OCC team of past to be honored at game today

The current will celebrate the past as the Orange Coast College baseball team will recognize the school’s first baseball team prior to today’s noon baseball game between the Pirates and Fullerton College.

OCC’s inaugural team celebrated its 60th anniversary this year and members from that 1948-49 squad that won the Eastern Conference will be in attendance. A pregame announcement, honoring these pioneers to Coast baseball will commence prior to the first pitch.

That first year, the 1948-49 baseball team was predicted by several to reside near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. With just 13 players, expectations were low, but coach Wendell Pickens inspired this overachieving squad throughout the season. After beating conference kingpin Fullerton in the first round of EC play on the road, the Pirates made it two for two against the Hornets, beating them in the last game of the regular season at OCC for the Eastern Conference championship.

— From staff reports