History

“Trojan Baseball history was made by young athletes with dreams of possibilities and the passion and courage to reach beyond their grasp” – Ken Guffey Miller

The USC Trojans baseball program has qualified for the College World Series 21 times and won the event a record 12 times. No other program has won more than six.

Trojan Baseball debuted in 1889. During the World War I years, the teams were made up mostly of law school students but was opened to all students for the 1916 and 1917 season. Following the conclusion of the war, the team was coached by “Gloomy Gus” Henderson in 1920. In 1921 Henderson was joined by Willis Hunter as co-coach, and in 1922 the team was left without a coach at all! In 1923 George Wheeler, who had coached the law students during the 1914 season, returned to the helm for one season.

USC baseball experienced its first run of coaching stability when former major-leaguer Sam Crawford was named coach in 1924. Crawford held the position for six years until Sam Barry replaced him in 1930. Remarkably, Barry simultaneously served as head coach for the football and basketball teams in addition to fulfilling his baseball responsibilities. Barry led the Trojans on the diamond from 1930 to 1941 before enlisting in the Navy and serving in World War II. Before leaving for his military service, Barry recommended that the captain of the 1935 team assume the role of head coach during his absence. Thus, a young man named Rod Dedeaux took the reigns.

After the war, Barry returned to the diamond and served as co-head coach with Dedeaux. This arrangement proved quite successful, so much so that the Trojans won their first national championship in 1948. In 1950 Barry passed away and Dedeaux assumed sole responsibility for Trojan baseball, ushering in the most successful reign the sport has ever seen.

During his 45 year tenure, Dedeaux’s teams went on to win another 10 national titles; 1958, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1978. Rod stepped down after the 1986 season as unquestionably the greatest coach college baseball had ever seen.

Dedeaux’s successor in 1987 was Mike Gillespie, a member of USC’s 1961 national championship team. Gillespie’s teams qualified for the NCAA Regionals in 15 of his 20 years as head coach, advancing to the College World Series four times including 1998, when the Trojans claimed their 12th national title.

National Championships

1948 national champions1958 national champions1961 national champions1963 national champions1968 national champions1970 national champions1971 national champions1972 national champions1973 national champions1974 national champions1978 national champions1998 national champions

CWS Appearances

1948, 1949, 1951, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001

NCAA Tournament Appearances

1948, 1949, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2015

Trojan All-Americans

1947 Archie Wilson (of)
1948 Wally Hood (p) Art Mazmanian (2b) Henry Workman (of)
1949 Jim Brideweser (ss) Art Mazmanian (2b)
1950 Jay Roundy (of)
1952 Hal Charnofsky (ss) Tom Lovrich (p) ABCA 2nd team
1953 Ed Simpson (1b)
1955 Gerry Mason John Garten (c) ABCA 3rd team
1956 Kent Hadley (1b) Bud Pritchard (2b)
1957 Bill Olson Tom Shollin (if)
1958 Mike Castanon (2b) Jerry Siegert (of)
1959 Ken Guffey Miller (1b) Bill Thom (p) Johnny Werhas (3b)
1960 Bruce Gardner (p) Bill Heath (c) Tom Satriano (3b)
1961 Larry Himes (c) Willie Ryan (1b)
1963 Walt Peterson (p)
1964 Bud Hollowell (c) Walt Peterson (p) Gary Sutherland (ss)
1966 Oscar Brown (of) Steve Sogge (c) John Stewart (p)
1967 Pat Harrison (2b)
1968 Pat Harrison (2b) Bill Seinsoth (1b)
1970 Dave Kingman (of) Cal Meier (ss) Brent Strom (p)
1971 Steve Busby (p)
1972 Fred Lynn (of)
1973 Randy Scarbery (p) Roy Smalley (ss)
1974 Rich Dauer (3b)
1975 Steve Kemp (of)
1977 Bill Bordley (p) Dave Hostetler (1b)
1978 Bill Bordley (p) Rod Boxberger (p) Dave Hostetler (1b) Tim Tolman Dave Van Gorder (c)
1981 Dan Davidsmeier (ss) Dave Leeper (of)
1984 Mark McGwire (1b)
1987 Brian Nichols (p)
1988 Jim Campanis (c)
1990 Randy Powers (p)
1991 Brett Jenkins (2b) Jackie Nickell (p) Mark Smith (of)
1992 Bobby Hughes (c)
1993 Gabe Alvarez (ss) Casey Burrill (c) Dan Hubbs (p)
1994 Gabe Alvarez (ss) Aaron Boone (3b) Randy Flores (p) Geoff Jenkins (of) J.P. Roberge (p)
1995 Gabe Alvarez (ss) Walter Dawkins (of) Randy Flores (p) Jason Garner (p) Geoff Jenkins (of) Jacque Jones (of)
1996 Seth Etherton (p) Randy Flores (p) Jeff Inglin (of) Jacque Jones (of) Chad Moeller (c)
1997 Seth Etherton (p) Eric Munson (c)
1998 Morgan Ensberg (3b) Seth Etherton (p) Jack Krawczyk (p) Eric Munson (c) 
1999 Seth Davidson (ss) Eric Munson (c) Jason Lane (of) Barry Zito (p)
2000 Rik Currier (p) Justin Gemoll (3b)
2001 Rik Currier (p) Mark Prior (p)
2002 Alberto Concepcion (c)
2003 Anthony Lunetta (ss)
2005 Jeff Clement (c) Ian Kennedy (rhp)
2008 Grant Green (ss)
2010 Ricky Oropesa (1b)
2015 Garrett Stubbs (c) ABCA 1st team, BA 1st Team, d1baseball.com 2nd team
2016 David Oppenheim (dh) BA 3rd team
2019 Chris Clarke (rhp) NCBWA 2nd team
2020 Ben Wanger (rhp/1b) CB 2nd team

USC Baseball Hall of Fame

1994 Rod Dedeaux deceased, Fred Lynn
1995: Ron Fairly
1999: Mark McGwire
2001: Don Buford, Bill Thom
2003: Steve Kemp
2005: John Berardino deceased,  Jim Brideweser  deceased,   Rich Dauer, Joe Gonzales deceased Wally Hood deceased, Bruce Konopka deceased,  Bill Seinsoth deceased,  Hal Urner deceased
2007: Roy Smalley,  John Werhas
2009: Hank Workman
2011: Randy Johnson
2012: Randy Johnson (USC Hall of Fame)
2013: Roy Smalley (College Baseball Hall of Fame)
2014: Mark Bordley (College Baseball Hall of Fame)
2015: Mark Prior (USC Hall of Fame)
2015: Jack Del Rio (USC Hall of Fame)
2015: Rich Dauer (College Baseball Hall of Fame)
2015: Randy Johnson (MLB Hall of Fame)
2018: Mike Gillespie (USC Hall of Fame)
2019: Wally Hood (College Baseball Hall of Fame)

Includes only players inducted for athletic performance (spirit award and inductees for other reasons not included on the list.)

Check out Traditions and Great Moments.