Remember how I frequently mention that former USC football players Marvin Powell and Dennis Thurman are in the College Football Hall of Fame but not in the USC Hall of Fame?
Well, USC’s newest inductees into the College Baseball Hall of Fame (Bruce Gardner, Brent Strom) are not in the USC Hall of Fame either.
It’s pretty amazing to have four athletes in the pinnacle of hall of fames for college athletes but not even in their own school’s hall of fame.
Gardner’s stats were impeccable. He had a 40-5 record at USC from 1958-60 with a 2.72 ERA. His 40 career victories was a USC record for nearly 40 years. He won a school-record 18 games in 1960 and was named national player of the year.
It’s hard not to think the nature of his death was the reason he was not in the USC Hall of Fame. And his strained relationship with Rod Dedeaux might have played a role.
But what is the excuse with Strom? He won 35 games in his USC career and played on two NCAA championship teams. He pitched a complete-game, three-hitter in the 1970 title game, a 2-1 victory over Ohio
By the way, Jen Cohen said last year USC would resume Hall of Fame inductions this fall after an eight-year absence. So far, there’s been no word about it this year.
InsideUSC with Scott Wolf 
This is probably low on Ol’ Jen’s priority list
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It’s not like Jen not to follow up…..
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The schools hall of fame list is a low priority ?
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Re College World Series —North Carolina may have finally met its match in Oklahoma [Oklahoma is playing with more heat cause they played more recently]….
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Scott, you are raising valid points about the USC Hall of Fame; so, as a journalist, why not ask AD Cohen directly about her plans for future inductees. Part of the problem in today’s society is that we assume answers rather than asking questions directly to get answers from the people who have the answers. The tragic death of Bruce Gardner should have no effect on his being honored for his college baseball prowess. One question that I would ask the current baseball commissioner is why is Pete Rose not in the Hall of Fame for his baseball achievements, and why is Barry Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, etc. not in the Hall of Fame when what they did at the time was not banned and the shape of Yankee Stadium with its short right field has more to do with inflated HR’s than any stimulant. Fight on, Dan, Class of 1962
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DON: Just saw a clip of the U.S. crowd serenading its team with “Take me home, country road, to the place, where I belong, West Virginia”
KAM: Is there anything more stirring than thousands of people singing in unison-
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I love to boogie, I love the nightlife….
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