Hall of Fame
From 1976 through 1979, California University’s baseball team compiled an outstanding 101-55 (.647) cumulative record that culminated with the Vulcans’ first and only PSAC championship in 1979. An invaluable contribution during this four-year era of dominance was the superb play of Steve Luko.
Initially a shortstop, Luko changed positions and immediately developed into one of the finest catchers and hitters in school and PSAC history.
Luko finished his dominant career with a .360 career batting average, 24 doubles, 20 triples, 10 home runs, and 113 runs batted in.
After batting .306 as a freshman in 1976, Luko batted a sizzling .380 in 1977 while the Vulcans hit for a .350 batting average which is still the school record 23 years later. After batting .324 and helping the Vulcans win the PSAC-West division in 1978, Luko hit a big-time .406 during his senior year.
In the PSAC championship round, Cal lost 12-8 at perennial power Shippensburg but then rallied for 2-1 and 10-5 road wins to take the state title and deny the Red Raiders a second PSAC crown in three years. The state championship was also a fitting climax to the coaching career of Mitch Bailey, who guided the Vulcans from 1960 through 1979.
“Mitch was kind of a heckle and jeckle kind of coach,” said Luko fondly. “On the field he was disciplined and always driving you to give 100 percent. Off the field, he would do anything in the world for you. Mitch would go out of the way to help you with academics or any kind of problem that you might have. He was really like a second father to me and I enjoyed playing for him.”
The 1979 season was also Cal’s first season at the NCAA Division II level and after winning the PSACs, the Vulcans competed in the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and finished a strong second. After dropping into the loser’s bracket after a 9-4 setback to UMBC, the never-say-die Vulcans defeated Shipp (8-4), UMBC (9-8) and LeMoyne (5-4) before falling to LeMoyne in the double-elimination tourney’s final game.
“Winning the state title was definitely a thrill and it was a nice way to end Coach Bailey’s career,” Luko said. “We had a very good team that improved as the season went on. But we were just one game away from making the NCAA World Series which was disappointing because we came so close.”
Cal’s single-season records during the Luko years were 24-11, 25-16, 23-12, and 29-16.
Deservedly, Luko earned first-team all-conference honors each of his final three seasons. After his sophomore year, Luko received third-team All-American honors by the American Association of College Baseball Coaches. He was a first-team All-American selection after the 1979 season.
“I’m pretty much a humble guy and did not get caught up in statistics and records,” said Luko. “I was proud of whatever records I set but there is always someone that comes in that is going to be better and set new records. That is all part of it.”
Originally from Daisytown, Luko is a 1974 graduate of California Area High School. On the scholastic baseball field, he was twice selected the team’s Most Valuable Player and helped the Trojans win three-consecutive section championships.
He graduated from Cal U in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in economics.
Now semi-retired, Luko, once referred to as “The Daisytown Destroyer” by the local papers, works part-time for the Census bureau and plays softball for Davis & Davis. After his collegiate days, Luko starred in the highly popular and talented Fayette County Baseball League, where he won many MVP awards and league batting titles. He also enjoyed a distinguished coaching career, most notably with California High School’s girls’ softball team. He was also the Cal Middle School basketball coach for several years before retiring this past winter.
Luko is single and resides in Daisytown.
