Chatsworth Hopes Good Fortune Is in the Cards
On his ninth birthday a couple weeks ago, Sean Meusborn received a pack of baseball cards as a present.
When he started going through each one, he stopped when he saw the card for a pitcher from the Philadelphia Phillies.
“Hey, Dad, I’ve got a Randy Wolf card,” Sean told his father.
Tom Meusborn, baseball coach at Chatsworth High, almost froze in horror. It was as if a fortune teller had selected a tarot card that forecast danger.
Twice, in 1993 and 1994, Wolf pitched El Camino Real past Chatsworth in the City Championship game at Dodger Stadium. Just mentioning the name gives Meusborn chills.
“Please hide that one,” he asked his son.
Chatsworth and El Camino Real, which won six of 10 City Championships in the 1990s, are ready to renew their baseball rivalry this week. Game one is at El Camino Real on Tuesday, game two at Chatsworth on Thursday, game three at El Camino Real on May 16 and game four could be June 6 at Dodger Stadium.
Everyone is on edge.
“That’s the game we live for,” sophomore pitcher Greg Acheatel of El Camino Real said.
Added senior shortstop Conor Jackson of El Camino Real: “It’s going to be intense. The whole ‘90s have been either us or them.”
“It’s the funnest series of the year until the playoffs come around,” senior shortstop Matt Fisher of Chatsworth said. “Everybody looks at the schedule to see when we’re going to be playing El Camino Real.”
“Ever since I watched the game as a freshman at Dodger Stadium, I’ve been wanting to play in the game to see what I could do to beat them,” said junior second baseman Gregg Wallis of Chatsworth.
For weeks, players from both teams had been told not to speak or think about the Chatsworth-El Camino Real game until they took care of business. Now that each team is 8-0 in the West Valley League, let the fun begin.
El Camino Real (15-4) was considered the favorite before the season because Chatsworth returned only one starter from its City Championship team. But the Chancellors (17-1-1) rebuilt faster than anyone imagined, and come into the week with a stronger pitching staff, higher batting averages and a better overall record.
“It’s a little surprising we’d be in this situation, but we haven’t played over our head,” Meusborn said. “Other teams have made mistakes and we’ve capitalized. All the credit goes to them. Guys are showing up to play.”
What’s unique about the series is players from both teams have learned not to pop off.
No moment was sweeter for El Camino Real or more bitter for Chatsworth than the 1998 City Championship game. Chatsworth had beaten the Conquistadores three times in league play, then lost at Dodger Stadium.
“That was great,” senior outfielder Sean McElroy of El Camino Real said. “I had a feeling in my heart we might win that game.”
Fisher, a four-year starter, had to live with that moment all summer and winter.
“It’s all about being able to keep your head up and knowing you beat those guys,” he said.
Meusborn’s first year as Chatsworth coach was in 1990, when his team defeated the Conquistadores for the City title. Little did he know how difficult it would become to win the subsequent rematches. He lost to El Camino Real in the next three City finals.
“They always seem to have a Wolf, a Jackson, a [Shaun] Fishman, a [Woody] Cliffords,” he said. “I’m sure they have two or three guys to replace Jackson.”
There are so many new players on both teams no one really knows how they will react to the pressures and distractions in an El Camino Real-Chatsworth game.
How will they respond when their stomachs start to ache on game day? Will they be able to recover from defeat? Will they know how to act in victory?
“You come out with everything you got,” said junior first baseman Jason Kort of El Camino Real.
These games are what make high school sports so enjoyable. They excite players, coaches, fans, even sportswriters.
Now, if only Meusborn can make sure there are no further Wolf sightings, he’ll feel more at ease.
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CITY BASEBALL CHAMPIONS
A look at the winners of the major division title since 1990:
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Year School 1990 Chatsworth 1991 San Fernando 1992 San Pedro 1993 El Camino Real 1994 El Camino Real 1995 Kennedy 1996 Kennedy 1997 El Camino Real 1998 El Camino Real 1999 Chatsworth
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Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422 or eric.sondheimer@latimes.com
