From the Little League Western Regional Baseball Tournament to a Pro Career

(EMPIRE NEWS NETWORK (ENN)—SAN BERNARDINIO, CA— While all of the participants of the Little League® Western Regional Tournament enjoy their experience in San Bernardino, there are a handful of notable stars who have gone on to have professional careers. 

Darnell Coles

As a member of one of three local-area teams to ever play at the Western Regional Headquarters in San Bernardino, Darnell Coles led the San-Ri Little League from Rialto and San Bernardino to the West Regionals in 1974. Unfortunately, San-Ri lost in the championship game to a very tough Red Bluff team from Northern California. After a star career at Eisenhower High School, lettering in four sports, Mr. Coles earned a football scholarship to UCLA. Despite his scholarship, Mr. Coles was also drafted by the Seattle Mariners and chose to play baseball. Mr. Coles later starred with the Detroit Tigers, hitting 20 home runs in one season. He is currently the hitting instructor for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ken Hubbs

Ken Hubbs – Colton (Calif.) Little League (1954)

While he never played at the Western Regional Headquarters, Ken Hubbs and the Colton (Calif.) Little League went to the Little League Baseball World Series in 1954. He lettered in four sports in high school, named All-CIF in three sports, and was named an All-American in both football and baseball. After being recruited by John Wooden to play basketball at UCLA, Mr. Hubbs was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and quickly made his way to the majors, setting many fielding records in his brief career. In 1962, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year and became the first rookie to also win the Golden Glove. Unfortunately, his career was cut short as he died shortly later in a plane crash. In his honor, Colton Little League has since been renamed Ken Hubbs Little League and continues to be an active Little League program today.

With thousands of players participating in the West and Northwest Regional Tournament, this select few were also able to take their talent to the ultimate level playing on the professional level.

For more information about Little League, please go to www.littleleague.org.

Author: WSS News