Forner Dirtbags step up to the plate

Drawing favorably upon his days playing at Blair Field, Evan Longoria became the third former Long Beach State player to donate to the renovation efforts of the 59-year-old city ballpark. The Tampa Bay Rays third baseman contributed $100,000 last week, the school announced.

Current Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki previously donated $1 million followed by another $500,000 by Angels pitcher Jered Weaver. Longtime supporter Marylin Bohl also gave $1 million toward the $20 million renovation project.

Longoria said he knows what Blair Field means to the local baseball community and was “excited to help restore Blair Field as one of the premier amateur ballparks on the West Coast.”

Longoria, who grew up in Downey, played at Long Beach State from 2005-06, when current head coach Troy Buckley was an assistant to Mike Weathers.

 “On behalf of the Dirtbag community, the program, and this university, we are very grateful for Evan’s gift to the Blair Field renovations,” Buckley said in a statement. “I appreciate the connection that he constantly keeps with the program and thank him for all of his generosity.”

Longoria was a .336 career hitter in his two seasons with the Dirtbags, collecting16 home runs and 73 RBIs in 114 games played. The third baseman was named co-Big West Player of the Year in 2006, earning All-America recognition from Baseball America and was a finalist for the prestigious Golden Spikes Award. He was Long Beach State’s highest draft pick when he was selected No. 3 overall by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the MLB Draft.