Tom Severtson never tires of experimenting in baseball’s inexact science.
As both a prospector and a teacher, he has participated in the process that drives scouts and player-development people up a wall. He scouted for the Cincinnati Reds for 15 years, searching for “can’t-miss prospects.” Rarely, though, did those players end up making it to the big leagues.
While Severtson was the baseball coach at Denver East High School, right-handed pitcher Jayson Peterson came along. The Angels won a state baseball championship in 1994, with Peterson a key factor.
Peterson’s performance in high school led him to becoming a first- round selection in baseball’s June draft by the Chicago Cubs. Scott Elarton, a 6-foot-8 right-hander out of Lamar, was drafted in the first round by Houston the same year. Elarton pitched in the major leagues for 10 years, including parts of three seasons with the Rockies. Peterson played pro ball for five seasons but didn’t pitch in a big-league game.
“That’s the nature of the business,” Severtson said. “It was great for Colorado baseball to have two pitchers drafted in the first round. One had a good career, the other didn’t make it. It’s hard to explain why.”
Severtson credits his grandfather, William Ferguson, with fostering his love of baseball. Ferguson lived just across the street when Severtson was growing up and often talked with him about the game.
Severtson concentrated on baseball as a third baseman at Denver East and the University of Northern Colorado.
At UNC, Severtson’s path to coaching was cleared. He played for legendary coach Pete Butler and Thurm Wright and, after graduating, was a graduate assistant for Tom Petroff.
“I dreamed of playing baseball, but I always knew I wanted to coach,” Severtson said. “I learned a lot from the coaching staff at UNC. It was great experience for me to be on Tom Petroff’s staff.”
As a player, Severtson was UNC’s star. He led the team in hitting, RBIs and home runs in both the 1968 and 1969 seasons and he was picked to the all-conference team both years. His career batting average was .365.
College baseball was much different in Severtson’s time in Greeley.
“Everybody had a team,” Severtson said. “I played against John Stearns at CU, Tippy Martinez at CSU and Matt Sterling and Bill Stearns at Wyoming.”
CU, CSU, the University of Denver and Wyoming all have dropped baseball from their intercollegiate programs.
After college, Severtson played fast-pitch softball and was such a force on the diamond he was later inducted into the Colorado Softball Hall of Fame.
He entered coaching at Denver East in 1981 and stayed until 1997. He took his scorebook to Regis Jesuit and coached the Raiders until 2003. Two of his pupils, pitcher Bruce Egloff and catcher Tim Grodoville, got cups of coffee in the major leagues.
But one of Severtson’s most rewarding and enjoyable coaching experiences came in the summer of 1999. That’s when he became the coach of the Gameface team that went on to win the Continental Amateur Baseball Association national championship.
Gameface pitcher Mark Melancon, now the closer for the Astros, outpitched Ian Kennedy, now a member of the Diamondbacks starting rotation.
From the time his players were 9 to when they were 15, Severtson’s teams played in five national championship games. Severtson pointed out that five members of his championship team eventually were drafted by major- league teams.
Melancon signed with the New York Yankees. Outfielder Chad Lembeck went to Rice University and signed with the Rockies. Catcher Sean Coughlin signed with Arizona. Catcher Tanner Rogers signed with the Florida Marlins, and second baseman Jason Van Kooten signed with the Rockies.
For the time being, Severtson has put his scorebook into a drawer. He’s the dean of students at Rangeview High School.
His son, Pablo Severtson, is keeping up the coaching tradition at Littleton and Heritage high schools.
The scorebook isn’t locked away.
“I’d like to go back into coaching some day,” Severtson said. “I miss the competitive part of it.”
Severtson bio
Born: May 30, 1948, in Denver
High school: Denver East
College: Northern Colorado
Family: Wife Belinda, sons Anthony and Pablo
Hobby: Golf
