Larry Jansen - Baseball

Born in Verboort in 1920, Larry Jansen made his mark as a baseball player at both the major and minor league levels, including three seasons with the Portland Beavers.

Jansen graduated from Verboort High in 1938 and entered pro baseball with the Salt Lake City Bees in 1940. He played four seasons – two each before and after World War II, with the San Francisco Seals before the New York Giants, noting Jansen’s 30 wins in 1946, offered him a spot in their starting rotation in 1947. Jansen, at age 26, went 21-5 in his rookie season and finished second to Jackie Robinson as Rookie of the Year. He won no fewer than 11 games the next six seasons.

In 1951, Jansen went 23-11 and helped the Giants to the World Series, where they lost to the cross-town Yankees. Jansen started two games in the Series. He also pitched for the Series champion Giants in 1954, but did not see action in the Series.

He pitched for the Seattle Rainiers in 1955 and earned time with the Cincinnati Reds for part of the 1956 season. In nine seasons in the National League, Jansen went 122-89, recorded 10 saves and had an ERA of 3.58. He was an All-Star in 1950 and ’51 and earned votes as league MVP four times.

Jansen played three seasons: 1958-69, with the Beavers before retiring at age 39. He managed both Portland and Seattle, but made his biggest impact as pitching coach with the San Francisco Giants for 11 seasons, starting in 1961.

Jansen, who fathered 10 children with wife Ellen, died in 2009. He was inducted to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame as part of the charter class in 1980.