West Los Angeles College has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday, July 18, to announce the return of its baseball program following a 21-year absence.
Dr. Mark Rocha, West LA College president, confirms a Mirror report last week that the program is being restored, that the playing field will be renovated and that Bob Grant will be head coach.
Dr. Rocha also acknowledges the support of County Supervisor Yvonne Burke in helping make the project possible.
Santa Monica College dropped its baseball program 13 years ago and the Westside has been without a community college team since then.
Grant was a star catcher at Westchester High in the 1970s and played five years in the New York Mets’ farm system. Since then, he’s been head coach at South Torrance High and Brentwood School, an assistant at El Camino College and a batting practice pitcher for the Dodgers the last seven years.
“He’s been around here a long time learning a lot and I think he’ll do an outstanding job,” said Dodgers Vice President Tommy Lasorda.
West LA will play in the Western State Conference Southern Division.
