EL SEGUNDO HERALD October 21, 2021 Page 11
Orens from front page
that day or Sandy could just go to the store
to secure her produce.
King, who has worked in the Del Mar Racetrack
racing office for many years (and yes, I
will be hitting her up for freebies during the
upcoming Fall meet), related a tell-tale story
about her father. The Orens family and the
George Stevens family were enjoying a meal in
the Del Mar environs. All was good and convivial
until the check came. “My father always has to
pay; wherever you go, has to be the person in
charge,” she said. Stevens also liked to pick up
the tab. After an arm-wrestling match to pay
the bill, the exasperated waiter finally gave up
and walked away. “I can’t take this anymore!”
King remembers the waiter saying, who then
fled to the kitchen, to be followed by Orens
and Stevens. “Dad won,” she said.
“Dad is intense,” King said while noting her
Mom is “very laid-back, but she is the one in
charge. We had to answer to Mom. Dad was
always the one we could get around.”
As for Mom, her duties included raising four
kids (King and three brothers), participating
in Little League and PTA events, as well as
attending dance recitals. She also bowled at
long-defunct alleys in El Segundo and took
a part-time job at the Westchester Broadway.
Sports and sporting events have always
played a key role for the Orens family. King,
who lives in Huntington Beach next door to
her brother Rick (they both live in houses that
Andy and Jo once lived in), said her parents
met through sporting endeavors. She said Jo’s
brother “was a big football star down here,”
and the fact Andy also played football led to
their paths crossing.
Once the Orens relocated to El Segundo,
Andy, who did not know anyone in town,
was eager to meet people, so he volunteered
to become a Little League umpire in hopes of
broadening his social circle.
His umpiring led to Little League coaching,
and Sandy remembers her father as “one of
these coaches who was fair. He made sure
everybody played,” which may have ruffled
the feathers of some uber-competitive parents.
“He would rotate all the kids in,” and related a
time when her Dad would “get a little upset”
with rival coaches who seemed more intent
on winning meaningless 10-11–12-year-old
baseball games than giving all the kids a chance
to have some fun.
One of the not-so-super Little League players
that Orens took under his wing was Eddie
Eccles. Eccles said that “I have been in their
family forever. I was a lousy baseball player.
I could not play baseball worth anything. But
he always put me in somewhere, sometimes,
just so I could play. He always took care of
me. He made me feel like I was a baseball
player, and I wasn’t!”
King mentioned that, at times, Oren’s kids
would get a tad bit upset when they seemed to
be spending too much time, in their opinion,
on the bench.
Craig Cousins has known the Orens family
for decades. Here are a few of his musings
on the Orens: “When they first came to El
Segundo, their kids were a bit too young
to play baseball, so Andy got involved by
becoming a volunteer umpire,” he emailed.
“He quickly found out that the parents in ES
were very serious about their baseball. He once
told me that it took about five years for the
parents to finally accept him and stop going
nuts on his calls.
“Andy was a football player at Huntington
Beach HS, and when he and Jo moved to
ES, he would come to all the games. His
grandson Kirk would play football for Coach
Stevenson and later Steve Newell. Kirk also
played baseball for Stevenson.
“Their daughter April married Steve Shevlin,
who became our football coach and AD, further
cementing their love for ES sports.
“He is still very loyal to Huntington Beach
High School by keeping a 1949 pickup truck
he had painted in the Oilers school colors of
orange and black. Until recently, he would
still drive to all their class reunions and 4th of
July parades. “A very kind and caring couple,”
Cousins concluded, saying that “if you meet
them, you will be blessed.”
Shevlin was the longtime head football coach
at El Segundo High and is currently the school’s
athletic director, emailed that the Orens have
supported El Segundo sports for six decades.
“April and I Married in 1996,” Shevlin said.
“Andy and Jo have been the greatest supporters
of ES Athletics in all my years at the school.
Andy coached ES Little League baseball,
umpired for the kids. Jo was the defacto
“team mom” for the league, helping organize
the fundraising efforts. Andy coached George
Brett and crew in Little League.
“Their kids all grew up in ES, as did April
and her brother, Kirk. So, our kids were the
third generation of the “Orens” clan to grow
up in El Segundo.
“Andy and Jo moved to Camarillo as part of
Andy’s work. But as April and I got married,
they made a commitment to come to town
every Friday for every football game for the
next 25 years. You would always find them
in the stands for all home and away games,
supporting the Eagles.
“Andy loved to see the older Eagles who he
once coached, and then he watched the kids
who had graduated come back and support the
football team. He would love to regale everyone
with stories about the great successes of Matt
Engle, Matt Bundy, and Lars Nootbaar when
they played for the Eagles.
“Andy and Jo took real pride in supporting
their great grandkids growing up in the ES
Leagues of baseball, football, and softball,
and water polo.
“They absolutely bleed blue and gold and
love all that ES has provided for them and all
the families in El Segundo.”
As a sports enthusiast, Orens was dismayed
that none of his immediate offspring competed
in sports at the high school level. “That killed
my Dad,” King said, who then quickly amended
that thought. “It didn’t really kill my Dad,” but
she did remember Andy was disappointed when
the kids decided to jettison the youth sports
scene after their Little League years.
The Orens did get to see their grandkids
and great-grandkids play at the high school
level and have done their best to keep their
commitment to support El Segundo athletes.
Their relocation to Camarillo allows them
to “golf all the time,” King said, noting that
the last time she played golf with her Mom
and Dad was in July and that her Mom recently
played in a tournament. She said that
her “parents are still getting around, driving,”
though her father recently had what she termed
“a little setback.”
Andy’s 90th birthday was on Oct. 2, and
their anniversary was on Sept. 23. They plan
to celebrate both milestones this Saturday.
The shindig had originally been scheduled to
coincide with Andy’s birthday on Oct. 2, with
Chevron Park the selected venue, but “things
came up,” Sandy said, so the Shevlin’s offered
their home for this Saturday’s celebration.
Regarding her grandparents and El Segundo,
April Shevlin noted that the Orens are “very
much a part of the baseball (fabric) of the city”
and how her Mom, Sandy worked at the old
Stick-N-Stein. Regarding sports, April said that
“They love it. That is what my grandpa wants
to do,” noting that with the COVID scourge still
hovering, attending in-person sporting events,
for a 90-year-old, is problematic, relating how
the Orens have fond memories of the coaches
who worked under Shevlin. “They absolutely
love Steve, even though Steve is related by
marriage,” April said Steve is their favorite.
Andy and Steve talk on the telephone constantly,
she said, regarding sports, with Orens providing
updates from the Ventura area prep scene.
So, have you seen the Progressive Insurance
commercial on TV? The one in which a “life
coach” counsels adults on how, as they age,
to “not become their parents.”
It seems that the Orens’ offspring, kids,
grandchildren, great-grandchildren, would take a
different viewpoint; they want to become their
parents, grandparents, or great grandparents.
Not a bad legacy to aspire to, right? •
Police Reports from page 3
hours from Grand Avenue and Vista Del Mar.
A cellular phone was found
A found property report was taken at 1722
hours from the 300 block of Main Street.
Several debit cards were found.
A burglary (residential) report was taken at
1749 hours from the 400 block of California
Street. Unknown suspect(s) stole an electric
bicycle and a bicycle from the victim’s opened
garage.
One female adult was arrested at 2256
hours from the 100 block of Virginia Street
for trespassing.
A traffic accident (with injuries) occurred at
2354 hours from El Segundo Boulevard and
Nash Street, truck versus vehicle.
One female adult was arrested at 0224 hours
from the 300 block of Washington Street for
identity theft and possession of a controlled
substance
One male adult was arrested at 0224 hours
from the 300 block of Washington Street for
identity theft and trespassing
One male adult was issued a citation and
released at 0224 hours from the 300 block
of Washington Street for possession of drug
paraphernalia.
Thursday, Oct 14th
A burglary (vehicle) report was taken at
0704 hours from the 800 block of Washington
Street. Unknown suspect(s) stole a wallet
with money and credit cards from the victim’s
locked vehicle.
A burglary (vehicle) report was taken at
0904 hours from Hornet Way and Imperial
Highway. Unknown suspect(s) stole tools from
the victim’s locked vehicle.
An identity theft report was taken at 1120
hours from the 700 block of South Pacific
Coast Highway. Unknown suspect(s) attempted
a wire transfer from the victim’s back account.
A hit and run (no injuries) report was taken
at 1533 hours from the 200 block of Main
Street, vehicle versus parked vehicle.
A found property report was taken at 1728
hours from the 100 block of Main Street. A
watch was found and booked for safekeeping.
One female adult was arrested at 2354 hours
from the 400 block of Nevada Street for public
intoxication. The female was then transported
by L.A. County Fire to Centinela Hospital for
alcohol withdrawals.
An attempt grand theft auto report was
taken at 0220 hours from the 400 block of
Center Street.
Friday, Oct 15th
A petty theft report was taken at 0747 hours
from the 1400 block of East Mariposa Avenue.
Unknown suspect(s) stole headphones from the
victim’s unlocked vehicle.
A stolen vehicle was recovered at 1124 hours
from El Segundo Boulevard and La Cienega
Boulevard. Recovered was a 2016 Hyundai
Sonata reported stolen out of LAPD.
A shoplifting report was taken at 1223 hours
from the 700 block of South Pacific Coast Highway.
Unknown suspect stole baseball gloves.
One male adult was detained at 1313 hours
in the 1400 block of East Imperial Avenue and
transported to Culver City Exodus Recovery
for a 72-hours psychiatric evaluation.
A grand theft report was taken at 1548 hours
from the 200 block of East Maple Avenue.
Unknown suspect(s) stole work tools from the
victim’s vehicle.
A found property report was taken at 1611
hours from the 400 block of Washington Street.
Bedding and clothing were found and booked
for safekeeping.
One female adult was cited and released
at 1634 hours from Illinois Street and Pine
Avenue for possession of drug paraphernalia.
A forgery report was taken at 1645 hours
from the ESPD lobby.
An identity theft report was taken at 1627
hours from the 300 block of Concord Street.
Unknown suspect(s) made unauthorized charges
on the victim’s credit card.
One male adult was cited and released at
1645 hours from the 700 block of South Pacific
Coast Highway for possession of a controlled
substance.
A burglary (residential) report was taken at
2316 hours from the 600 block of Loma Vista
Street. Unknown suspect(s) gained entry to
the residence through the bathroom window.
A found property report was taken at 0035
hours from the 200 block of Main Street. A
wallet was found and booked for safekeeping.
A found property report was taken at 0036
hours from Grand Avenue and Vista del Mar. A
wallet was found and booked for safekeeping.
A stolen vehicle was recovered at 0309
hours the 600 block of West Imperial Avenue.
Recovered was a 2015 Honda Accord reported
stolen out of LASO Lennox.
A vandalism report was taken at 0516 hours
from the 300 block of West Acacia Avenue.
A known suspect was captured on camera
surveillance by the victim.
Saturday, Oct 16th
An attempt vehicle theft report was taken at
0557 hours from Pine Avenue and Sierra Place.
A burglary (vehicle) report was taken at 0711
hours from the 400 block of Loma Vista Street.
Unknown suspect(s) made entry breaking a
window then rummaged through the vehicle.
Nothing was taken.
A grand theft report was taken at 0916 hours
from the 800 block of North Pacific Coast
Highway. Unknown suspect(s) stole the wheels/
tires from the victim’s vehicle.
A petty theft report was taken at 1109 hours
from the 500 block of East Walnut Avenue.
Unknown suspect(s) stole multiple electronics.
A burglary (residential) report was taken at
1048 hours from the 300 block of Standard
Street. Taken were two motorcycles from a
carport.
A traffic collision occurred at 1319 hours on
Eucalyptus Drive and Imperial Avenue, three
vehicles involved. One male adult was arrested
for driving under the influence of alcohol.
A burglary (commercial) report was taken
at 1344 hours from the 1900 block of Hughes
Way. Unknown suspect impersonated the victim
and stole a guitar from the storage unit.
A found property report was taken at 1653
hours from the 300 block of North Pacific
Coast Highway. A lanyard with keys and a
wallet was found and booked for safekeeping.
One male subject was detained at 1954
hours from the 200 block of East Mariposa
Avenue and was transported to Marina Del
Rey hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The
subject assaulted a hotel staff and responding
police officers.
A carjacking report was taken at 0134 hours
from the 200 block of East Grand Avenue. A
known male suspect brandished a firearm and
took the victim’s vehicle from her possession.
Sunday, Oct 17th
A stolen vehicle report was taken at 0934
hours from the 500 block of Virginia Street.
Unknown suspect(s) took a 2002 Chevrolet
Silverado without victim’s permission.
A stolen vehicle report was taken at 1200
hours from the 100 block of Nevada Street.
Unknown suspect(s) took a 2014 Honda moped
without victim’s permission.
A burglary (residential) report was taken at
1919 hours from the 100 block of Concord
Street. An unknown suspect made entry to a
locked storage unit in an underground carport
and removed one item.
A misdemeanor hit and run report was taken
at 2335 hours from the 900 block of Cedar
Street, vehicle versus parked vehicle.
One female adult was cited and released
at 0222 hours from the 800 block of North
Pacific Coast Highway for possession of a
controlled substance. •