Virgen: Bauermeister takes rightful place in Costa Mesa Baseball Hall of Fame

Back when Paul Grady played as senior catcher for the Costa Mesa High baseball team, then-coach Kirk Bauermeister found a way to motivate him without deliberately telling him to improve his hitting.

Bauermeister told Grady he was wanting to have a designated hitter bat in his place in the lineup. That lit a fire for Grady, who hit .445 that year, 1988.

That was among the examples Grady used to describe his former coach, Bauermeister, who was formally inducted into the Costa Mesa Baseball Hall of Fame on Friday at the Costa Mesa Community Center.

Grady, who is now the Costa Mesa coach, was excited to honor Bauermeister.

Bauermeister’s leadership as coach wasn’t the only reason he was given the honor. He was also inducted for his community service.

Bauermeister, now the Estancia High principal, wore the Costa Mesa High baseball uniform for 19 years, four years as a player (graduating in 1978) and 15 years as a coach, that included two stints as the head man.

He also coached freshman football at Costa Mesa High and coached Little League in Costa Mesa, where he became familiar with young athletes and families by also working at his sportswear shop, Treads and Threads.

“My time with Costa Mesa Baseball was the best time of my life, as a player and as a coach,” Bauermeister said.

During his time as coach at Costa Mesa High, where he was also the athletic director, he encouraged his players to enjoy their time in competition and to provide their best effort.

Bauermeister’s creativity with motivation also helped him earn the respect of his players. As a coach, he was known to put his players first.

He wanted them to know that a lot of the qualities they garnered from baseball they could also apply to other parts of their lives. He told the players, then and on Saturday night, to “grind it out,” in any area of their lives.

Grady talked mostly of Bauermeister’s contributions as a coach. Mike Decker, the pastor at Palm Harvest Church and a long-time friend of Bauermeister’s, described Bauermeister as a servant leader in the community.

He was recently appointed to be on the city’s senior center commission, Decker said.

Decker and Bauermeister also touched on strong support from his family, including his wife, Denise, and daughter, Karli.

They know Bauermeister to be a humble man with a sense of humor.

When Grady told Bauermeister he was to be inducted into the Costa Mesa Baseball Hall of Fame, Bauermeister responded with, “Wow, you guys have gotten to the bottom of the barrel.”

Grady knew that was definitely a joke. Bauermeister was plenty deserving to receive the honor that has also included former Major League catcher Brent Mayne, two years ago.

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way,” Grady said. “I couldn’t think of anybody who exemplifies that quote more than Coach Bauermeister.”