Luke Davis, 94

Roger Carlson

COSTA MESA - Youth baseball legend Luke Davis, who celebrated his

94th birthday in October, died on Wednesday at his Costa Mesa home, where

he had resided the past 70 years.

Cause of death is pending because he was alone at the time.

One of his three surviving nieces, Westminster’s Ernestine Manson,

said services and burial would be at Westminster Memorial Park, but no

date or time has been established.

Originally from Lubbock, Texas, he eventually came to Huntington Beach

and was the last surviving player from the 1926 Sunset League

championship football team at Huntington Beach High, coached by Cap

Sheue.

Having retired at the early age of 34 when investments in Union Oil

turned to gold, he spent a great deal of his life in and around youth

baseball, specifically with Rod MacMillian and Harbor Area Baseball

Association, as a baseball coach.

By 1976, while still active with the youth baseball program, the

baseball field at Lions Park was named Luke Davis Field.

Countless players and parents were involved with Mr. Davis for some 35

years in the now defunct Harbor Area Baseball Association.

Efforts had been made over the years from a loyal following to get him

recognition at the Little League Baseball Hall of Fame, but it went for

naught because he was never actually involved with Little League, which

only began in the Newport-Mesa area about 15 years ago.

He started by volunteering as a helper to MacMillian in 1950 by

helping with the then yearly preseason football training program for boys

in grades 6-9 operated by the Boys Club, in conjunction with Newport

Harbor High Coach Al Irwin.

“He assisted by officiating Boys Club flag football games that fall

and then helped in the spring with the Boys Club track teams,” said

MacMillian, who had visited him last week.

“Luke’s sister died last Christmas and it took him a long time to come

to the door with his walker,” said MacMillian. “I could see the end was

near.”

Although his expertise as a youth was football and track, MacMillian

talked him into baseball as a coach in 1953 and, as MacMillian said, “He

picked it up quickly and became a top-notch coach for the next 30-plus

years.”

While his personna was as a baseball coach, he was very active in many

other Boys Club programs.

Recalling those days, MacMillian said, “I never gave Luke a break in

team selection. I would assign him many of the less disciplined kids and

he would do a great job in teaching them about life, as well as baseball.

“He helped many youngsters after they left his stewardship. He

assisted through home troubles, college entries and in the search for

jobs.”

Among his products were the late Dan Quisenberry and Brent Mayne.

Quisenberry was a five-time Rolaids Relief Man of the Year for the

Kansas City Royals, and Mayne was an All-American at Cal State Fullerton

and has been in the big leagues for several seasons.

While that pair perhaps tops the list of his products, his overall

contributions encompass hundreds, with his high-pitched voice, friendly

ways and genuine interest.

Other surviving nieces include Lola Neff and Joanne Davis, both of

Paradise, Ca.