Legion Baseball, Hertz Style Longtime Gu Baseball Coach Brings His Experience To American Legion Baseball Team

No jewelry. No facial hair. No backward hats. Steve Hertz is no-nonsense.

This is Hertz’s first season coaching American Legion baseball, and he has the same high expectations for his legion team as he does for his players at Gonzaga University.

“He’s pretty much shaping us up,” said North Central High School junior Steve Hare, a member of Hertz’s Northwest Athletic Blue Devils. “If guys had little goatees, he told us to shave those off. It’s a fine of $5 if he catches us with jewelry. There’s no wearing your hat backward; he doesn’t want that around.

“It’s kind of a new experience going from (playing for) a high school baseball coach to (playing for) a college baseball coach.”

The team, which won its first game 11-6 over the Browne Mountain Bandits on Sunday, is made up of players from North Central, Shadle Park, Lakeside, Davenport, Medical Lake and St. George’s.

Hertz, who will begin his 24th season at Gonzaga this year, said he has been kidding the legion commissioner for years about coaching a team. Legion games are played at GU’s field.

“They do such a wonderful job for the kids in town, it’s just basically something I feel a little responsibility to, being a college coach in the community,” Hertz said. “They’re trying to really improve the program, which they are, and I feel proud to be part of it and help out. I feel it will give a shot in the arm to the program and the kids’ summer baseball experience.”

NCAA rules allow Hertz to coach recruitable athletes within a 50-mile radius of the institution where he coaches. His two assistant coaches also are coaching legion teams.

“It is exciting just having the coach that is coaching the Division I school and has the knowledge of baseball that he does,” Hare said. “You also hope you’re getting looked at by the coaches by having him there.”

Hare need not worry about that. Hertz is taking a hard look at players.

He said coaching legion is a good opportunity for him to evaluate the talent of the area’s top players. And it’s a good chance for players to get an early taste of college baseball.

Hertz expects a lot from his players, Hare said, like hustle at all positions on the field.

“With summer baseball you always have a different attitude,” Hare said. “It’s more lazy and you’re just going out and having fun. Right now he is having us have fun and work hard at the same time.

“We’re hoping by having him there it will bring more people to American Legion and bring up the level of play.”

Legion baseball is just one more thing Hertz has added to his already hectic schedule. He has six children, three of whom are high school age or younger.

But he wouldn’t have his life any other way.

“We’re a baseball family,” he said. “It’s going to be really busy, but baseball makes it rich.”