June 22, 2024

OC Sports Zone: Community First

University baseball player receives Ethan ‘Boomer’ Stahl most inspirational award

Bailen Hoang with Harry Stahl (right) and University Coach Wesley Shaw. (Photo courtesy University baseball).

University High School baseball player Bailen Hoang received the Ethan “Boomer” Stahl Most Inspirational Player of the Year Award at the Trojans annual awards banquet.

Hoang, who was an outfielder for the Trojans, will be going to San Diego State. He was also a percussionist in the school’s band and marching band and worked 25 hours a week, according to Harry Stahl, the father of Ethan Stahl.

Hoang received a check for $750 from the Ethan Stahl Scholarship Fund, “which our family established three years ago to honor our son,” Harry Stahl said.

This award is named in honor of Ethan Stahl, who played baseball for Uni for four years and was voted the team’s most inspirational player every year. In his senior year, 1995, University won the Pacific Coast League championship and Ethan Stahl was voted all-league first team. He died suddenly on July 4, 2020.

“This is the third year for the award and the scholarship,” Harry Stahl said. “The first winner was Sasha Cahill, now finishing his sophomore year at Cal Poly Humboldt. Last year’s winner was Adam Kunin, who just finished his freshman year at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State.

“All three are outstanding young men and it is our family’s pleasure to recognize them and to provide them with some financial support.”

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