In 2004, during the inaugural home game for the San Francisco Giants, they invited the then-new mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, to throw the first pitch. Unfortunately, the pitch ended up on the ground and struck a cameraman.
As Newsom took the mound, the announcer noted that he “played first base at Santa Clara University and was drafted by the Texas Rangers.”
However, it turns out Newsom was never drafted by any professional team, and his involvement with the Santa Clara baseball team was limited—he didn’t play in any official games, whether junior varsity or varsity. His time with the team was likely just a few months.
Still, this narrative seemed to linger with Newsom. Over the years, he has often credited baseball for getting him into college and shaping his identity.
“I’m not just a sports fan; I genuinely love sports. That’s a big reason we’re having this chat—it shaped me as the Governor of California,” he shared during a 2019 podcast.
He mentioned again on a liberal podcast that a college baseball coach’s call was pivotal in securing his admission to Santa Clara University. “It was literally my ticket to a four-year college,” he stated. “It changed my entire life.”
Yet, despite this sentiment being echoed in various interviews, clarifications regarding his supposed draft by the Texas Rangers didn’t come until much later, especially as he began eyeing potential presidential ambitions in 2024.
Even in his memoir, “Boy in a Hurley,” set to be published soon, Newsom has not corrected any misconceptions about his minimal college baseball career.
In one passage obtained by the California Post, he acknowledges that Santa Clara University “didn’t need” to admit him due to his poor SAT scores and dreadful high school grades. He attributes his admission largely to his baseball talent.
He recounted a moment when the head coach of the Broncos baseball team met him in his living room, stating, “We can only offer you a partial scholarship at this point.” This came from a quote attributed to his late coach John Oldham, who considered sending him to community college.
As his college career unfolded, Newsom claimed he was “struggling” until surgery for an ulnar nerve injury cut his freshman baseball season short. Yet, records indicate that the surgery occurred well after his freshman year—and before his first official game.
This absence from the game is echoed by other players who recall only a brief period of Newsom being part of the team during the fall.
His assertion about his baseball talent paving the way for his college admission crumbles when considering various influential recommendations he received. Former Governor Jerry Brown and connections from his father’s network made significant impacts on his college journey.
There’s also a mention that William Newsom served on the Santa Clara University Board of Trustees, although timelines about his membership’s specifics remain somewhat hazy.
A university representative confirmed William Newsom’s role as a regent during Gavin’s admission timeframe, but they couldn’t clarify the exact start of his term.
Another influential figure, William Connolly, urged the coaches to look at Newsom, reinforcing the idea that his admissions process was more about networking than baseball prowess.
Comments from his former assistant coach reveal skepticism about Newsom’s claims. “He never played in a varsity game but might have participated in scrimmages,” the coach said.
Interestingly, Newsom received a modest $500 baseball scholarship, yet he never played for the varsity team; notably, many varsity players aren’t on scholarships either.
At college, Newsom carved out a reputation for his lifestyle rather than his athleticism—dressing in designer attire and driving a Porsche overshadowed his baseball presence.
One player shared that the only memory he has of Newsom relates to a lost Rolex watch in the dugout. “I just didn’t know the difference—was it a Rolex or a Timex?” he joked.
Newsom remarked that the demands of college sports extinguished his love for baseball, making it feel more like a job than a passion.
Additional insights suggest that Newsom has gone to great lengths to uphold the narrative of his baseball journey, with his close friend Doug Hendrickson also embellishing details about Newsom’s brief time in college baseball.
However, a university spokesperson later established that Hendrickson played at San Jose State years after Newsom’s stint.
In more recent reflections, Hendrickson described their shared experience as being at the same level, missing out on Newsom’s talents. He likened Newsom’s skills to that of famous baseball player Will Clark.
Hendrickson has apparently enjoyed some benefits from this friendship, with Newsom making appointments beneficial to him.
However, when approached for comments, Hendrickson did not respond, and Newsom’s spokesperson merely stated that he “has always accurately described his experience,” validating the notion that he attended on a partial baseball scholarship.
In essence, the narrative woven through Newsom’s past seems to clash somewhat with factual recollections, creating a rather complex picture of his early ambitions and connections in baseball.
