Bill a Big Hit With a Sport Facing Threats

Providence College is dropping baseball after 78 years, the 13th Division I program in the 1990s to eliminate the sport because of gender equity or budget concerns.

Last year, Portland State dropped baseball on the opening day of the College World Series, causing the Pacific 10 Conference to realign into one division.

Are college programs in jeopardy in baseball-crazy California?

Those who remember the debacle of the Cal State Northridge program in 1997 are well aware of what can happen.

Northridge administrators announced in June of that year that they were cutting baseball, men’s swimming, men’s soccer and men’s volleyball. The sports were eventually reinstated but by then, several of the once-prominent baseball team’s top players had transferred. The recruiting fallout continues today.

In February, state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) introduced legislation that would require presidents of publicly funded colleges and universities to give a year’s notice before a sport is eliminated.

The bill, framed initially by Cal State Los Angeles Coach John Herbold, passed through the appropriations and education committees and was approved by the full Senate last week. The bill now goes to the Assembly, where it will again go through committees before coming up for a full Assembly vote. If approved, it will go to the governor. If the governor signs the bill, the law will go into effect Jan. 1, 2000.

“The basic tenet is that we want the presidents of all the tax-supported colleges and universities to treat the coaches and students as human brings,” said Duke Russell, 73, a Hollywood High graduate and former Dodger minor leaguer who was instrumental in saving the Northridge, Los Angeles City College and Pasadena City College programs. “Budgets are set up in advance, so if a school is going to have a problem with baseball or any other sport, there should be time for some intelligent discussion about ways to keep those sports going.

“If, after reasonable discussion, they find they cannot possibly afford a sport, then do what you have to do. All we’re asking for is the common decency to come in and talk instead of waking up and reading that you’re out of a job or that your education opportunity is being taken away.”

Former USC Coach Rod Dedeaux, UCLA’s Gary Adams and Long Beach State’s Dave Snow are among the coaches and former coaches who have written to Wright in support of the bill.

Russell, lamenting the elimination of programs at Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, Trade Tech and Mission colleges in the last 10 years, is also urging high school players and their parents to do the same. Correspondence should be sent to Sen. Cathie Wright, State Capitol, Room 5052, Sacramento, CA 95814.

“If you care about the future of college baseball in California, you need to voice your concern,” Russell said.

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Defending national champion USC (31-22) plays host to Washington this weekend in a Pac-10 series that will end the Trojans’ regular season.

USC, ranked 16th by Baseball America, is 15-6 and in second place in the Pac-10 behind No. 6 Stanford (36-12, 17-4). Regardless of the outcome of the series against Washington, USC is a lock for a spot in the 64-team NCAA tournament that begins May 28-30.

UCLA (28-27, 12-9) ends its regular season this weekend too, playing host to Stanford. UCLA is third in the Pac-10, just ahead of Washington, Arizona and No. 25 Arizona State, all 11-10. The NCAA selection committee traditionally favors teams that finish strong, so if the Bruins sweep or win the series against the Cardinal, they will probably get an at-large bid.

Third-ranked Cal State Fullerton (43-9) has already clinched the Big West Conference title. The Titans play host to Long Beach State (30-20) this weekend in their final conference series. It’s a huge series for Long Beach, which is vying for an at-large berth in the playoffs and finishes its season by playing host to fourth-ranked Miami May 20-22 at Blair Field.

Eleventh-ranked Pepperdine (40-11) clinched the West Coast Conference Coast Division title by sweeping Gonzaga last week. The Waves finish their regular season this weekend at San Diego and await the outcome of the West Division race between Loyola Marymount (28-24, 16-11 in the WCC) and Portland (21-26, 14-13).

Loyola’s magic number is two heading into its final weekend series against Santa Clara. Portland plays St. Mary’s. If Loyola wins the division title, it will play host to Pepperdine in the WCC’s best-of-three championship series May 21-22. If Portland wins the division, Pepperdine will be the series host.

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The NCAA will announce sites for its 16 four-team regionals Monday.

Long Beach State and USC have submitted bids to serve as host schools for the double-elimination tournaments that will be played May 28-30, and the two-team, best-of-three super regionals that will be played June 4-5.

Fullerton, because of a conflict with graduation ceremonies, has bid only for a super regional.

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Six players from Southland universities were among the first 33 players invited to summer camp for the 1999 U.S. national team.

Sophomore right-hander Jon Brandt and freshman right-hander Josh Karp of UCLA, sophomore right-hander Adam Johnson and sophomore left-hander Jon Smith of Cal State Fullerton, sophomore infielder Seth Davidson of USC and sophomore catcher Dane Sardinha of Pepperdine will report for a camp tentatively scheduled to open June 6 in Tucson, Ariz.

The national team will be coached by Mark Johnson of Texas A&M; and will play a schedule that includes a series against Japan in Tokyo, a West Coast tour and the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan.