It was an electric night, filled with stars and stories as the Century Club hosted some of Long Beach’s greatest baseball legends.  The Catalina Room at the Grand was filled to capacity when President Dan Gooch introduced seven Century Club Hall of Famers: Jack Smitheran, Harry Minor,Bob Bailey, Jeff Burroughs, Skip Rowland, Bob Myers and Joe Duehm. After reading the many accomplishments of each, Prez Gooch opened the meeting up to questions.

One audience member asked Harry Minor (big league scout for over half a century) who his favorite prospect was.  Minor mulled it over and said Tom Seaver, because when he signed him, he never expected him to become the Tom Seaver.

Skip Rowland was asked for his favorite accomplishment, of the rich list he accomplished while playing and coaching at Wilson and UCLA.  His response?  Like a true Bruin, he said beating Poly in 1943…or maybe beating them again the next year. 

Jeff Burroughs won quote of the night by saying, “Ted Williams was my idol…until I played for him for three years.”

Enjoy these photos courtesy of former Century Club president Bill Baca—mingling with the guests are these baseball legends:

Bob Bailey – Original Bonus Baby from the Pittsburgh Pirates

Bobby Grich – Baltimore Orioles/Angles – 7 times Gold Glove winner/Gene Autry’s “favorite player”

Jeff Burroughs – M.V.P. of the American League and the individual that the great Ted Williams said “was the greatest right-handed hitter” he’s ever seen

Jack Smitheran – great collegiate player – 1969 N.C.A.A. World Series Champs with Arizona State – 32+ years as Coach of U.C. Riverside

Joe Duhem – Hollywood Stars player…great Poly baseball and football player

Bobby Myers – Millikan legend – coach of many, many terrific athletes/still helping at being an adaptive P.E. instructor at L.B.C.C.

Harry Minor – Chief Scout for the N.Y. Mets and STILL working today