In early 2018, layoffs and budget cuts across the city’s media landscape threatened the existence of quality, dedicated Long Beach sports coverage. A small but passionate group of people and schools stepped up to ensure that the city’s youth didn’t lose their spotlight. Below are the first men, women, and institutions to come forward with […]
Age and time weren’t deciding factors for the 2018 Long Beach State Hall of Fame class that the university announced last week. Former student-athletes like Casper Ware and Nadia Link are both inductees who played at LBSU within the last decade. “That was an unbelievable era,” LBSU athletics director Andy Fee said of the NCAA […]
Just days after Garrett Hampson became the 50th Long Beach State Dirtbag to reach Major League Baseball, Jeff McNeil made it three LBSU product call-ups last month when he joined the New York Mets. Dirtbags product Drew Gagnon joined the Mets on July 10. McNeil is the 12th Dirtbag to play in the MLB this […]
From statistical anomalies to streaks ending, this month has been historic for Long Beach representatives in Major League Baseball. Last week, Long Beach Poly’s Chase Utley and Long Beach State’s Mike Marjama announced their retirements. This week, Garrett Hampson and Jeff McNeil became the 50th and 51st former Dirtbags to be called up to The […]
From statistical anomalies to streaks ending, this month has been historic for Long Beach representatives in Major League Baseball. Last week, Long Beach Poly’s Chase Utley and Long Beach State’s Mike Marjama announced their retirements. This week, Garrett Hampson became the 50th former Dirtbag to be called up to The Show. Hampson, 23, made his […]
Garrett Hampson made history today by getting called up by the Colorado Rockies. He is the 50th Long Beach State Dirtbag to make a Major League Baseball roster. The Dirtbags now have 12 former players on MLB rosters, and have had more former players in the league than any other college or university since 2010. […]
Long Beach didn’t have a representative in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game last night for the first time in 13 years, but there are enough MLB players with local ties to theoretically field an All-Star team— if a few players were flexible with positions. PITCHERS There has been more than one elite MLB pitcher […]
Mike Marjama made his Major League Baseball debut less than a year ago, but the former Long Beach State Dirtbags catcher has decided to hang up his cleats and give back to a community that also shaped his life. “I am more than an athlete,” Marjama wrote in his official retirement letter released via Twitter. […]
Even though he never actually played or managed in a baseball game, Dr. Ken Ravizza was one of the most influential people in the sport as a mental skills guru. He also mentored Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, and spent a lot of time working with the Long Beach State Dirtbags as well as other […]
The streak is dead, long live the streak. Last year, Long Beach had a representative from one of its schools in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the 12th consecutive season. It doesn’t look like that streak will continue after the MLB fan vote was released over weekend. Long Beach Poly alum Chase Utley […]