John Werhas (2007) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

John Werhas

Induction:
2007
Class:
1959

John Werhas was a highly-regarded 2-sport athlete at USC, starring in both baseball and basketball as a 3-year letterwinner (1957-59). In baseball, he hit a since-broken USC record .419 in his 1959 All-American season. He added 4 home runs and 27 RBI in 1959 while also earning All-District and All-Conference first team notice. In 1958, the third baseman/outfielder helped the Trojans to their second-ever College World Series championship, when he was an All-Conference honorable mention selection while hitting .312 with 24 RBI. In basketball, he was a 1959 All-Pacific Coast Conference first team forward and led USC in scoring (14.3 average) while being named the team MVP. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 1960 NBA draft by the Minneapolis Lakers, but instead pursued a professional baseball career. He played 3 years in the majors (1964-65, 67) with the Los Angeles Dodgers and California Angels and a year in Japan. He then became an ordained minister in 1974, conducting locker room chapel services and individual spiritual guidance to professional athletes throughout Southern California. He also was a pastor at a church in Orange County.