Baseball | October 16, 2019

LOS ANGELES--Walt Peterson, an All-American pitcher at USC who pitched a 9-strikeout complete game to lead the Trojans to a 5-2 victory over Arizona in the championship contest of the 1963 College World Series, died after a battle with lung cancer on Oct. 1 in Newport Beach, Calif.  He was 76.
 
A funeral service will be held on Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. at St. Simon & Jude Church, 20444 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach, Calif. 92646.
 
The right-handed Peterson was a 2-year (1963-64) letterman at USC.  He went 13-4 with a 2.27 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 1963 to earn All-American second team honors, then was an All-American first teamer in 1964 behind a 17-3 record with a 1.54 ERA and a then-school record 116 strikeouts.  His 288 career strikeouts was a USC record, as was his 1.92 career ERA. 
 
He earned All-Conference and All-District first team honors both seasons at USC.  He also made the All-College World Series team in 1963.  USC also advanced to the College World Series in 1964 but lost a pair of 1-run games to be eliminated.
 
After the 1964 season, he was a member of the USA baseball team that competed in an exhibition game at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics (baseball was a demonstration sport), posting a 6-2 victory over Japan.
 
He spent the 1965 and 1966 seasons pitching in the minor leagues for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
 
Following his baseball career, Peterson worked for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance.
 
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Sylvia, daughters Wendy (Kirk) Peterson Hayhurst and Susie Johnson, son Mike Johnson, 4 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren, plus brother Keller Peterson and sister Lynn Zion.