The History of Shocker Baseball The Early Years having a facility or any players, Stephenson was confident from the start. The first game in Wichita State’s storied baseball history was At his first press conference Stephenson stated, “I’m planning on played on April 14, 1899. Fairmount College’s baseball and debate a four-year program. In the fourth year, hopefully sooner, we will teams traveled to Southwestern College for a doubleheader. On be in a position to challenge for the College World Series.” that day the debate team experienced more success than the base- Starting literally from scratch, Stephenson began putting to- ball team, as they won and the baseball team lost. gether a baseball program. His first season series, though, was not From 1899 to 1919, Fairmount College fielded teams with mixed a success as the Shockers lost once and tied once with Emporia results going 108-91-4. During those early years, the Wheatshock- State. After those initial games everything began looking up as the ers turned out two major leaguers. Claude Hendrix, a pitcher at Shockers went 43-30-1. That first season, Wichita State didn’t play Fairmount College was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and also a home game until the 18th game and didn’t play at its permanent played for the Chicago Cubs. According to the Wichita Eagle, home, Shocker Field, until there were six games left in the season. (May 26, 1908) Hendrix could “work the spitball to perfection.” During Stephenson’s initial season he showed his penchant for During his eight-year career he led the National League in winning bringing in high-quality talent. Third baseman Bob Bomerito hit percentage twice. .431 with 29 doubles, outfielder Matt Yeager hit .363 and Larry Lloyd Bishop, a pitcher and first baseman at Fairmount in 1911- Groves pitched a five-inning, no-hitter against Kansas Newman. 12, was a member of the Cleveland Indians in 1914 and 1915. His In Stephenson’s second year the Shockers continued to improve, professional career was cut short by a football injury he suffered going 65-15. The Shockers broke or tied eight NCAA team of- while playing at Fairmount. fensive records that were in place at that time. Led by freshman After a 24-year period without baseball (1924-47), the Univer- All-American Joe Carter and his NCAA-leading .824 slugging sity of Wichita restarted the program. After a 4-4 record in 1948, percentage, the 1979 squad had six everyday players who hit .400 the program experienced some growing pains as they posted or better. Not to be forgotten, the pitching staff posted a 3.26 team 10-straight losing seasons. During those down years in the pro- ERA. gram, the University of Wichita (university changed names in The next season Stephenson delivered on his promise to field 1927) produced one of its all-time greatest athletes. Dick Sanders, a team that could compete for a CWS berth. The Shockers won a three-sport athlete at WU, was at his best on the baseball dia- the first of many MVC tournaments en route to their first berth in monds. A great shortstop in the field, he played eight seasons with the NCAA Tournament. Behind All-Americans Carter and Mike Yankees’ and Dodgers‘ organizations. During the 1951 football Davis, the Shockers went 53-12-1. Unfortunately, the team played season, Sanders led the team in passing with 674 yards and picked two-and-out at the regional losing to Missouri, 5-4, and California, off three passes. He also played for Ralph Miller’s first basketball 5-1. squad at the University of Wichita in 1951-52, when he averaged The 1981 squad once again made the NCAA Tournament (At- 4.1 points. In 1958, WU posted a 17-8 record. lantic Regional) as the team went 56-15. That team was led by Another great Shocker ballplayer of the period was Don Lock, a Stephenson’s brother, Phil, and his .447 batting average. The 1981 two-sport athlete at WU. As an outfielder for the Shockers, Lock team also produced Wichita State’s first multi first- team All- twice earned all-Missouri Valley Conference honors (1956-57). Americans — Carter and Stephenson. Lock went on to play eight seasons with Washington, Philadelphia Before the 1982 season started, there were questions about how and Boston and managed two years in the minor leagues. He also the Shocks were going to win. Gone were five huge offensive played basketball at WU from 1954-58. threats, including three-time All-American Carter. Stephenson felt Another player of note in the 1950s and early 1960s was Lanny the team was going to have to rely on pitching and defense to get Van Eman, a two-sport star, who was a shortstop from 1958-62. the job done. Early on that season, the Shockers struggled going Van Eman, after a one-year stint with the Yankees’ organization, 4-6 on a road trip that included series against Texas and Arizona returned to WU and coached the baseball team in 1964, going State. The season picked up after that, though, as the Shockers 8-10. As a coach, though, Van Eman was primarily known on the rolled through the MVC Tournament with three-straight wins. basketball court. After starting his basketball coaching career on In New Orleans at the NCAA South Regional, the Shockers Ralph Miller’s staff (15 years), he went on to be head coach at the won three-straight games, allowing one run in 27 innings to earn University of Arkansas for four seasons. their first-ever trip to the College World Series. After making good Dick Casidy and Gayle Bryant, two hometown products, also on his prediction on challenging for a World Series berth, (just starred at WU and went on to careers with the San Francisco Gi- one year earlier than Stephenson predicted in 1977), the Shockers ants’ organization. Despite these players’ personal successes and were on to Omaha. In the College World Series, after losing their the program’s moderate success in the 1950s and 60s (MVC West- second game to Miami, Fla., the Shockers won two-straight elimi- ern Title in 1966), the program was shut down on May 16, 1970, nation games, beating Oklahoma State and Texas, to advance to due to a lack of funding and facilities. the championship game. In the final, the Shockers came up short, losing to Miami, 9-3, to finish 73-14. The Stephenson Era With a team batting average of .344 and an ERA of 2.53, it’s easy to see how the Shockers produced four first-team All-Americans After an eight-year period, Wichita State decided to give baseball (Don Heinkel, Charlie O’Brien, Bryan Oelkers and Phil Stephen- another try. Athletic Director Ted Bredehoft saw the opportunities son) and seven All-Americans overall. Phil Stephenson and Bryan baseball would create if it was successful. Bredehoft convinced Oelkers were selected NCAA Player-and Pitcher-of-the-Year, re- the Board of Trustees to give up the golf practice course for use as spectively. The 1982 season also garnered Gene Stephenson’s first a baseball field. Bredehoft also got a contractor to bring in equip- Coach-of-the-Year award and the Shockers’ first No. 1 ranking by ment on Saturdays and grade the field. Baseball America. The most important thing Bredehoft did, though, was hire Gene The 1983 Shocker team continued WSU’s string of NCAA Tour- Stephenson. On Feb. 11, 1977, baseball was reborn when Stephen- nament appearances (1-2 at Midwest Regional). The week of May son, recruiting coordinator and hitting coach at Oklahoma for five 10, 1983, the Shockers returned to the No. 1 spot by Collegiate years, was introduced as the new WSU baseball coach. Despite not Baseball, but their stay was brief as they lost five-of-seven that 63 week. The 1983 season also produced a first-team All-American in be the No. 1 seed at the West II Regional in Fresno, Calif., but de- Russ Morman (.439, 25 HR, 105 RBI). spite having been seeded No. 1; the Shockers were in no position After a one-year hiatus from the NCAA Tournament in 1984 (40- to be considered the tournament favorite. Consider the following: 22), the Shockers returned in 1985. The 68-20 campaign was high- They were trying to bounce back from a 12-7 loss on their home lighted by four 10-game winners (David Haas, David Greenwood, field to Indiana State in the first championship game of the double- Rich McIntyre and Shawn Pumphrey) who combined to win 48 elimination MVC tournament, a loss that had placed in doubt their games. Batting-wise, Dan Juenke, Tim Raley, Kevin Penner and likelihood of being awarded a No. 1 seed. Mark Standiford led a balanced attack, as the Shockers were Mid- Senior Jeff Bonacquista, a four-year starter in right field and one west Regional runners-up, losing to Oklahoma State twice. of the finest defensive outfielders in WSU history, had been out of The major development of 1985 was the opening of Eck Stadium. the lineup since April 16, when he suffered a fracture of his knee- The initial version of Eck, named after Wichita businessman Rusty cap crossing the plate against Illinois State. Eck, had 3,044 grandstand seats, locker rooms, baseball offices And, the Shockers entered play in Fresno without the services of and a press box. The Shockers played and won their first game junior shortstop Mike Lansing, a second-team All-American, who, there against Kansas Newman, 12-2, on April 11, 1985.