July 1, 2007

Friends, family celebrate Santa Cruz coach Walton at Dodge Field
By JIM SEIMAS
Sentinel staff writer

SANTA CRUZ — The bases were loaded at Santa Cruz High's Dodge Field with pictures and enlarged e-mails from Brian Walton, aka "The Professor"

They told part of the story of a well-traveled and highly respected predatory bird conservationist, baseball coach and family man. Walton died from a stroke on June 15. He was 55.

The rest of the stories were exchanged by the hundreds of friends and family members who packed the infield Saturday to pay tribute to the late Cardinals assistant baseball coach and renowned director of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group.

"It worked out great," said Neil Walton, Brian's 23-year-old son. "It turned out perfect in my mind. We wanted this to be happy and a celebration and I think that feeling was accomplished. He brought together so many people"

Walton became coordinator of the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group in 1977. He helped lead efforts to restore the once-endangered peregrine falcon to West Coast habitats.

For much of the past decade, Walton also worked as an assistant for Santa Cruz's successful baseball program. He was low-key and always had a plan when he addressed players in need of improvement. He gave them steps to better themselves and achieve their goals.

And he always had a parting catchphrase — "be decent"

"It's just like, 'Do the right thing,' " said Neil, a 6-foot-5 shortstop who graduated from Santa Cruz in 2002 and was named the County's Player of the Year.

Neil, who went on to play on Cal State Fullerton's national championship team in 2004, flew in from Florida to serve as master of ceremonies. He currently plays for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' advanced Single-A affiliate in Vero Beach.

The site of the memorial was appropriate, Santa Cruz coach Bob Kittle said.

"He helped build this place," Kittle said.

Among Walton's contributions were helping hang the wind screen in the outfield and adding a roof and lights to the batting cage.

"The roof? Neil had to have a place to hit when it rained," Kittle said. "And the lights? Neil had to have a place to hit at night"

He believed hard work was the way to achieve any goal in life, and his words of wisdom had an impact on many former players.

"He was like a second father for me," said ex-Cardinal Kyle Hartz, echoing the sentiments of several of those present.

Walton was also involved in Pony League. He kept in contact with several of his players, always offering words of support and perseverance.

"He had great passion with youth," Kittle said. "He wanted to teach them and give them direction"

Hartz, who recently finished his senior season at Santa Clara University, recalled meeting Neil in first grade. Neil asked Hartz if he wanted to come to his house at UCSC's Long Marine Laboratory to see his birds.

"I was thinking we were going to see some parakeets, not birds of prey," Hartz said, chuckling.

Sitting at second base at the memorial was a world map covered in colored pins that documented Walton's expeditions.

Regardless of the subject, Brian Walton had a plethora of knowledge. And he wasn't shy about sharing it.

Cardinals pitching coach Mike DiTano recalled driving to a baseball tournament in Arizona with the team in the back of a van. Directions to the ballpark were a little shaky and Walton, sitting in the front seat, made the most of getting lost by giving a geography lesson.

"We showed up to the game a little late," DiTano said. "Brian informed us about the desert habitat. Our team had more Sonoran Desert information than any other baseball team had a right to know"