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Eckersley always hadneeBy JEFF CHAPMANDennis Eckersley had barely enough time lo grab a sandwich and coffee between the lime he pitched his final game for Washington High School and the lime he first look the . mound in a Cleveland Indian uniform.-Three years! -That's all it took for the Fremont native Lo climb the ladder of success through the minor league sy^em and into the pros. And now, after just three years with the Indians, he's got his first no hitter.The 22-year-old Eckcrrdey fanned 12 batters and walked Just one Monday night while subduing the California Angels, J-9. The gem afforded him a $3,500 bonus from Cleveland President Ted Benda and led to his picture being'- plastered all over spoils sections across the'nation.•'Thu‘reaction here has been really som-Ihing.” says Wallace Eckersley. the proud father. To think that something tike this can happen lo your .son is just fanlaic. I can't quite explain bow I felt”1 was elated — very happy, notes BUI Lightfoot, who coached Eckersley Jhree years on the Washington High varsity. “1 wasn’t surprised, though. He's got all it takes la make It in the pros.Eckersley started his high school career like most other aspiring baseball athletes at that level. He played on the frosh-soph lepi . his first year, then advanced to the varsity. • “It wasn't that he.had such a great freshman year, says Lightfoot while explaining why he took the.stringbeaii righthander and brought him to the varsity as a sophomore. Just one look at him and you realised he wasn't your ordinary high school athlete.He threw extremely hard and did everything right mechanically, recalls Lightfoot. I d seen kids with that much talent before aL that age, but never with the confidence“He had one goalin life and thatteas to play in the big leagues.He kneiv he'was good and knew he had the ability to realize that dream.”BILL LIGHTFOOTand competitiveness of DennisAs is his custom. Lightfoot confronted the parents about the possibility of bringing a sophomore up to the varsity.“Hill asked me what I thought about bringing Dennis up and I told him. It’s a good idea as long as he plays and doesn't sit quI.’ says Wallace. “Not^playing might have ruired his confidence.Eckersley was 9-3 with a 1.55 corned run average, in 1970. his sophomore year. The Huskies qualified for the Tournament of Champions and Eckensley’s performance there drew rave reviews from numerous professional scouts. •As a junior, he was 94 with a 0.50 earned. run average and hu finished out his prep career wilh a 9-3 record and 1.26 earned run average as a senior. In three years, he worked 2k5 innings, gave up 147 hits. 79 runs.47 earned runs, ICO walks and struck out 325 batters. He was 27-10 with a 1.15 ERA.He started his senior year by firing a no-bitter against Richmond. In his next wAing, he tossed a one-hitter to defeat Granada.There were eight to 10 scotAs I hero when ho beat Granada. remembers Lighlfoot. The crowd kept growing as Die seasonprogressed.We had a game at Newark- late in the year and I think just ahoU every major league club was represented. Even Carl llubbcll flew in from New York to watch him. The pressure was really tremendous.he recalls.Eckersley suffered through .one of his worst games lhat day. It probably cost him getting drafted in the second round/' says Lighlfoot. Eckersley was draJLed number one in live Ihird round by Cleveland.Lndian scout Uoyd Christopher followed Eckersley through most of his junior year and then saw the game against Granada. ■He came up to me after Ihe game and lold me lhat he didn't care what Dennis did the rest of the season, that he was going to make him a groat pro'player, says Lightfoot. The . ImLans made up their mind on Eckersley. early in the season and really didn't see him pilch that much ihe rest Dl the• way. .‘ One of l.ighlfoot's. mcci memorable moments concerning Eckersky was a 13-inning alfair he pitched against Dennis DcBarr of John F. Kennedy.The score was 0-0 to start the 13th inning and both kids had pitched the wbde way. Lightfoot recalls. We scored oa a squeeze play to go ahead 1-0 in the top halF of the inning, but Kennedy put runners at first and second with two out in the bottom half.•*t went to the mound tn see if Eckersley was feeling okay and he said he was. He wasreal tired and throwing on radar by thatpoint. f ’ ,When I left the mound, he called Inc third baseman over and told him be was going to pitch the next batter low and (HAside. He told him that a grounder Was coming his way -smother it and step on third for the force.-On the second pilch. lightfoot continues. the baiter hit a grounder la third just like Dennis said and Ihe game was over. •Eckersley turned down college scholarship offers to sign with the Indians and spent Ult;f years in Reno and one in San AnUxuq before receiving an invitation to attend C lev Hand s spring training in 1975 under manager Frank Robinson.“He knew he'd make the team — lie was lhat confident of himself. says Wallace. I think he could have made it in any sport he wanted ihe lettered in basketball, football and baseball at Washington). Ml- was that type of kid.-He had one goal in life and that was lo play in live big leagues, sas Lightfoot. He knew he was gocd and knew he had the ability to. realize Lhat dream.Eckersley married his high school sweetheart I Denise Jacinto r soon after graduation. took his wife on the road with him lo Reno and San Antonio and Is presently ihe prpud father of a baby daughter, Mandy.Dennis has everything going for him right now, praises his father. He's got a lot of years left in the majors and a geed attitude about life and alhidlcs.Eckersley comes Ixxnc Monday to face Lhc Oakland A‘s — the club he daimcd his first major league victory .against.Funny how it seems like just yesterday Lhc scrawny right-hander was baffling Mission Valley Athletic League hitlers.Time truly does fly!
Newspaper Details
Argus
Fremont, California, US
Fri, Jun 03, 1977
Page 42
Full Page
Clipped by
Elyria P.
OH, USA 07 Aug 2019
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