Ernie Hook grew up in Southern California, played Little League and Pony League in Rolling Hills Estates, California, from ages 7-14 years old. After his freshman year of baseball at Rolling Hills High School, he finished his last three years playing varsity baseball at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California. He preferred baseball rather than surfing.
He attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo from 1974-1978 studying in the biological sciences department. He made the baseball team as a recruited left-handed pitcher. After the initial season, he opted to concentrate on the rigors of a biological science major and biochemistry minor as a premedical student.
He attended the California College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco from 1978 though 1982. After completing a podiatric surgical residency in Orange County, he lived in Tustin, CA for approximately 12 years. During medical school, he played on an independent fast pitch softball team, and while living in Tustin he played slow pitch softball. Upon relocating to Folsom, CA in 1995, he met several players (Kenton Lee and Joe Gonzalez) at a pizza restaurant near Lembi Park. After a brief discussion, he was invited to play with the newly formed SMSBL Tigers managed by Fred Creal. Ernie played with the Tigers for approximately 10 years and during that time he played with the Boys of Summer on a Sunday team with Fred Creal. He then played with the 40+ Giants for two to three seasons, then a brief stint with a Rangers 40+ team for one season. Ernie then played for approximately 10 years with the 40+ Cardinals, most recently he has been playing with the A’s Legends 50+ team. Currently, Ernie has signed on with the 68+ Rangers.
Ernie’s SMSBL career includes several league championships with Hall of Famers Fred Creal’s Tigers, Boys of Summer, and Derek Bulock’s Cardinals, including a league Father Son title. He has played in Phoenix several times with the championship Majic team in the late 90’s, the Auburn Braves and the Capitol City Cardinals Father Son MSBL champions. He has played in multiple father-son tournaments in Phoenix and in Sacramento with his son Josh who started at 16 years old.
Hook has coached his sons Sean and Josh through all of their years in Folsom American Little League, multiple travel ball teams including taking his son Josh to play in Cooperstown, New York, as their travel ball Bandits 12-year-old team competed at the Field of Dreams. Ernie Hook has enjoyed 13 years of being an active volunteer for improvement of the Folsom High School baseball field and training facilities. SMSBL has permitted him and all of us to enjoy participating in our love of the game of baseball. Hook feels blessed to be honored with so many friendships, great fun, laughs and memories. Ernie appreciates the support of his wife, Robbie, and his children, Jamie, Sean and Josh, while he participated in SMSBL since 1995.
During the earlier years, Ernie used to bring his Mom, Emmy, to the games and have her seated with a
beer and snacks near the home plate area at McAuliffe and the Land Park baseball field. She loved watching all the guys play, and Ernie really appreciated the kindness and respect all of his teammates gave to his mother while she enjoyed the game as a great fan of baseball.
Ernie extends his appreciation and respect to all of the SMSBL members as he is humbled with the honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. “Ernie thinks it is always a good time for a post game beer and some laughs in the parking lot.”
