2002 Honoree
Chuck Essegian
Chuck Essegian, was one of five Armenians to play key roles in representing Stanford University in the 1952 Rose Bowl game and is a member of the Stanford Hall of Fame. Essegian was a linebacker on that team.
When Essegian graduated, he had the option of trying out for professional football or baseball; he decided on the latter because for one, it paid better, and also, the likelihood of injury was less in baseball. He figured that if he failed at that game, he could still attempt football, but if he got hurt playing football, it would also prevent a baseball career.
But Essegian didn’t fail. His four seasons in the minor leagues and six in the majors included hitting two pinch-hit home runs to help the LA Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox in the 1959 World Series. After his baseball career ended, Essegian went to law school and practiced for 30 years until he retired to Canyon Country, Calif.
