Longtime baseball supporter Pierce 'lived for the game'
| Thursday, Aug 26 2010 11:00 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Aug 26 2010 11:00 PM
Whenever Bakersfield College played a home baseball game, or the local Cal League franchise had home games, Chuck Pierce was usually in attendance.
An avid supporter of BC baseball, Pierce died Aug. 7, reportedly from a massive heart attack while visiting his brother in Idaho. Pierce's age was not immediately available but he was believed to be about 78.
"The guy loved baseball. His whole life was baseball," said close friend George Culver, a longtime minor league coach with the Dodgers' organization who recently announced his retirement.
Among his professions, Pierce sold insurance and worked for Banks Pest Control. A former professional baseball player, Pierce was a baseball scout with several teams, most recently with the San Diego Padres' organization before retiring a few years ago.
Pierce was heavily involved with the Art Williams League from the 1970s and the so-called county league that played games at Sam Lynn Ball Park. Pierce managed the Bakersfield Batting Cage team in the league.
"I've known Chuck since about the mid-70s," said John Moncier, the head baseball coach at BC for nine seasons who also coached at Garces and South high schools. "He loved baseball and he loved kids. What I remember most: He was a great ambassador for baseball.
"I don't think there was any well-contested game or playoff game that he wasn't there," Moncier added. "You always saw Chuck there. He loved Bakersfield College and he was always at the Bakersfield Blaze and Dodgers games. I don't think I ever went out there when he wasn't out there."
Former Bakersfield Dodgers general manager Rick Smith said he met Pierce his first day on the job in Bakersfield, when he was assistant GM of the Bakersfield Mariners in 1982.
"He came up to my office and always liked to talk baseball," Smith said. "He was always positive and he was at all the fundraisers."
Pierce also worked closely with Mike Seguine, owner of Mike's Coin and Stamp. Pierce sold sports cards in Seguine's building.
"I don't know if he made a lot of money selling cards, but people like to come in and shoot the breeze with him," Seguine said. "He'd talk with them for hours sometimes."
Former National League umpire Bob Engel co-hosted a radio show with Pierce in the 1990s.
"Just a hell of a nice guy," Engel said. "A real baseball nut. A fan, but he had a memory bank that was terrific. He remembered things from way back. Just a good guy to be around."
