Garry Templeton’s baseball career took him across the country, but during a Black History Month event, he brought Bakersfield College students back to where it all began.

Templeton, a former shortstop who played 15 seasons in the major leagues, spoke to students about his journey from a neighborhood park in Santa Ana to the biggest stage in professional baseball. 

He was introduced by BC professor Tommy Tunson, a longtime friend who grew up across the street from Templeton.

Tunson said he watched Templeton’s talent emerge at a young age and recalled that even as a child, Templeton consistently stood out on the baseball field.

“There was nothing he couldn’t do,” Tunson said. “We knew early on he was special.”

Templeton grew up in Santa Ana in the 1960s, when segregation and discrimination were part of daily life. He said Black families were limited to a small part of the city, but the neighborhood was close-knit.

“We grew up in a village,” Templeton said. “Everybody knew everybody. Parents looked after all the kids.”

That sense of community helped shape his work ethic. Templeton said he learned early to compete against older players, which pushed him to improve. By high school, he was already making history. He was a freshman who played varsity baseball and was later drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1974.

Templeton made it to the major leagues just one year later. While his career included success on the field, he told students it also came with challenges that many fans never see.

“Baseball is a grind,” he said. “You play almost every day, you travel constantly, and you have to be mentally strong.”

Templeton said he spent long hours at the ballpark, often arriving about five hours before game time to stretch, take batting practice, and field ground balls. Templeton said discipline and preparation were essential and that baseball is a game built on failure.

“If you get three hits out of 10, you’re great,” he said. “That’s why guys work so hard.”

Templeton also spoke about the racism he faced early in his career. While playing in the minor leagues in the 1970s, he said Black players were often denied housing and restaurant service, particularly in the South.

“There were places we couldn’t stay or eat,” Templeton said. “Sometimes we had to eat on the bus.”

He remembered one incident during high school when he and his teammates were held at gunpoint by police after being falsely accused of robbery. Experiences like that, he said, gave him “thick skin” and prepared him for the discrimination he later faced as a professional athlete.

Despite those hardships, Templeton built a long and successful career. He played for several teams, including the Cardinals and San Diego Padres, and later managed in professional baseball for more than a decade. He also set a major league record in 1979 by collecting 100 hits from both sides of the plate as a switch-hitter.

Templeton said he did not originally plan on playing baseball professionally. Football and basketball were his first loves, and he received multiple college offers. He ultimately chose baseball after being drafted, becoming one of the top picks in the country.

Templeton encouraged students to stay focused and work hard, no matter their field.

“Discipline and effort matter,” he said. “That applies to anything you want to do in life.”