A New Chapter in the Inland Empire
Orel Hershiser stood before a crowd in Chino, California, trading his familiar Dodger blue for the keys to a new venture. The former World Series champion was celebrating the grand opening of Hershiser Chevrolet, marking a transition from the pitcher's mound to the car lot that represents years of planning and relationship-building.
"Hello, Chino. Hello, Inland Empire. Hello, Dodger fans," Hershiser addressed the gathered crowd during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. The moment carried special significance for the right-hander, who reflected on the parallels between his baseball achievements and this business milestone. "It's one thing to win a World Series, right? And then, it's one thing to do that in '88, but then to do it back-to-back years, huh? That's pretty special."
Building Relationships Beyond Baseball
The dealership acquisition wasn't an overnight decision but rather the culmination of a three-year process with the Smith family, who had operated the franchise for decades. Hershiser described the careful courtship that led to the purchase, explaining how he and his business partner Eddie initially approached Mark Smith.
"Eddie and I had lunch with him. He said, 'I don't even know why I'm at this lunch.' We said we've been growing in the car business and want to get a car dealership someday and Mark said well, we have a car dealership and I said yeah, that's why you're here at lunch," Hershiser recounted during the ceremony.
The relationship evolved from a simple business transaction into something deeper. "This is not just a purchase and say goodbye. This is going to be a purchase and we want to be partners," Hershiser emphasized, highlighting plans to keep Mark Smith involved in the operation.
Community Commitment Takes Center Stage
Zeb Bowden, president and CEO of the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce, praised Hershiser's immediate community involvement. "They came here, they started We did this kids entrepreneurship fair. He was the first one there to go out and buy things from the kids in our opportunity to promote entrepreneurship, and he's got one of those things right on there on his wrist highlighting one of the things that the kids made," Bowden noted during the ceremony.
Hershiser drew direct connections between his athletic career and business philosophy, promising to bring the same dedication that defined his playing days. "What you saw from me on a baseball field, I'm going to bring that same work ethic here. And that same customer satisfaction that we can bring, and the same abilities on a daily basis to follow through on what we say."
From Dreams to Dealerships
The venture represents the fulfillment of childhood aspirations that extended beyond the diamond. "This is something that we have dreamed about since we were little boys. I dreamed about being a businessman and a big leaguer. He dreamed about being a businessman and maybe a basketball player. For one of us, it panned out," Hershiser said with characteristic humor. "But now it's panning out for both of us."
As the ribbon-cutting ceremony concluded, Hershiser's transition from Cy Young winner to car dealer reflected a broader trend of former athletes leveraging their competitive drive in new arenas, with the Inland Empire community embracing their newest business leader.