Baseball | March 20, 2020
LOS ANGELES—Hank Workman, an All-American first team outfielder who captained USC's first College World Series champion baseball team in 1948 and then played for the New York Yankees, died on Monday, March 16 at his home in Santa Monica. He was 94.
Due to the coronavirus disruption, a Mass in celebration of his life and a party thereafter will be deferred until scheduling will permit. A graveside interment at Holy Cross with immediate family only will be held next week. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his honor may be made to Loyola High School or the charity of your choice.
Workman was regarded as one of the top players on the early Rod Dedeaux-coached Trojan baseball teams, earning All-American honors after leading USC to its first title in 1948. The 3-year (1946-48) letterman led USC to a conference crown each year and he twice won All-Conference first team notice (in 1946 and 1948). Along with Wally Hood and Art Mazmanian, Workman was one of the first ever first-team All-Americans in USC Baseball history. He was inducted into the USC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
After the 1948 title, Workman signed a contract with the New York Yankees. He spent two seasons in the team's minor league system before eventually being called up near the end of the Yankees' 1950 championship season, getting a chance to play alongside the likes of Joe DiMaggio and Yogi Berra. A shoulder injury in 1951 cut his playing career short.
Workman went on to graduate from Loyola Law School and worked for the California State Attorney General's office for several years before going into private practice for the remainder of his career.
A member of one of Los Angeles' oldest pioneering families, Workman attended Loyola High School and following his graduation in 1944, signed up for military service at the height of World War II. He enlisted in the Naval Aviation Cadet Training program and was just starting pre-flight training at St. Mary's College when the war ended in 1945. He originally enrolled at Stanford, but almost immediately left to come to USC and play for a young Coach Dedeaux, whom he previously met playing in local semi-pro leagues.
Workman was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Marie. He is survived by his sons Bill (Kerin), Paul (Kelley), Henry Jr (Frances), daughters Anne and Sally, his brother the Honorable David Workman, his grandchildren Elizabeth (Alfonso) Pulido, Christian Workman, Caroline Workman, Katherine Workman, Daniel Burschinger, Henry Workman III, Andrew Workman and Peter Burschinger, niece Mary Regina (John) Hatton, nephew Thomas Workman (Sarah) and many cousins.
