LJ baseball: Zimmers, Underwood inducted into Hall of Fame

 

Kyle Zimmer (center) attended the Vikings'

30th Alumni Game after being inducted into the

Hall of Fame along with his brother Bradley,

away at the Rockies' Spring Training. At left

is Johnny Agbulos, right is Tyson Youngs.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Kyle and Bradley Zimmer, Viking baseball stars who have gone on to play in the Major Leagues, and Malaika Underwood, a second baseman for the U.S. Women's National Team who was All-CIF in volleyball and basketball along with playing for the La Jolla High boys baseball team, were all inducted officially into the school's Baseball Hall of Fame Sat., Feb. 17.

In the 30th Annual Alumni Game played in the program's beautiful facility on the Muirlands campus--Class of 1955 star Dave Jordan still can't get over it--the varsity defeated the alumni, 6-2.

"I went looking for the baseball field, and I couldn't find it," remarked Jordan, who went on to play for the Yankees after his LJHS career. He had told this story back on the unofficial batting practice day back in January. "Then I came up here." He couldn't stop exclaiming over the status of the present field, batting cages, and clubhouse.

In Jordan's day, the varsity practiced and played its games in a corner of what is now Edwards Stadium, on the high school campus. Often, batted balls hit track athletes who were working out in the cramped quarters that housed the baseball and track programs in the spring.