Teddy Warrecker has a picture of himself, at age 2, standing in front of the dugouts at Pershing Park. Almost 30 years later, the dugouts are still there – and Coach Warrecker is determined to rebuild them, along with the entire baseball program at City College.
In fact, Warrecker has taken a “Bad News Bears” baseball program that hadn’t won a season in 15 years and turned it into a steady-winning “Teddy.”
With a little help from his father and community, Warrecker has led the Vaqueros to their first winning season since George Bush, Sr., was in office. Only 28 when he got the lead coaching job, Warrecker has done remarkable things in his first three years.
But then, it’s in his blood.
“We have the same philosophy and mentality about baseball,” Warrecker said about his father, Fred. Fred Warrecker is the head baseball coach of the Santa Barbara High School Dons – and son Teddy’s biggest mentor.
Teddy says his dad has taught him everything he knows about coaching a baseball team. From on-the-field tactics to off-the-diamond tips, such as talking to the press and attending weekly Athletic Round Tables at Harry’s Plaza Cafe.
When the coaching job opened at City College, the then Dean of Athletics Ben Partee called Fred to ask if he wanted the job.
Fred said, “No, but I have just the man for the job.”
When Teddy was playing little league in Santa Barbara, he dreamed of being a major leaguer. When he failed to make it out of the minor leagues as a pitcher, coaching seemed like a natural progression. As a six-and-a-half foot pitcher, Warrecker threw in the minors for three major franchises. The Cleveland Indians franchise drafted him from the University of Arizona. Warrecker also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves teams.
When Warrecker took the job at City College, the program was in shambles. He remembers searching unsuccessfully for baseball and bases-and the field at Pershing Park was a wreck.
Warrecker says he has dedicated himself to developing his program and its facilities.
He has slowly leaned how to raise money for the team. Thanks to events such as the Baseball-Golf Tournament, he has raised enough money to refurbish the infield. He has also worked to install permanent lighted batting cages, enclosed bullpens, a permanent homerun fence in right field, and a portable batting cage.
His next project is those dugouts.
“The dugouts are over 30 years old; I have a picture of me standing in front of them from when I was 2,” Warrecker said.
The infield at the park is now “the best in the league,” said Warrecker, who admits he could be biased because he spends hours fertilizing, mowing and edging the field to perfection.
When Warrecker is not manicuring his infield, he enjoys drawing sports portraits. He also likes watching Dodgers games, and spending time with his 2-and-a-half-year-old nephew.
Warrecker does not have any children of his own but is getting married in October on the island of Maui.
With a bachelor’s degree in history from Cal State Fullerton, Warrecker is pursuing his master’s degree in exercise science from the United States Sports Academy.
As for the future, the Vaqs this year have an outside chance at making the playoffs . And the year after that? To instill a “winning atmosphere” in the baseball program at City College. And replace the dugouts.