Then & Now: Who is Chuck Minnott? Jim McConnell tracks the area's highest draft picks

A call from John Breaux of La Verne supplied the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say.

"Chuck lived on the same block I did," Breaux said. "He was eight years older than me. What was interesting is that three guys on that same block in Covina - Chuck, myself and Bob Cochran - went on to play pro ball.

"Minnott was a big guy, 6-foot-5, and an outstanding athlete. The Cardinals gave him $50,000 to sign, a big bonus for back then.

"I guess the one thing I remember most about Chuck is that we used to play a game of baseball with a tennis ball there on our block, and we used a wooden garage door as our backstop. One of Chuck's pitches cracked that garage door. With a tennis ball. So that gives you an idea of how hard he threw."

Minnott played two years in the Cardinals' minor league system. Then, in spring training camp in 1971, he fell ill. He died a month later, at age 21, of Hodgkin's disease.

"A real tragedy," Breaux said. "He had a world of talent, was just starting out in life. There's no doubt in my mind he would have been a star in the major leagues, had he lived."

Breaux also pointed out another tragedy involving a highly touted local pitcher.

Mark Weems, a hard-throwing right-hander out of La Puente High, was drafted in the fifth round of the 1969 draft by the Baltimore Orioles.

By 1973 he had reached Triple A and was being groomed for the Orioles' bullpen. After a successful season with Rochester in the International League, Weems was sent to Magallanes to pitch in the Venezuelan winter league.

On January 1, 1974, Weems decided to visit Patanemo Beach. He had surfed beaches up and down the California coast and was regarded as a strong swimmer. Unfortunately, he apparently was pulled under by a riptide and drowned. He was only 22 years old and his name had just been added to the Orioles' 40-man major league roster.

In the 1971 draft, Arcadia High shortstop Neil Rasmussen was the 12th player in the nation selected, by the Houston Astros. Injuries curtailed his career, though, before he reached the majors.

In the 1972 draft, the area had two players taken in the first round. St. Paul High's Jamie Quirk was the 18th player selected, by the Kansas City Royals. Alhambra High's Dan Larson was the 21st player picked, by the St. Louis Cardinals. Quirk went on to have a 20-year career in pro ball as a player (18 of those seasons in the major leagues), and remains in the majors as a coach. Larson pitched seven seasons (1976-82) in the bigs.

In June of 1973, outfielder Gary Roenicke, out of Edgewood High in West Covina, was the eighth player selected by the Montreal Expos. He had a 12-year career in the majors.

The hot local player in 1974 was catcher Lance Parrish of Walnut High. He was the 16th player picked, by the Detroit Tigers, and had a solid 16-year career in the big leagues.

In 1978, West Covina High outfielder Tom Brunansky was the 14th overall pick, by the Angels. He played 14 years in the majors.

In the June 1982 draft, Whittier College shortstop Tony Woods was the 17th overall pick, by the Chicago Cubs. He never made the majors, though.

Catcher Matt Stark of Los Altos High was the most highly touted local player in the June 1983 draft. Stark was the 9th overall pick, by the Toronto Blue Jays. Injuries slowed his progress in the minors, although he eventually did have the proverbial cup of coffee in the majors.

Making local headlines in the 1984 June draft was Damien High graduate Mark McGwire. He had passed on a couple of earlier pro offers and instead opted to attend USC. It turned out to be the right decision. By 1984, McGwire's stock had risen to the point where he became a first-round pick, the 10th player taken overall, by Oakland.

By 1988, McGwire was a star in the big leagues. And the rest, as they say, is history.

jim.mcconnell@sgvn.com

(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2306