June 16, 2008

(San Francisco) - On Thursday, June 19, the San Mateo County Sports Hall of Fame will induct USF Hall-of-Famer Con Dempsey in a special ceremony held at the San Mateo Elks Lodge. Dempsey, who passed away in August of 2006, was an iconic figure in Bay Area baseball.

A two sport standout at the University of San Francisco, Dempsey played basketball for the Dons, but his exploits on the diamond earned him a spot in the USF Father Hub Flynn, S.J. Hall of Fame and he was recognized as one of the top 75 "Legends of the Hilltop" in the Fall of 2005 during the school's 150th anniversary celebration.

Dempsey competed at USF during the Golden Age of athletics on the Hilltop and like so many other standouts during the period, had his college education interrupted by World War II. A graduate of Sequoia High School, Dempsey served in the US Navy seeing action in both theaters where he earned two battle stars.

Immediately after returning to USF, Dempsey led the Dons to a remarkable 8-1 season in 1946. The tall right-hander was nearly untouchable, posting a 4-1 record with 85 strikeouts in 66.0 innings. Prior to his military service Dempsey led USF to the 1943 NCBA title and earned All-Coast accolades.

After leaving the Hilltop, Dempsey embarked on a storied professional baseball career competing for the San Francisco Seals from 1948-51 where he led the P.C.L. in strikeouts during the 1948 and 1949 seasons and went on the first post-WWII Baseball Goodwill Tour to Japan.

Dempsey made his Major League debut for the Pittsburgh Pirates April 28, 1951. An arm injury suffered in 1953 career shortened his baseball career after stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and Oakland Oaks.

Following his professional career, Dempsey enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a coach and educator. Dempsey completed a Master's Degree in Education at USF and enjoyed 34 years as junior high school teacher and coach at A.P. Giannini in San Francisco.

HALL OF FAME DETAILS:
The Hall of Fame induction banquet is sponsored by the First National Bank of Northern California and presented by The Times.

What: 20th annual San Mateo County Sports Hall of Fame induction banquet
When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 19, 2008 (Cocktails, 5:30 p.m.)
Where: San Mateo Elks Lodge, 229 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo
Tickets: $50 each
Beneficiary: San Mateo County History Museum
Information: Call 650-348-4334