They Take Baseball Seriously in El Segundo

Nestled between Los Angeles International Airport to the north, the ocean to the west and an oil refinery to the south lies El Segundo, a quaint little town that has become a baseball mecca.

At the cornerstone of that mecca is El Segundo High Coach John Stevenson, who has compiled a 30-year record that the most successful major league managers would be proud of.

Stevenson, who played baseball and football at Redondo High and graduated from UCLA, has produced five CIF championship teams, three runners-up and 18 league champions while compiling a career record of 628-243.

And the rich always find a way to get richer.

In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Eagles--with only one starter from last year--finished the season with a 22-5 record and earned the No. 2 seed for the CIF-Southern Section 2-A playoffs.

El Segundo, with a bye for today’s opening round, will face the winner of today’s game between Miraleste and Orange Lutheran on Tuesday.

“We’re determined to win it every time we get in,” said Stevenson, a day after his Eagles clinched the Camino Real League title with a thrilling 6-5, eight-inning victory over St. Bernard last week.

So how does Stevenson produce championship teams and dominating players from a high school with a small enrollment of about 600 students?

“This is a baseball town,” said Stevenson. “The parents got baseball going here. They got together and started the Babe Ruth League, so when I got here, the talent was there and it was up to me to win. And we did, which helped my credibility.”

Stevenson, after playing backup catcher at UCLA and serving in the Navy, took over the El Segundo program with little coaching experience in 1960.

“If I hadn’t won right out of the gate, I would have been history,” he said. “The people were very leery of me because, in their eyes, they had put all the effort into developing the kids.

“As time went on, they accepted me.”

The community accepted him, and he in turn accepted them.

“Baseball is important to the community and to the players,” he said. “When we play at Recreation Park, there are kids in the stands, and in their eyes, those players on the field will be them some day.”

Craig Cousins, a former El Segundo and minor-league player who has been assisting Stevenson for 14 years, agreed.

“All the little kids want to grow up and play for the Eagles,” said Cousins, younger brother of American League umpire Derryl Cousins, also a former El Segundo and professional player. “They all wear one of our hats because there’s a certain mystique to them.”

The most tangible evidence of the El Segundo mystique hangs from the walls of Stevenson’s office.

There are pictures of Kansas City Royals star George Brett, Kemer Brett, Scott McGregor, Mike McCready and John Brett, to name a few. All played at El Segundo before going on to professional ball.

The El Segundo High record book lists 27 players who played professionally.

There are pictures of the championship teams, such as the 1965 and 1966 teams that won back-to-back CIF championships. That success created a snowball effect, according to Stevenson, who said the former players are an inspiration to future players.

“They is evidence that a dream can come true,” said Stevenson, who is the El Segundo athletic director. “(Former stars) come around often and the kids can see that they are flesh and blood just like everybody else.”

Said Cousins: “You can teach the kids things, but when it comes from a believable source, they do it.”

After enjoying so much success and accomplishing almost everything possible on the high school level, it seems only natural that Stevenson would aspire to coach elsewhere.

But he dispels such thoughts.

“It has obviously crossed my mind,” he said. “We win and we win big and you look to see if there is anything better. But I look ahead and see nothing but talent on the horizon.

“We have a supportive administration, we have a nice field and my son (Eric) is now going through the system, so why move? I’m not going to coach anywhere else.”

It’s easy to understand why Stevenson feels so comfortable at El Segundo. The future looks bright, to say the least.

The Eagles’ freshman team finished with a 22-0 record and the junior varsity team of sophomores and juniors lost the championship by only one game.

Cousins, known as “Kooze” by his players, feels another reason for Stevenson’s success over the years is continuity and his reluctance to stop teaching.

“He’s everywhere,” Cousins said. “If you go to a baseball seminar or clinic, who do you think will be in the front row taking notes? John Stevenson.

“And even though I don’t think we’re very original in our coaching, what is innovative about him is he’s constantly teaching and paying close attention to detail.”

Stevenson also benefits from his involvement with American Legion baseball in the summer.

“It’s continuity,” Cousins said. “He knows what’s down there (on the freshman and junior varsity teams) and he knows his players.”

Despite the success, some of Stevenson’s players feel a generation gap has developed between themselves and their veteran coach.

“He’s a great coach,” said junior catcher Garrett Quaintance. “But sometimes it’s hard for him to relate to the players because things are different now than when he was young. If he would relate to us more personally, I think we’d play more as a team.

“I always wanted to play for him because I knew how good a coach he was, but sometimes I wish I had a younger coach that would let us speak our piece and let us give constructive criticism.”

Eric Stevenson, a reserve infielder and the coach’s son, offered his opinion:

“Sometimes I can get sick of him, but if I had to choose who would be my coach, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I think John does well with the kids,” Cousins said. “He has to now that his kid is on the team and he knows so many of the parents personally.”

Sophomore first baseman Danny Manjarrez, who at 15 is the youngest member of the varsity, offered another opinion:

“He’s like an uncle to me. Sometimes, though, you can tell when things start to get to him. But if we have a bad game, he never gets down on you. When I had a kidney infection (this season), he came to my house to see how I was and he told me not to rush it.

“He showed he cared.”

After 30 years, nothing has changed.