Vander Laan, Steve (2025)

Steve Vander Laan is a 1970 graduate of East Christian High School and an outstanding baseball player.

Steve played three years of varsity baseball under the direction of Hall of Fame Coach Jeff Pettinga. “Coach Pettinga was a great Christian role model and a good friend,” Steve said.  Steve pitched and played center field for the Panthers. He set several pitching records his senior year. He had the most City League wins in a season (9), the most strikeouts in a season (148), the most shutouts in a season (8), the most overall wins in a season (12), all with an .075 earned run average. He also had a .380 batting average.  Steve was a member of the 1970, 12-2 City League Championship Team - the first league championship for the Panthers.  Steve was named to the All-Conference and All-Area Teams.  He was also named team captain and team MVP his senior year.  Steve played in the John Bos All-Star game in 1969 and 1970 and was the winning pitcher his senior year (1970).  

Steve attended Michigan State University on a full-ride scholarship to play baseball. Steve had mono his freshman year, so he played on the junior varsity team. The next three years he pitched on the varsity squad.  His career record was 8-6. He was named to the Academic All-Big Ten Team in 1973. He graduated from MSU in 1975 with high honors (3.71 GPA), with a BA in Education, a major in Physical Education, and a minor in Mathematics.  Favorite memories of his days in East Lansing include playing baseball with his best friend, Larry Ike, a 1969 graduate of Ottawa Hills, and being the organist for the MSU hockey team for two seasons.

During the summers, Steve pitched for the Grand Rapids Sullivans (an amateur baseball team). As a member of that team, he played in the International Honkball Tournament in The Netherlands in 1972 and 1976.  

After college, Steve was not drafted but attended many professional tryouts.  In 1979, at the age of 26, a former MSU coach arranged for a tryout with the Baltimore Orioles and Steve was signed after only one appearance in a minor league spring training game. Steve compared his minor league experience to the movie, The Rookie, and proved that it’s never too late for dreams to come true.

Steve split the 1979 minor league season between the Miami Orioles of the Florida State League, where he played with Cal Ripken Jr., and the Visalia Oaks of the California League, where he played for Manager Tom Kelly (who went on to win two World Series Championships with the Minnesota Twins).  Steve was offered another contract for the 1980 season but chose not to play so he could resume his teaching career.

Steve taught math, science, and PE for 26 years for Williamston Community Schools and two years for Saranac Community Schools.  He coached Williamston varsity boys basketball (2 years), varsity girls basketball (5 years), varsity baseball (13 years), and varsity softball (9 years).  His teams won over 200 games in baseball and 200 games in softball.  Steve was named District Coach of the Year 20 times and Regional Coach of the Year three times.

Steve is retired and lives in Charlotte, MI with his wife, Barb.  They have three children: Jason Vander Laan, Julie (Bob) Vander Laan, and Brian Vander Laan (deceased).  They have six grandchildren.  In his free time Steve enjoys pickleball, reading, fantasy baseball, and MSU basketball and football.

Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.