Bad PennyFirst heard his name in 1966 when A kid from Rochester for the summer said Steve Demeter was the Red Wings MVP. Looked him up in the Sporting News. A .260 hitting third baseman With pop, Smarts, Steadiness, And a major league hole in his swing. Three years later I'm at Parker Field To see Richmond play Syracuse. Hear the starting lineup and SURPRISE Demeter's the Chief third baseman! That day Neil Armstrong walks on the moon, Ralph Garr walks on water with three steals and two hits, The Chiefs walk on the Braves 14-3, And when I ask for his autograph, Steve Demeter ignores me and walks away. Will never forget his 34 diminishing with distance. Demeter manages my Salem Pirates in '75. Hitting Winston Salem for a 4 game series, My yells bounce around the ballpark. Red Sox fans hate my guts; Red Sox farmhands wish I was dead. After umpire kills our first night rally With a called third strike on a 3-2 ankle high fastball, Second nite Ed Whitson gets shelled late, Third game Al Holland is pummeled, We lose every game by ONE RUN, And I wish I was dead too. Again Demeter equals disapointment. Ten years pass and now rockily married, Steve's profile in the Baseball Encyclopedia Sledgehammers my thoughts. He and my wife Are from Homer City, Pennsylvania. It figures. Dan Taylor 7/6/02 Leave feedback on our message board. |