University of San Francisco Athletics

Len Karp was born on October 12, 1926 and played first baseman and outfielder for the Dons from 1951 to 1952. He batted and threw left handed and was 6', 190 lbs.

Powerful, spirited, and experienced. This is how the 1952 USF baseball nine was described by opposition and scouts alike. The backbone of the team was the left handed hitting array of freshman Joe Arenivar, John Olcese, Eddy Rommell, Len Karp, and Gene Jacobs. Their power helped the Hilltoppers compile one of their finest seasons in recent history. Following them in the batting order were Hal Sandel, Lou Marietta and Dan Moriarity. Excepting for the substituting of Lauren Scola for John Olcese, and Dick Bechelli for Dan Moriarity as Coach Bill Cunningham saw fit, this is what enemy opposition faced during the season. The first seven games saw the Dons win five, tie one, and lose one (TheDon).

In the 6 to 0 win over UCLA, Bob Thollander allowed 7 hits, walked 5 and struck out 4 men. Len Karp was the big gun with a three-run triple in the sixth inning. This proved to be the big blow of the ball game. Six errors caused Don Townsend's downfall in the 8 to 3 Bruin set-back. Don pitched well enough, but the miscues came at critical times with men on base. Ed Rommel was robbed of a home run in the fourth inning. Ed blasted a two-run triple, but as he was rounding third base he slipped and had to go back to the bag. Four hits by Mike Scarpelli, Hal Sandell, Tony Ratto, and Gene Jacobs accounted for four runs and the ball game in the second canto against the Loyola Lions. Tony Sarto was the winning pitcher. Bob Thollander was not his usual self and was pounded for a 12 to 7 defeat by the USC Trojans. Don Townsend relieved Thollander in the seventh inning. Len Karp with a homer and Thollander with two doubles were the main factors in the Don hitting attack (TheFoghorn).