Alex William Petrushkin
August 26, 1914 — August 26, 2009
Alex William Petrushkin, 95, was born on December 25, 1913,in Los Angeles Clarence Street, and passed away on August 26, 2009,at his home in Montebello, California.
Alex is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Kate(Shubin) Petrushkin, and daughter, Barbara Stupin of Whittier and son Allen of Palm Desert with 6 Grandchildren and 15 Great Grandchildren and sister Hazel Kobzeff of Montebello.
At the age of seven Al and his family moved to a farm in Carlsbad to raise wheat and lima beans. A few years later the family lost the farm and moved back to Los Angeles. Al began school at the age of 10 speaking very little English. In high school he played varsity football and baseball. Upon graduation he was offered an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California. At USC he played football for his freshman and sophomore years and four years of baseball. He had a batting average of 390. He was an honorary member of the Sigma Chi Football Fraternity and Sigma Nu Baseball Fraternity.
In 1936, Al put together a girls' softball team for the Victor McLaglin Youth Program. It was during these years he met his wife, Kate Shubin, a third baseman.
Al was a member of the Salt Lake Athletic Club and coached the club baseball, football, and basketball teams. In his senior year of college he signed a three year contract to play baseball with the Boston Red Soxs.
While playing baseball, he fractured his jaw running into a fence in the outfield. During his recovery in L.A., he got a job as a tool dispatcher at Vultee Aircraft in Downey. Then on December 7, 1940, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Al was moved to the tool and dye department because of his training in machinery. He was deferred for the duration of the war.
At the same time he played baseball for Vultee Aircraft. There was a league of ten teams that played weekends to entertain the defense workers and to build morale. Joe DiMaggio and Al Petrushkin led the league in batting for one year.
In 1945, he began teaching and coaching at Stevenson Junior High School for 32 Years. He also taught PE in night school at Roosevelt High School for 15 years.
Al had time to be involved with helping the Russian community as a mediator for non English speaking Russian immigrants and to help the community understand the significance of special holidays and customs.
As time went on, Al worked with different communities and ethnic groups helping and advising them to achieve and to be the best they could be. Two outstanding athletes he was able to help were Willie Davis who played outfielder for the Dodgers, and Mike Garrett who played fooball at USC, won the Heisman trophy and went on to play pro football.
Visitation will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at Risher Mortuary Chapel in Montebello, California, with the Dressing Prayer beginning at 3:00 pm.
Funeral Service will be held on Sunday, August 30, 2009, from the Russian Molokan Big Church in Los Angeles, California, with services starting at 10:00 am at the Russian Molokan Cemetery in Commerce, California.
Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through our Guest Book.
Alex is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Kate(Shubin) Petrushkin, and daughter, Barbara Stupin of Whittier and son Allen of Palm Desert with 6 Grandchildren and 15 Great Grandchildren and sister Hazel Kobzeff of Montebello.
At the age of seven Al and his family moved to a farm in Carlsbad to raise wheat and lima beans. A few years later the family lost the farm and moved back to Los Angeles. Al began school at the age of 10 speaking very little English. In high school he played varsity football and baseball. Upon graduation he was offered an athletic scholarship to the University of Southern California. At USC he played football for his freshman and sophomore years and four years of baseball. He had a batting average of 390. He was an honorary member of the Sigma Chi Football Fraternity and Sigma Nu Baseball Fraternity.
In 1936, Al put together a girls' softball team for the Victor McLaglin Youth Program. It was during these years he met his wife, Kate Shubin, a third baseman.
Al was a member of the Salt Lake Athletic Club and coached the club baseball, football, and basketball teams. In his senior year of college he signed a three year contract to play baseball with the Boston Red Soxs.
While playing baseball, he fractured his jaw running into a fence in the outfield. During his recovery in L.A., he got a job as a tool dispatcher at Vultee Aircraft in Downey. Then on December 7, 1940, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Al was moved to the tool and dye department because of his training in machinery. He was deferred for the duration of the war.
At the same time he played baseball for Vultee Aircraft. There was a league of ten teams that played weekends to entertain the defense workers and to build morale. Joe DiMaggio and Al Petrushkin led the league in batting for one year.
In 1945, he began teaching and coaching at Stevenson Junior High School for 32 Years. He also taught PE in night school at Roosevelt High School for 15 years.
Al had time to be involved with helping the Russian community as a mediator for non English speaking Russian immigrants and to help the community understand the significance of special holidays and customs.
As time went on, Al worked with different communities and ethnic groups helping and advising them to achieve and to be the best they could be. Two outstanding athletes he was able to help were Willie Davis who played outfielder for the Dodgers, and Mike Garrett who played fooball at USC, won the Heisman trophy and went on to play pro football.
Visitation will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at Risher Mortuary Chapel in Montebello, California, with the Dressing Prayer beginning at 3:00 pm.
Funeral Service will be held on Sunday, August 30, 2009, from the Russian Molokan Big Church in Los Angeles, California, with services starting at 10:00 am at the Russian Molokan Cemetery in Commerce, California.
Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through our Guest Book.
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