty and I took myself and my total of four jackets back to the uncovered dugout to continue my joyous spectatorship. Still enjoying myself, in the seventh inning, we put together a rally and tying the game was a possibility.

Suddenly, coach yells, "Barret!" A cold sweat overcame me when it dawned on me I was being summoned to pinch run. I slipped off Cary s parka and slithered down to the opposite end of the dugout, trying to avoid Coach long enough to peel off at least a couple of windbreakers. Jack would go ballistic if he saw all those jackets.

I managed to get off the big parka, but the windbreakers in those days had tight snaps that just wouldn t rip off easily. Each one had to be popped off carefully. Jack found me and quickly informed me of my pinch-running role. Jack's eyes quickly revealed his irritation when he saw the windbreaker under the first jacket that "he" saw. When he saw the third jacket underneath that, he did go ballistic, as I had feared. Jumping up and down (yes, with his hands down his pants), screaming, "Damn freshman!" as his chew spit flew all over.

Suddenly I found myself surrounded by teammates pulling and ripping at those stubborn snaps. After the last snap on the last jacket, somebody yelled, "Go! We'll pull the sleeves off you as you run toward the field." Bad decision. The jackets each were tied at the bottom - a knotted mess of windbreakers around my waist nearly tackled me as I started for the field. I finally broke free as Jack yelled, "Time! Time! Umpire, time out!" In all the chaos, he had forgotten to call time out.

As I led off second base, I prayed I would score the tying run and that we would eventually win. I figured all would be forgiven. Prayer not answered. Coach reamed us for not being prepared, not having our heads in the game from the bench, not having "killer instinct" (which had been coined just that day in the newspaper by Johnny Wooden, referring to his UCLA basketball team). And he totally chastised (rightfully so) that "damn freshman with 95 jackets on." I never brought another jacket to a game the rest of the season.

I did, however, manage to keep my hands out of my pants when it was cold.

UCR Baseball Memories

Name: Daron Kirkreit (former player) Sent: May 23rd 2008
Some memories that come to mind:

  • Terms learned along the way: Rally Do, Rally Nude, Nooner, Muslim, Gonzo especial, "Over!", boat raced, out over his skis
  • First time Welker spit chew onto my spikes that covered my whole shoe
  • Learning that a zipper could be locked
  • McMakin being called "Helmet McMaggot" by drunk guy in stands at CSUDH
      Drunk guy being pulled over by police as we left
  • Doug Pierce at the Alumni game yelling nonstop from the third base coaches box
  • Norris taking a line drive off of his head during BP while playing flip and ending up with a large knot on his head. Smitheran came down to check on him and then took his fungo and taped the knot asking him if that is where he was hit.
  • The comeback at SLO
  • D II World Series my freshman year
    • Taking my first airplane trip out of California and hearing the sweet sound of a southern accent from the woman taking my ticket
    • Reuben hitting about .700 with every hit a double off the wall
    • Norris sticking his head under the cover to talk with the birds at night in the lobby
    • Townsend asking what kind of animal a "Penelope" was
    • Half the team and Bear getting stuck in the elevator
    • Pitching a complete game victory and then taking everyone's money playing RayFu that night
    • Bus driver stopping at a stop sign, opening the door and spitting his dip spit out the door
    • Fat Vinny getting beaten up by that same bus driver
    • The contest at the hotel after being eliminated (Still have the photo of Rex)
  • Adam Cash, a red-shirt freshman being converted into a pitcher because of his arm strength, drilling coach Smith in the ribs during fielding practice for bunts
  • Emmons forgetting to get his equipment from the locker room before the trip to SLO even though he was told it was still in the locker room
  • LaRosa dancing the YMCA at the KA house
  • Riding the late bus with LaRosa behind the wheel
  • Smitheran making us run sprint after a loss and telling us why we were running each one
  • Rios throwing a doughnut at Doyle from the mound during the Alumni game and Doyle taking a bite

Thank you Coach Smitheran, Coach Smith, Bear and all my teammates for some great memories. I'm very proud to say that I'm a Highlander and can't wait to see you all on Saturday.

Many Foggy Memories

Name: Scott Moeller (former player) Sent: May 23rd 2008
It was 1 score and 6 years ago...(26 years for you non-historians) that I first set foot on the UCR campus. It was 105 degrees and third stage smog alert. My recruiting trip with Coach Smitheran included a tour of the campus-a trip up and down the Bell Tower and lunch (Substation sandwich). I guess the budget was "tight" back then or maybe I just wasn't that good!

Here are a few of the memories I still remember... I think...

  • Seeing Bolo, who worked at a liquor store, for the first time--Cost: 12 pack, then finding out he was a pitcher on the team...Priceless.
  • Watching Swanny take infield--he had the "sweetest" hands.
  • Pounders falling for the Phantom Pick-Off move in the National tournament.
  • Coach Smitheran asking Coach Pentland what just happened as he was running out on the field to argue the Phantom Pick-Off call.
  • Poker parties at Smut's had an admission fee.
  • Wanz asking for the ball before the Championship game.
  • Stu inviting the team over for a "soda."
  • After batting practice, having a three hour re-cap session with Coach Pentland.
  • Everyone's favorite--the Hustle Drill.
  • Playing between BB and Curtis in the outfield... Those two could cover a lot of ground.
  • BB eating a PB&J sandwich during a game while wearing slippers.
  • Caps in the dorm.
  • Nicknames like: BB; Squirtis; Wanz; Lumber; Mayo... Oh, that was his name; Spider; Smut; and the infamous Yacko.
  • The banner "Yacko Ball" in the outfield at the Nationals.

Jack, Doug and Jeff thanks for giving us all these great memories!!

Senior Rookie in '63

Name: Dave Reid (former player) Sent: May 23rd 2008
What I remember most? Coach Edwards keeping a few of us on the squad (me especially) and finding an opportunity for us to play ... two games, home and away, with Rio Hondo College during the 1963 season. Don Edwards was a great person and a real tribute to the coaching profession. I learned so much from him in just one season of play.

Childhood Memories

Name: Bobby Smitheran (fan) Sent: May 23rd 2008
Could there possibly be a better childhood spent around the many characters that make up UCR Baseball?

Here is a sampling from my brother and me:

  • Jack Carroll and the van = bubble gum
  • ASU trip: I was talked into going into the coaches room and taking a pair of keys to one of the vans for the guys while the coaches were away from the hotel so they could go party with some ASU co-eds
  • Wrestling my brother at the alumni party and putting Casey in the infamous "camel clutch"
  • Having my Mid-Winter Prom date pick me up at the alumni party - guys were picking up on my date and giving us beers through the roof of the limo (I was 15)
  • Working one of the summer camps and getting dosed by a line drive in the head from a 7 year old (didn't use the L-screen). I was out cold and my dad came over and yelled at me to get up because I was scaring the kids while Casey laughed on the side
  • Hitting in the cages with the old man and Casey. After a SEMINAR on hitting from my dad, I told him to leave me alone so I could hit (with an expletive mixed in there for good measure) and I think he nearly jumped down my spleen and ripped me good - Casey laughed on the side
  • Sitting with all of the girlfriends in the stands as a youth - God bless baseball girlfriends
  • Being baby sat by Frank Potestio's HOT girlfriend - Casey and I still talk about her to this day
Great memories, great people, and we're proud of what UCR Baseball has meant to everyone because that's a direct reflection on my dad, Doug, Pentland, the players & assistant coaches, and the support staff.

Congrats!

The Best Days of Our Lives

Name: Brad Pounders (former player) Sent: May 23rd 2008
None of us can ever repay Coach Smitheran, Coach Smith, and Coach Pentland for what they have done for us. What we can do is remind everyone of the humorous things that happened along the way. I have read all the comments on this site, and from Jeff Carsley to Aaron Wible (current player) there is not a better group of people than UCR Baseball Players.

Here are a few of my favorite memories...

  1. Stempniak throwing the ball 30 feet over my head at U of Arizona, and blaming me...I had to sleep on the cot in the hotel for that crap.
  2. Being raised to manhood by Tommy "Smut" Smith.
  3. Poker games until three in the morning at Pentlands house...Telling my parents I was in the library studying.
  4. Mark Marches ( BB ) actually believing that he could sell the hot sauce packs back to Naugles for poker money.
  5. .Yanasheski's Grand Slam in the World Series!
  6. Moeller's diving catch to beat Florida Southern- unbelievable!...By the way...Have a nice flight back to Florida because Wanzer is throwing the next game....They thought their s#%t didn't stink! ( 10 to 1 Highlander victory to win it all)
  7. Smitheran in the Sports Center dugout bathroom when brawl breaks out against Oral Roberts. Sports Illustrated did a cartoon of it showing him with toilet paper hanging out of his backside and looking bewildered.
  8. Trying to stiff the Dominos Pizza guy in AZ and him screaming down the hall for Coach Smitheran....we came up with the money in a hurry.
  9. The Barn and Bull and Mouth.
  10. Substation
  11. Boise Bashes at Coxy's House
  12. Pershwang!
  13. Rutledge throwing the ball up the screen from right field to show off his arm during infield. He said it was his only chance to get drafted since he never played!
  14. Seth and his tractor, and his "pissed at the world attitude".
  15. Pentland telling me to intentionally get hit by a Donnie August fastball, and charge the mound so we would both get tossed....He thought it was our only chance to win!
  16. Baby sitting Bobby and Casey Smitheran on a Friday when there was a team party. You know you all had to do it at some point.
  17. Paul Moralez hitting .500 on Friday games, but .178 on Saturday doubleheaders...I wonder why?
  18. Walt Stull drilling the Oral Roberts catcher three times in the same game...in the head all three times, which caused the brawl mentioned in item #7.
  19. Koh doing Curt Smith's homework...keeping him eligible.
  20. Sarina and the Chancellor's Koi Pond (Mr. Bubble kills fish?)
  21. The look on Tim Schmidt's face when he came up from the bottom of the pile. His glasses were hanging off his ears.... "Come on guys, let's just play some ball"

I can go on, but those are some of my greatest memories.

Again, thanks to the coaches....and the one's that never got the credit they deserved...Tommy Taylor, George Wing, Gordon Blakely, Tim Schmidt, etc.

Also to the friends I have met along the way. Swanny, Coxy, Clay, Hardy, Dabney, Koh, the Noonan Brothers, DeForge, Gelfarb, Carsley, Eric Show, Percival, Held, Mayo, Miz, Spyder, and anyone who has ever put on the uniform as a Highlander.

Terms of Art

Name: Andy Owen (former player) Sent: May 21st 2008
Terms of Art:

  • Boat raced
  • Knocked on your wallet
  • Getting your lunch handed to you
  • Ice tea. . . club sandwich
  • Country club atmosphere
  • Milk Toast
  • Yayhoos
  • Good Time Charlies
  • Watch tv sideways (to improve peripheral vision)
  • "The team's a broken down car...we've got four flat tires and no driver!" (Quote from Coach Smitheran)
  • Tank Farm Road (a street in SLO. Coach Smitheran made the bus driver stop. He told the entire team that we should be dropped because we had been swept)

    • Lastly, not so much a term, but a memory of Coach Smitheran telling our entire team that he could walk across campus and find 30 creative writing majors that could hit better than we could.

    Brilliant!

Growing up in Riverside

Name: Pete Torrenti (alumni) Sent: May 17th 2008
Growing up in Riverside, one of my dreams was to play baseball for UCR. Jack Smitheran had enough confidence in me to make that dream come true, other than my Dad, he had the strongest influence on my development as a baseball player and a person. I have so many great memories both on and off the field during my four years at UCR but here are a few worth mentioning:

  • Kim Allen would dare a pitcher to pick him off and would steal the base anyway, if he got to second, he usually stole third too.
  • John Henderson's ability to hit a line drive 375 feet. He could have hit 40 homers with a little more loop in his swing.
  • Doug Smith's ability to catch a nine inning game, get four hits and not even break a sweat. I learned a lot from him as a teammate and a coach; he made me a better player and was born to be the head coach at UCR.
  • Dale Ries and his amazing control. For a guy who couldn't throw the ball more than 80 mph, he simply embarrassed some of the best college hitters in 1977. And he would laugh at them too!
  • Steve Glaum and his nasty slider. I remember hitters mumbling how they couldn't hit that pitch as they walked back to the dugout and of course, every strikeout brought wild cheers from his Glaumettes!
  • Eric Show's three-hitter against Cal State Hayward, most of us on the team probably have forgotten that he guaranteed us he could win that game.
  • Jeff Pentland's mastery as a hitting and pitching coach, he had the ability to take average players and make them great. He taught me how to work with "pitchers" both on and off the field; I especially liked our strategy sessions over a cold beer.
  • The best memory of all was the "phantom" infield we took during the 1977 National Championship in front of all our competition. They all thought we were crazy and a bunch of nut cases from California, I swear we won the tournament before it even started.

Jack, Jeff and Doug worked us hard but they knew how to have fun too! Thanks to all my teammates and coaches, especially those that I didn't mention. I think of you often and will always be proud of my Highlander heritage. I won't be able to attend the festivities due to business travel but I will find a right field line somewhere, Coach, I promise.

Great Memories

More Memories

Name: Jeff Carsley (former player) Sent: May 17th 2008
Comment: Ninth inning, UCR 4 Eckerd St. 1. 1977 NCAA final. Glaum throws, fly ball to Karp in center, game over, UCR is the National Champion. Butchie runs in and flips the ball to me (thanks roomie!) Everyone on the team signed that ball and I had it for many years before turning it over to Coach Smitheran some time ago. I also gave Coach the line-up card which I pulled off the dugout wall. Boy what a great feeling - NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

Many great memories:

  • Playing at UCR with a few team mates from Chabot (Reis, Lubratich and Hernandez), not a bad group of players. I think Dale Reis and I must have played in excess of 400 games as teammates through four years of college and summer ball. Best pitcher in UCR history. Dale should have been undefeated in 1977, however, as I recollect, his old buddy at 3B (me) committed a throwing error which cost us the game. Why isn't Dale in the UCR Hall of Fame?
  • Gonzo, my all-time favorite team mate, nobody worked harder or got more out of his ability.
  • Hardest ball I think I've ever seen hit - John Henderson, 1976, smokes a ball, the shortstop jumps as if he has play on it, the leftfielder breaks IN on the ball, which ends up hooking into the fence in the leftfield corner (330 ft), a foot or so from going out. Absolute rocket.
  • Torrenti, thanks for stuffing the bat.
  • Knobbe, great pecs. Love you KK.
  • EVS, great flames on your spikes, we all had a laugh.
  • Glaum, all at once; an upper dip, lower dip, right cheek Redman, left cheek Redman and Redman in the middle of your mouth, in the team car. The only thing funnier was watching you trying to figure out what to do with a comebacker.
  • Farbs, loved dropping on your laces, I like to think it helped, however you didn't need it. You could swing it pretty good, CHINKHOUND!
  • A certain fine player to be unnamed, blowing chow at the end of practice after a night at Frank's, shielded by his amused teammates, apparently unnoticed by Coach Smitheran who at the time was lecturing us about the finer points of the game.
  • Waldo dogging it into home (he was safe) causing R.Christman to rail his lack of effort. Which the recalcitrant Waldo took offense to and cost us all a hustle drill (I hate the hustle drill).
  • Taking my little brother (he was 13) to Arizona, breaking curfew (with a few others) and finding him in the swimming pool with some girl at 2AM. Hey I got seven hits in the double dip the next day. We won both.
  • Throwing bombs around Emmie in the outfield during BP, he couldn't see more than 10 feet.
  • To Coaches Smitheran, Pentland and Smith: Thank you for your dedication, knowledge and loyalty, not only to the outstanding program I am proud to have been part of, but also to the guys who have gone through your program

Congratulations UCR Baseball!

Name: Kim Braun Padulo (alumni) Sent: May 15th 2008
As a batgirl for the UCR Tournament and a fan, I had some wonderful times with UCR baseball...both watching games and at parties, and just hanging out in the Bull 'n Mouth eating peanuts and playing the video baseball game (so primitive, those games in the 70's). Those of you who knew me then will get a good laugh out of the fact that I am now a professor! Have a great time on the 24th...wish I could be there to share some of those stories with you!

Those of us who were in the stands learned more from the games and from Coach Smitheran and Coach Pentland than we realized at the time. Now that I have a 7th grade son playing baseball pretty seriously, I am surprised how often I think back to those memories and use them to (hopefully) be a better baseball mom! Thank you, belatedly, for all of those great examples (former players) and teachable moments (coaches) that made up those memories.

Who knows? Maybe my son will play at UCR in a few years...hope you are still there, Coach Smith!!

The Baseball Legacy Continues

Name: Scott Laverty (former player) Sent: May 14th 2008
I am proud of all the great people that our program has turned out over the years. This is a game that we all love and that is why it is great to see all the alumni from UCR who have moved on to coach. I was lucky enough to play for, and coach with, Jack and Doug for eight years.

I have now been at the University of Redlands for nine years. When I recruit players to Redlands I frequently identify our program as "UC Riverside North" because the baseball ideals that I learned as a part of this program are the same ideals I want to pass along to my players. I feel I owe it to Jack and Doug for the impact they made on my life. Congratulations to all of you for continuing the tradition!

Gems From '80-83

Name: Spyderman (former player) Sent: May 14th 2008

  • Snatch not coming out of the bushes until he plays
  • A few players enjoying some wonderful JC Penney's merchandise
  • Buddy Reed (& Katie Dean)
  • Ron Hunt's hat size
  • #2 airing us out at 11:30pm at Chapman...I think Smut had 6 errors that game??
  • Doing windsprints at 3am in the Holiday Inn parking lot at SLO.
  • Trying to make the bus to Arizona after Alumni parties...and those that didn't!
  • Parsons in dolphin shorts day one of fall ball.
  • Maral falling off the second floor balcony.
  • Seeing BB on campus carrying nothing.
  • Bolo from behind....Bolo chewing gum.
  • Better tape job- Vic or Cathy Crisman??
  • All the wonderful dorm girls in the stands....chewing Cope.
  • Frank..."that's a lot of blood"
  • Fast pitch at Lothian and Smut hitting 3 irons down the hallways...buck-naked!
  • Beer Frisbee
    • And come to think of it, the baseball was pretty good too!

Remember The Bees?

Name: Scott Laverty (former player) Sent: May 14th 2008
I am playing shortstop in a series vs. SLO and in the middle of the inning Coach Smitheran starts walking out of the first base dugout toward the middle of the field. I looking at him like what the heck is going on? He points to left field, I turn around and Doyle is lying on the ground in left field. My first thought was he got shot.

I start walking out to realize he is just lying on the ground with his hand on his head like he is catching some sun. I am looking at Doyle like he lost his mind (or his doughnut). As I start to get closer I see what is going on...a huge swarm of bees had surrounded Doyle. Nobody new that Doyle was smart enough to fall to the ground to avoid them. Nice job skinny!

The bees start moving toward the pitchers mound...I take off to centerfield... the dugouts and the rest of the guys on the field are high tailing it down the lines. The bees go right over home plate and into the stands...the guys in the press box are frantically closing the windows...everyone in the stands are running towards 1st or 3rd...The bees go over the press box and out into the parking lot. The crowd comes back...Play Ball!

Talk About Memories

Name: Rick Layton (former player) Sent: May 13th 2008
I had the best of all worlds. I had the honor of playing on Coach Smitheran's first team at UCR. Also, I had the honor of playing on the first team that Coach Pentland was at UCR. And I had the honor of playing four years of college ball with Coach Smith and having him as a roommate. I do have many memories, most of them were of the greatest two years of my life, playing for and with these gentlemen. Those times will always be cherished and never forgotton. I'm sorry I cannot attend the celebration. Thanks guys, I'll never forget.

UCR Baseball Was Great for Me

Name: Jeff White (former player) Sent: May 12th 2008
I truly enjoyed playing baseball at UCR. I learned discipline and persistence which are things that I still carry today. Thank you Coach Smitheran and Coach Smith for being the best you could be for us and with us. Going to the Division II World Series in Montgomery, Alabama was a highlight for me and starting against BYU during a night game under the lights.

Jack, I still remember and use this phrase often..."now boys you have to remember the 5 P's...Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance"... the 5 P's live on!!!

One Weekend in Las Vegas, Playing Nevada Southern

Name: John Precht (former player) Sent: May 08th 2008
I had not gotten to pitch (or play) but was taken to Las Vegas anyhow. I relieved late in the game on Friday for which I got credit for the win. Saturday in the first game we were quite ffar behind and Coach Edwards put me in to pitch in the second or third inning. I ended up tying the score at 12 to 12 with the only home run I ever hit in organized baseball. I also had a squeeze bunt single earlier in the game. We went on to win the game 16-12. I ended the weekend with a 2-0 record, batting 1000 and with an 11.07 era. Cannot have everything. Remember Coach Edwards, Stan Bergstrom, Dich Tams, Mike Meloy, Bill Benz, Pete Katella, Larry Meyers and Stan Ziegler.

UCR Baseball

Name: Doug Smith (Head Coach, Former Player) Sent: May 7th 2008
Of all of the alumni, I may be the most fortunate. I have had the opportunity to play for the best coaches in the business with Coach Smitheran and Coach Pentland. I also had the opportunity to coach with them. I have been lucky enough to spend my entire career here at UCR and have the chance to meet and play with, or coach, almost all of you. The experiences that I have had, and the relationships that have been developed, are impossible to to explain or replace. I hope many of you can make it on the 24th. I look forward to hearing all the old stories.

Just for the record, Smitheran will still run us if you don't show up.

The Ride of a Lifetime!

Name: Dave Mann (staff) Sent: May 6th 2008
As Director of Sports Information/Development at UCR from 1980-83, I was fortunate to be on hand for some of the most dramatic moments in UCR baseball. From RBI Tournament chills (literally, thanks to the weather) to the thrills of an NCAA Division II College World Series championship won at the Riverside Sports Center. And few will ever forget the home run hit by major league star and Riverside's own, Bobby Bonds in a triumphant return to his hometown in the Riverside Invitational All-Star Game, vs. the '81 UCR squad. That home run seemed to disapper beyond the centerfield fence and after 27 years probably hasn't landed.

The fans, players and coaches, guided by Jack Smitheran provided me with some of the most exciting baseball moments in my lifetime. I witnessed history that will be hard to duplicate. But if anyone can come close, it will be Doug Smith.

More Memories

Name: Bill Brewer (staff) Sent: May 5th 2008
I am extremely proud and fortunate to have been part of the UCR Family for 15 years of my life. One of the best parts of the experience was to see Coach Smitheran, Smith, Checketts, etc. help shape these young men into quality people. Being as close to the team as I was, it was always evident that helping them become quality men was just as inmportant as winning baseball games.

There were so many great memories and great teams that it is hard to pick out any one thing, but a few things that stand out are:

  • Einhorn blasting Metallica in the back of the bus...also breaking his hand punching a brick dugout wall and playing the next day with it broken...and getting a couple hits;
  • A bunch of guys getting caught "tipping cows " on the SLO trip and having to run in the parking lot
  • And "Roy Hobbs" blasting about 6 home runs in his first 2 starts his freshman year to start off his amazing career

Thank you all for all of the memories and for making me feel like part of the "family" for so many years. I miss those days and all of you. I wish you all nothing but the best. Brew

Memories of Long Ago

Name: Don Edwards (faculty) Sent: May 5th 2008
I came to UCR to be its first baseball coach in 1956, but only stayed one year. I laid out UCR's first field on the Intramuaral field and we had a club team that played a few games. The first official team played there the next year.

Our tournament got its start when Gary Adams and I stood near 3rd base watching Colorado School of Mines players, with their shirts off, getting sun burned and sore arms in our batting cages. We called our four games with them a tournament so we could play more games as we were limited to only 27 regular games. We decided to try to have a big time tournament and it came to pass. Gary was a star at UCLA before he came to coach at UCR. We knew it was going to be a success when we finished infield before our game with Ohio State and the people kept pouring into Evans Park and the cars were circling and circling looking for parking spaces. Even though we did not have a great deal of success in those early years, being limited to only 20 games the first few years, I have many very fond memories of so many players and the enjoyment of just coaching baseball.

Memories? There is not enough space to state them all. A couple of the best. John Lowenstein coming up to bat after Paul Page had just hit a home run and the players telling him to hit one. He hit one probably 450 feet, with it landing on the JV field. Then there is Dan Vossler pitching a four hitter, striking out 12 USC players in a tournament game, but losing 2-0.

So thanks to UCR and to the many players I had the privilege to coach, the support of the department, the administration and the citizens of Riverside. So many great memories.

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