Dale Taylor dedicated his book Simpler Times: Baseball Stories From a Small Town (1997) to Elmer Gregory, whom Taylor calls “one of the greatest pitchers to ever migrate from Southern Ohio.” I was privileged to play alongside Elmer at Valley High in 1966 as our baseball team battled through the Ohio baseball tournament. He was the unequaled star of the team and seemingly single-handedly led us to the the championship game. Elmer won every game he pitched that year – including all the tournament games – and our team ended the season as state runner-up.
Gregory was a phenomenal pitcher with both speed and a repertoire of offerings that seemed to include every pitch from “a-to-z.” He helped lead the Lucasville Valley Indians to second place in Ohio two straight years – 1965 and 1966. He was a great hitter as well.
I would call Elmer “a natural.” Growing up close to the baseball fields in Lucasville, he made baseball his passion and progressed in the game until his mastery on the mound became absolutely dominant in youth baseball. At a young age, he could dazzle opponents with an amazing variety of pitches. And, he did so with great finesse and style. The affable Gregory was a complete player, a trusted teammate, and the definition of an “ace” on the mound.
Elmer left us too early: he passed away in 1997. But, what memories he made. He optimizes the richness of baseball in small-town America. Moreover, he, along with other Lucasville legends like Branch Rickey and Gene Tenace, represents the true grit and determination of those who develop their God-given talents to excel. I was a freshman on that 1966 Valley team, and Elmer was a senior. To say I “looked up” to him is an understatement. Just as important, I remember him as a “good guy” and a true friend.
I write this short biography to add to the wonderful stories of local interest. I remember Elmer Gregory as an easy going athlete with a permanent smile who could make magic when someone put a baseball in his hand. I agree with Dale Taylor – Gregory was one of the greatest to every play in the area. I hope the fine tradition of Valley baseball continues in a never-ending legacy of simply “playing ball.” I think all of us teammates from 1966 would agree that baseball can make for some of the best memories from our youth.
Elmer Gregory
Position:Starting Pitcher
Bats: Left • Throws: Right
6-1, 185lb (185cm, 83kg)
Born: May 27, 1948 (Age: 70-208d)
Full Name: Elmer W. Gregory
Played for Daytona Beach Dodgers, Florida State League (1968 and 1969); Bakersfield Dodgers, California League (1969), and Lynchburg Twins, Carolina League (1970).
Minors Pitching
In the spring of 1966, pitcher Elmer Gregory led the Valley Indians to the finals of the Ohio Class A Baseball Tournament. The senior pitched the team to victory after victory and nearly accomplished back-to-back wins in consecutive days in Columbus. Gregory, who was also a standout on the state runner-up team of 1965, went on to pitch in college and in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system. Those who played with Elmer remember him as a standout on the mound and at the plate.
In 1966, the Portsmouth Times reported that the Valley Indians under first year coach, Don Pfleger, was back for a repeat performance in the Class A State Baseball Tournament. The team had finished second in the state in 1965. Pfleger, the previous year played with the Ohio University Bobcats in the NCAA Tournament. The Valley coach fielded a team in 1966 comprised of two seniors, three juniors, two sophomores, and two freshmen. Only Gregory and junior Doug Arrick returned from the '65 team.
According to the Times …
“The big man has been Elmer Gregory, who stars in both the pitching and the hitting departments. On the mound, Gregory has won ten straight games this season in averaging about nine strikeouts a game. The husky right-hander has excellent control and a good fast ball to go with a sharp-breaking curve.
“Gregory also packs plenty of power at bat as he proved in the Regional Finals. The left-handed hitter slammed out a long double and a triple.”
Valley's other starting pitcher was right-hander Gary Mays, a freshman who posted a 4-2 record that season. The starting lineup in the tournament read as follows:
Seniors – Elmer Gregory, pitching and outfield; Bob Zeek, right field
Juniors – Doug Arrick, second base; Mike Crabtree, third base; and Ken Wells, center field Sophomores – Don Harness, second base; Don Miller, first base,
Freshmen – Chuck Cooper, catcher; and Frank Thompson, left field
Valley's only two defeats during the season came at the hands of Portmouth 1-0 and South Webster 4-1. Coach Pfleger attributed the team's success to the players' determination to play hard and hustle at all times.
Pfleger said, “After the performance turned in by the team last year, the boys heard that they couldn't return to the state tourney. But the team didn't get down and they played hard and hustled to get where they are.”
According to the Times, the team hit and fielded well. Gregory topped the hitters with a .600 average. Miller hit .370 and Crabtree, Arrick, and Thompson all hit over .300.
Valley had won four games in district and regional tournament play. The Indians beat West Union 5-0 (Dave Tomlin who pitched in the Major Leagues for the Reds and the Padres took the loss) and Clay 3-1 in district play, then beat River Valley 10-1 and Unioto 3-2 in regional competition.
Valley moved into the State Finals with a 6-1 decision over Carlisle of Warren County. Elmer Gregory struck out 11 and allowed only four hits while pitching his team to victory on his 18th birthday.
The next day, Pfleger opted to start Gregory again, but two days of consecutive starts did not end well. In the final game, Northwestern of Wayne County completed a perfect season (20-0) by beating the Indians 4-0. Regan Bower threw a three-hitter to best Valley's Elmer Gregory who had won 24 straight high school pitching decisions.
After graduating from Valley in 1966, Elmer Gregory attended Indian River Junior College at Fort Pierce, Florida. There he and five other local players – Bill Young and Dan Pace of Wheelersburg, Larry Parlin of New Boston, along with Terry and Jerry Easter of Portsmouth West – played an important factor in helping the Indian River Pioneers post their best won-lost record to date.
At Indian River, Gregory broke a number of school pitching records including the Most Wins in a Season (9), Best Winning Percentage (.750 based on a 9-3 season), Best Earned Run Average (1.50), and Most Strikeouts (117).
Opponents hitting against Gregory compiled a low .187 average. Two of his losses were by 2-1 and 2-0 to the national runnerup in junior college competition, Miami-Dade. Gregory was named to the all-conference team. That summer Elmer served as a counselor at the Ted Kluszewski Baseball School at Bainbridge, Ohio.
According to the Fort Pierce News Tribune dated June 25, 1967, the Cincinnati Reds drafted Elmer Gregory, and he turned down the Reds' offer to pitch at Indian River. In 1969, Gregory was selected by the Dodgers.
1969 Rule V Draft AAA Selections
|
Selecting team |
Player |
Position |
Team |
Organization |
|
Denver Bears |
Elmer Gregory |
Pitcher |
Albuquerque Dodgers |
Los Angeles Dodgers |
Obituary
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27 May 1948 Lucasville, Scioto County, Ohio, USA |
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Roanoke City, Virginia, USA |
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(Obit) |
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GREGORY, Elmer Wyett, 49, of Vinton and formerly of Lynchburg died Sunday, October 26,1997 at The Cancer Rehabilitation Center of Southwestern Virginia, Roanoke. He was the husband of Bonnie Carwile Gregory.
Born May 27,1948 in Lucasville, Ohio, he was a son of Margaret Hardy Gregory of Portsmouth, Ohio and the late Forrest Allen Gregory. As a pitcher he was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers AAA Ball Club in 1968 and the Lynchburg Twins Ball Club and had coached little league baseball for several years in Lynchburg.
He was a security operations and training specialist with the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Salem and was a U.S. Army Reservist for 28 years. In addition to his wife and mother he is survived by a son, Brian A. Gregory of Vinton; a daughter, Kristan G. Casto of Rustburg; a granddaughter, Kaitlyn N. Casto of Rustburg; a brother, James W. Gregory and sister Patricia A. Shoemaker both of Lucasville.
Roanoke Times, October 28, 1997
Don Lee Pfleger, 70, passed away May 15, 2014 Bowers Hospice House. Don was born in Scioto County Ohio on June 3, 1943, a son of the late Roy and Dorothy Pfleger.
A graduate of Minford High School in the class of 1961, he received a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Ohio University and a Bachelors of Theology at Appalachian Bible College. He served as Pastor of Daniels Bible Church for 40 years and as Area Director of Latin American for Biblical Ministries Worldwide for the past 2 years.
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