A couple follow-ups to yesterday’s story on the Crenshaw Post 715 American Legion baseball team. The coach, Benny Lefebvre, ran a summer baseball camp on Catalina Island in the 1950’s. Catalina, which was owned by William Wrigley, had its own private security at the time. One day, Benny wanted to use the facilities. A warden said no and started giving Lefebvre a hard time. They … Continue reading A Few More Stories On A Legendary Team
Oscar Brown, an outfielder on USC’s 1966 baseball team, died on June 3. He was 74. Brown was the younger brother of former USC All-American tailback Willie Brown, who died in 2018. Another brother, Ollie Brown, spent 13 years playing major-league baseball. Oscar Brown spent one season at USC when the Atlanta Braves selected him in the first round of the secondary draft in 1966. … Continue reading Former USC Baseball Player Oscar Brown Dies
Here’s some highlights of the 1951 game between USC and the New York Yankees, which drew a huge crowd to Bovard Field. It features Phil Rizzuto, Hank Workman, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, USC pitcher Tom Lovrich and USC center fielder Tom Riach. There’s no mention of Mantle’s supposed-650-foot home run. One of the outfield fence markers says 439 feet. Continue reading USC-New York Yankees Video
When former USC All-American Hank Workman was called up to the New York Yankees in 1950, he joked his main contribution “was holding Joe DiMaggio’s cigarette between innings.” There are now only two surviving players from USC’s 1948 national championship team: outfielders Gail Henley and Charlie Pryor. Continue reading A Quick Hank Workman-Joe DiMaggio Story
Hank Workman, the captain of USC’s first College World Series championship team in 1948, died Monday. He was 94. Workman was inducted into the USC Hall of Fame in 2009. He was drafted by the New Yankees and was called up to the team near the end of the 1950 season, when the Yankees won the World Series. His career ended when he hurt his … Continue reading Former USC All-American Hank Workman Dies
Orrin Freeman, a USC pitcher in 1970-71 and USC baseball assistant coach, died following complications from diabetes, according to reports. Freeman was the head coach at San Francisco State from 1979-82 and had a record of 130-78-3. He is probably best known for many years with the Florida Marllins, where he was assistant scouting director; scouting director; special assistant to the GM and senior advisor … Continue reading Former USC Pitcher Orrin Freeman Dies
