Steve Hertz (baseball coach)

Steve Hertz
Biographical details
Born (1950-10-03) October 3, 1950 (age 74)
Glendale, California, U.S.
Playing career
1969Los Angeles Pierce
1970–1972Gonzaga
Position(s)Pitcher
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1976–1977Gonzaga (asst.)
1978Gonzaga
1979–1980UC Irvine
1981–2003Gonzaga
Head coaching record
Overall695–690–9 (.502)
TournamentsNCAA: 2–4 (.333)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
  • 2× Northern Pacific regular season (1978, 1981)
  • WCC Coast Division (2001)
Awards
  • 2× Northern Pacific Coach of the Year (1978, 1981)
  • SCBA Coach of the Year (1980)[1]
  • Pac-10 Northern Division Coach of the Year (1994)
  • WCC Coach of the Year (2001)

Stephen Lawrence Hertz (born October 3, 1950) is an American former college baseball coach. He was the head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs in 1978 before holding the same position at UC Irvine from 1979 to 1980.[2][3][4] Hertz returned to Gonzaga prior to the 1981 season and coached there through the 2003 season.[1] Under Hertz, Gonzaga appeared in two NCAA tournaments (1978 and 1981), six Pac-10 Northern Division Tournaments (1986–1991), and one West Coast Conference Championship Series (2001). His career head coaching record was 697–678–5 (.507).[1][5][6][7]

Born and raised in southern California, he graduated from Taft High School, then played college baseball at Los Angeles Pierce College and Gonzaga.[2][8] A third baseman in high school, Hertz became a pitcher in college; signed by the Minnesota Twins in 1972, he played three seasons of minor league baseball (1972–1974).[8][9][10]

In April 2007, a bronze bust of Hertz was unveiled at the Bulldogs' new ballpark, Washington Trust Field and Patterson Baseball Complex.[8]

  1. ^ a b c "Steve Hertz back as Gonzaga Coach". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). 9 July 1980. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b "#14 Steve Hertz". GoZags.com. Gonzaga Sports Information. Archived from the original on 2013-01-24. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  3. ^ Jordan, Jeff (July 13, 1978). "Hertz leaving Gonzaga". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. 27.
  4. ^ "Gonzaga's Hertz calls it quits". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. July 14, 1978. p. 3B.
  5. ^ Vlahovich, Mike (February 10, 2005). "Hertz, Matlock, Tschirgi Recognized at Inland Northwest Luncheon". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). p. C6. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Steve Hertz". GoZags.com. Gonzaga University. Archived from the original on January 15, 2004. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  7. ^ "Year-by-Year Results" (PDF). 2010 UC Irvine Anteaters Baseball Media Guide. UC Irvine Sports Information. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  8. ^ a b c "Former head coach Steve Hertz honored". Gonzaga University Athletics. (Baseball). April 20, 2007. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  9. ^ "Steve Hertz joins Twins; 3rd 'Zag'". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). 2 July 1972. p. 4, sports. Retrieved 12 August 2012. Hard-throwing Steve Hertz became the third Gonzaga University baseball player to sign with a major league organization when he joined the Minnesota Twins following a free agent workout.
  10. ^ "Stephen Hertz". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-30. Retrieved 12 August 2012.