My Little Town

 "Whenever I go and whatever I do, the experience of growing up in a small town travels with me. The memories are too deeply etched to fade. Things that happened in high school or even grade school seem to have happened only yesterday, and there are places in the town that still glow with the expectations of my youth.

I did not go back home, But, in a sense, I also never left. I will always be as much from that small town as I am from anywhere."

Top photo: Austin Little League team circa 1974-1975. Gerald Duffee is second from the left on the top row. 

Bottom photo: the rest of the Austin LL squad.

The Potter-McKean Little League has always been one of the most well-known and competitive leagues in Pennsylvania.

It was 1951 when the Potter-McKean team won the state championship and advanced to Williamsport for the Little League World Series. The P-M team lost their opening game to a team from Stamford, Connecticut, 4-2 in the single elimination tournament. The names of those players and coaches are still familiar to some of the citizens of the towns they represented. That team was coached by Eldred's Joe Wolcott, Gerald Carley of Roulette, Buzz Shirey of Roulette, and Cecil Gamble of Port Allegany. 

Above: A new year begins in the mid 70's with seven teams (two in Port Allegany). Gerald Duffee Sr. is the manager of the Austin team. Jim Woods (Shinglehouse) and Gus Kuratomi with Mike Shirey lead the Coudersport squad. 

This was my first year of coaching the Eldred team. I was still a college kid and although the team had been struggling for a few years prior and during my opening two years (only five wins in two years), we were able to build competitive youth programs in the following years. Two winning seasons (16 wins total) began to turn the page. The most encouraging part of baseball growth in our town was the number of kids who played little league or "farm team" baseball- 65-70 youngsters.

Until I saw this clipping, I didn't think that Gerald Duffee ever pitched against us. It was a brief outing, but we did face him for a couple of innings, That was enough! As you can see, Austin had no problems scoring runs. Duffee was 4-5 in this contest.

Shinglehouse always had a well-coached team with Jim Woods managing the club and players like Stan Dunsmore.

Many of the readers of this blog piece will identify themselves as residents of a small town. We all know that northwestern Pennsylvania and the southwestern New York area was made up predominantly of small towns.

I wrote a book in 2017 entitled "Austin, Pa's Major Leaguer- The Mark Corey Story." The most enjoyable part of the book for me was gathering information about the towns in Potter and McKean County and how one's perception changes through the years. 

Mark Corey was a dominant pitcher for the Austin Little League in the late 80's and later for the Coudersport American Legion team. He played three years for Edinboro University before being drafted in the ML 1995 free agent draft by the Reds in the fourth round. He was called to the big leagues on an infamous date in American history, 9/11/2001.

Here's Coudersport clinching the league going 11-1 overall. Bruce Fink homered for the Phils of Port Allegany. Gerald Duffee helped Austin defeat Roulette-this time as a left-handed catcher.

I can recall as a young player thinking that Austin was at least 50 miles from Eldred when the actual distance was 30 miles. The population of Potter County is slightly over 17,000 people (last census), the 5th least populous county in Pennsylvania. The county seat is Coudersport with 2600 residents followed by Galeton, Shinglehouse, Roulette and Ulysses.

Duffee homered in loss to Sayre.

Gerald Duffee grew up in Austin like many young athletes in a town of less than a thousand people. There was only 20-25 students in the senior classes and the athletes played baseball and basketball. If the gymnasium was locked, the youngsters shoveled the courts or some player was lucky enough to have been loaned a key to unlock the gym doors. The baseball program consisted of little league and Babe Ruth programs. When the players reached American Legion age, they played in Coudersport or Emporium. Mark Corey played in Coudersport while Duffee and star Austin athlete, Randy Cooney played in Emporium,

I found this clipping to be written in a somewhat disturbing manner, over- emphasizing the fact that Brenda Bates lost a 2-0 game to P-M in the playoffs. Duffee's HR were the only runs driven in by the Potter-McKean team. It's now very unusual not to see female players on ESPN's coverage of the LL World Series.

Austin's little league and later, Babe Ruth coach, Gerald Duffee. Mr. Duffee passed away in 2009 at the age of 77. He was employed in the Austin school system for many years as a history teacher, athletic director, guidance counselor, drivers education teacher retiring in 1985 as high school principal.

We won one game vs. Austin in my tenure, a one run win after his son Gerald had moved on to Babe Ruth.

His son's path was not unlike a few other Austin athletes through the years: little league, Babe Ruth, American Legion and high school basketball, amateur league Alle-Catt baseball and college baseball at Mansfield University. The one difference that separated Gerald from most athletes was his domination of each sport at each level. There's very few area athletes that combined the baseball and basketball skills that this young man displayed year after year. The numbers are stunning.

The collection of clips below are only a part of  his weekly performances. I don't like compiling many lists because inevitably you leave off some key names, but the town of Austin has produced some outstanding athletes and at times has put together  teams that are playoff contenders in both baseball and basketball.

Some of those players include: Tom Ripple, Dick Logue, Randy Cooney, John Frank, Steve Kudlock, Gary Price, Greg Garzel, Doug Dow, Joe Keck, Marty Corey and Darla Shepard and several more that I'm sure I'll be reminded of as the days go by.

Ten managers named in the Babe Ruth League.

The newly formed Austin Sports Boosters Club (1978). Club officers are: bottom row- Cliff Gledhill, Peg Rotello, and Doris Ianson. Top row-Sally Duffee, Gerald Duffee and guest speaker Richard Danielson. Danielson, former Smethport High Coach became the head coach at Pitt- Bradford.

Early season basketball scoring leaders (Duffee's) junior season. Jeff Kockler of Emporium is ninth. 

Duffee's sophomore year as he and teammate Todd Lamar are in at slightly over 17 points per game. Port Allegany's Randy Riale is third at 22 ppg.

Austin wins tournament game with only Gerald Duffee (27) and Joe Karpinski (23) putting points on the board for the Panthers.

Duffee scores 39 in overtime loss to Coudy.

Duffee leads area with 25.8 a game in his junior year. Cuba with St. Bonaventure recruit,  Andy Moore, is 17-1 overall. Northern Potter is 21-2

Top Big 30 players- left to right: Andy Moore, Ron Lindsey (Wyoming), Dave Baker (Portville), Jeff Jovenetti and John Dry (Salamanca) is below Jovenetti.
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Northern Tier All Stars- Duffee leads the way as a junior. Doug Glenn of Otto-Eldred and Jerry Mitchell (Oswayo Valley are also on the squad.

1980-81 North Tier All Stars are left to right- Duffee, Jeff Kockler (Emporium),Don Thompson (N. Potter), Doug Glenn (O-E) and Port Allegany's Marc Petzold

North Tier All-Stars are all seniors with Duffee making the team for the third consecutive year. Joe Hollencin (Emporium), Don Thompson (NP), Tim Erway (NP), Jerry Mitchell (OV) and Art Fenstermaker (O-E) make up the 6 man team.

North Tier All-Stars plus second team and honorable mention players. Joe Karpinski of Austin is an honorable mention selection.

Early season- Moore leads Duffee by a point.

Duffee clinches scoring title in junior season. Austin goes 2-17 and Duffee provided half the team's 49.1 ppg. 

Duffee wins title as senior over Olean Walsh's John Neeson.

Continuation of Big 30 team with Dave Hellwig (Ellicottville) and Thompson (Northern Potter)

Big 30 Coach of the Year Award Winners and Scoring Champions through the years: Duffee wins in 81 and 82. Other winners: Don Hurlburt (Hinsdale) in 1969 and Paul Dorman, 1972. Matt Grimone (Emporium) wins in 1975. Jim Thompson wins coaching award in 1972 and Hal Hansen (Bradford) wins in '73.

Big 30 photos- John Dry (Salamanca) and Duffee (Austin)

Gerald Duffee takes his baseball skills to the Emporium Legion team (Austin did not have a team) and hits a game winning homer with two out in the ninth inning.

Duffee strikesout 11 in shutout win.

Duffee strikes out 13 in another Emporium win- this time over Bradford. Above and below clip.

Duffee throws a one hitter in win over McKean.

Basketball clip slips in with Scio's undefeated mark. Emporium was 19-5. and Port Allegany, 18-6

Repeat clip of Emporium's win over Kane- Jim Slusarik homered for Emporium.

Duffee throws two hitter against Smethport.

TOP and BOTTOM- Duffee homers in Emporium win. Schager hits 9th HR for Emporium (bottom) Top- Duffie pitches 7-2 win over Smethport.

Gerald Duffee is on his way to pitch at Mansfield University, but still keeps his name in the local papers by playing Alle-Catt baseball for Emporium and Austin.

Emporium defeats Port Allegany 16-2 in Alle-Catt play. Duffee gets the W.

End of the season Alle-Catt playoffs- Duffee (now with Coudersport)strikes out 13 and gives up only two hits in win over Fillmore.

Gerald Duffee strikes out 20 in this Alle-Catt win. That game would lead to a discussion of one of baseball's unwritten "rules"- Never bunt to break up a late inning no-hitter - that's always a highly debatable topic for a good coffee shop argument,

Coudersport wins over Little Valley as Duffee homers. Steve Gustin, left-handed pitcher for the Shinglehouse Shantys, struck out 15 in win over the other Shinglehouse team. Gustin pitched for me at Saint Bonaventure. **** Clip listed above.

NOTES- Kim Tingley of Coudersport is the tenth leading career scorer in Pennsylvania history with 2,905 points. Melinda Martin of Northern Potter scored 2,140 points  (1995-1999).

Gerald Duffee scored over 1,500 points in his high school career and was a 4-year varsity starter. He also won back to back scoring titles in the Big 30. 

BROTHER

 

     I made a phone call this afternoon, the same call that I've made for 50 years. Today is my brother Bill's birthday and just like he does in August, we ring our only brother on his celebrated day.

   Bill is eight and a half years older than I am. Since my high school years I don't think we have ever been together on our birthdays. Our entire adult life has never found us living less than a six or seven hour drive from one another.

   The previous paragraph might suggest that we could lack the closeness that many siblings have, but I have never felt that way and I don't think Bill has either. My big brother has ALWAYS held a large presence in my life, especially when I've stumbled and couldn't or wouldn't ask for help.

    His sense of responsibility to family comes with few words and little fanfare, but with a directness that never leaves anyone wondering what he's thinking. 

"Mike" and Bill at our parents' home.
    My mom always told me that when the decision-making process was in full swing regarding what to name the youngest Pransky boy my eight-year-old brother chimed in, "I don't care what you call him, I'm calling him Mike."

     I don't remember those initial days of life very well, but I imagine he did call me Mike for a while. Evidently, he had enough influence that somehow my middle name is Michael.

    My brother was a 1965 graduate of Otto-Eldred High School. I've written almost 100 blog stories in 4-5 years and most of them have at least a partial sports connection and so does my brother's.

     Bill played youth league baseball for Coryville (little league and Babe Ruth). I recall my mother had to dye some of his white t-shirts green for his Babe Ruth uniform top. 

    My brother's baseball career was significant for two major reasons. It launched my dad's love for baseball, a game he never played as a youngster, but loved every level of it for the rest of his life.

    And, I'm sure my first game of catch was with Bill. 

    I also remember fondly that my brother's teenage years consisted of quarterbacking while I ran pass patterns (fly, button hook, button hook and go, sideline, post). I'm sure they have more technical names now, but no one had more fun than I did. 

   We played wiffle ball, home run derby and Bill was my first catcher as I learned how to pitch. I was six-years-old and Bill was 14, but he never turned down a request to play ball with me. He didn't became frustrated at my overthrows or give me one of those, "Hey, just leave me alone," or "get lost," or any of those comments that are easy for a big brother to throw at the little guy who always seems to be in the way. We never argued or disagreed.

   Bill's favorite sport was basketball and he didn't even mind when on a special occasion his little brother tagged along, lugging his scrapbook to an O-E practice and securing as many autographs as possible.

I think I went to almost all the Terrors' games in 1964 and 1965. I've written stories about the Coudersport team that was undefeated until the '64 state finals and about some of the players of that era, both in western N.Y. and Pa. I remember Bill scored 23 points (his career high) in the opening game of the tourney. Jeff Wolcott and Bill made the all-tournament team.

    Bill was awarded the prestigious Jody Wolcott Award as a senior. The honor was given to a graduating student who best represented the qualities of an athlete, scholar and gentleman.

Some O-E names from the classes of 1965 and 1966.

   Jeff Wolcott (Jody's older brother) was the leading scorer on that '65 O-E team.

   Bill and I only played together a couple of times, but they remain memorable to me. He came home from college for the summer and we drove up to the high school to shoot some hoops in the court/ parking lot on the backside of the building. We eventually played a couple of young varsity players in a two on two game. Bill was 20 or 21 and I was 12 or 13 and had just concluded seventh grade and we beat them. That definitely was a highlight of my young sports career.

   Years later, as Bill's two sons were beginning their competitive basketball experiences and the elder Pransky brothers were beginning to feel the years, we would play the boys in one game to ten baskets whenever we could get together.

   Although approaching the 35-40 year-old barrier, first Bill and then me, the old guys had the edge. The boys were separated by only two years and despite having the jumping and athleticism advantage they hadn't quite developed the teamwork part of the game yet and their ultra-determined will to beat their dad and uncle was so strong it acted as an albatross. 

   Bill and I also knew that we could always win one game, but we always called it quits after that game. "Wait 'til next year." 

   Next year came four or five times and then somehow the two on two games stopped being held. Some foul play was claimed, but never proven.

    My dad taught my brother and I the same useful skills that would help us as we gained responsibility as we grew older. Car maintenance-changing the oil, rotating and changing tires and how to use and then properly return the tools to their proper place on the workbench was rightly very important to my father. The same was true with checking and repairing household items. Bill, in fact, helped my folks build the home where they lived for almost 40 years. He was 13 and carrying shingles and I was 5 and driving a go-kart Dad made for me.

My dad was an avid sportsman and loved hunting and fishing. He taught both of us. Bill loved hunting and continues to enjoy it. The high schools in his area have archery teams and he loves coaching the kids.

I always enjoyed trout fishing, but somehow all the other lessons were too soon forgotten. I wished they hadn't vanished-I guess I never really learned them.

Bill and I didn't have too many of the same teachers at O-E, but I do remember Mr. Lehoskey, our industrial arts teacher, asking me on day one if I was "Big Bill's" brother. Bill, a future mechanical engineer, was skilled in all the aspects of design, building a couple of his future homes. 

I think Mr. Lehoskey anticipated that he had another budding engineer. It took only two classes for him to change his mind. He was a baseball fan though, so we always had something fun to talk about in later years,

    My brother's engineering degree directed him to several different residences in Clarion (Pa.), Atlanta, New Orleans and both northern and southern Ohio-all for the same company for thirty plus years.

    There was a period of time when he did some extensive international travel for work. I don't think he told my folks where or when he was going. They might have worried about some of the destinations. I just always assumed that-I never knew either.

    As I write this, I'm sitting directly in front of my music cabinet that holds about 200 vinyl albums- a combination of my wife, Grace's, and mine. Actually, half of mine were (are) Bill's. Some people wonder why I have so many LP's by "The Animals," "Four Seasons," "The Beach Boys," and, of course, "The Beatles" among others- lots of surf music too. Thanks, Bill. The younger brother status does have many advantages. 

    The impetus for this writing came from three topics that seemingly have no association. 

    I saw a post last week on FB that mentioned it was National Siblings' Day. That's nice. I never knew there was a day for that, but okay. 

    Last weekend I watched "Field of Dreams," for the tenth time. I think there's a rule that if you live in Iowa, you have to watch it at least five times.

At the end of the movie Ray Kinsella suddenly thinks he realizes what the phrase "Ease his pain" means.

Ray, speaking to Shoeless Joe Jackson- "It was you."

Joe replies, "No, Ray. It was you."

The movie has many moving parts and if you asked someone what it's about you'd get multiple answers of baseball, Iowa, ghosts, the 60's, farming, chasing dreams, etc.

It does have a lot of twists and turns, but it's about family. Ray and his father. Ray, his wife and little girl. Doc Graham and his life as a doctor and husband. I'm reminded of my father, mother and hometown every time I watch it.

My wife Grace sitting on the porch swing at Ray Kinsella's house in Dyersville, Iowa. Yes, I ran the bases and walked into the corn. We live about an hour and a half from there.

National Siblings' Day, Field of Dreams and my brother's birthday.

   Thanks Bill for holding us all together. And, thanks for always being there!