Ernie Martinez

Ernie Martinez is one of the top athletes and coaches to come out of San Pedro. A native of San Pedro who grew up in the town’s La Rambla neighborhood to Mexican immigrant parents, his sports career has taken him from the teams he played for at San Pedro and Mary Star high schools, Los Angeles Harbor College and California Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo, to his longtime coaching career at Fermin Lasuen, Bishop Montgomery and San Pedro high schools. He has received honors and achieved success every step of the way.

His championship instincts started early. Ernie played on the 1949 San Pedro-Wilmington state softball championship team, sponsored by the Los Angeles Examiner for paper boys. Ernie played a season of junior varsity baseball at San Pedro High School in 1951, then transferred to Mary Star. Ernie played football for Mary Star from 1952-1954 on its first-ever team. As a sophomore he was voted most valuable lineman as a tight end. In his junior and senior years, he was an all-league tailback and was an all-Catholic Conference second team forward. He also played varsity baseball, taking center field. While still in high school as a junior and senior, he played for a semi-pro team based at Mary Star as well as the San Pedro Merchants. In 1954, the school honored him as King of Sports. Ernie “sparked the Stars in all sports this year,” the San Pedro News-Pilot reported.

He played tailback at Harbor College. At Cal Poly, he played football on the freshman and junior varsity teams, serving as quarterback. He shone as a boxer. He was the all-college champion for two years and finished second in the western championships.

Ernie went on to work at the San Pedro Boys Club as a program assistant, and then in 1959 was recruited to help create a sports program at then-new Fermin Lasuen High School. He served as track coach for 11 years and as an assistant football coach for 10. The Cee track team in 1960 brought Fermin its first title, repeated in 1963. Despite Fermin’s small program, Ernie led his track teams to a 159-98 record over 11 seasons. While Ernie was an assistant football coach, the school won five league championships and the 1962 CIF-SS 2A championship.

Ernie left Fermin Lasuen in 1970, a year before the school’s closure, and was hired at Bishop Montgomery. For 15 years, he served in many capacities. He taught, served as the chairman of the physical education department and was the school’s athletic director from 1980-1985.He served as an assistant football coach, but had his greatest impact as baseball coach for 13 years, from 1972 to 1984. Ernie led the Knights to five league championships, seven CIF playoffs appearances, and the 1975 CIF title. He is the winningest coach in program history. CalHiSports named the 1975 team the 24th greatest high school baseball team in state history. The 1975 team holds school records for wins in a season (27), highest winning percentage (.900), and fewest runs allowed (60). The Knights went 27-3 on the season, including an 8-0 record to capture the Camino Real League title. Following that championship season, Ernie was named Daily Breeze Coach of the Year. In 2014, the team was inducted into the Bishop Montgomery High Athletic Hall of Fame. Ernie was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016 and a scholarship was created in his honor. He was honored on-field at Dodger Stadium following the 1975 CIF championship.

After retiring from Bishop Montgomery, Martinez served as an assistant football coach at San Pedro High School and was a member of the staff that led the Pirates to the 1996 City 4A title.

His coaching philosophy was this: “To coach, to win, make gentlemen out of athletes, and teach them good values.”