Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 1, 1994 TAG: 9405010031
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Cox
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Big South wise men were all, with the exception of league commissioner Buddy Sasser, athletic directors of the member schools. Harveycutter, Salem assistant city manager Forest Jones and Harveycutter aide John Saunders were pitching the virtues of the joint in hopes of landing a contract for future men's basketball tournaments.
While passing through the premises, the conversation turned to baseball. The reason the topic arose was the Towson State athletic director mentioned he'd been in Salem years ago.
"I used to manage the Bluefield Orioles in the Appalachian League," the guy said.
That sparked Harveycutter's interest, because at the age of 10, he had been an all-purpose groundskeeper, gofer and clubhouse boy for the Salem ballclub when it was in the Appy League in the 1960s.
Although memory fades with the passage of time - Harveycutter couldn't remember if the year was 1962 or 1963 - he had one particularly vivid recollection of a little run-in with the manager of the Bluefield ballclub.
Just before one of the Orioles' visits to Salem Municipal Field, rain had fallen for several days. The torrents had stopped, leaving the field - which had been uncovered - soggy but playable.
This came as distressing news to Salem manager Alex Cosmidis, who had hoped the foul weather would keep coming.
The truth of the matter was Cosmidis' pitching staff was in shambles because of sore arms, bruised psyches and a collective case of the vapors. The skipper, no doubt, did not relish the thought of playing the mighty Birds of Bluefield (the team went a combined 92-47 in '62 and '63 and finished first both campaigns) with a mound committee in such a sorry state.
The home team needed a day off like a flounder needs brine.
Thus, in conspiracy with the late Jack Dame, the ballclub's general manager, Cosmidis hatched an underhanded plot.
"Hose down the field," Dame ordered the grounds crew, young Harveycutter included.
Not in a position to defy a higher authority, even on ethical grounds, the crew sprayed away. The soaking turned the infield into something that looked like chocolate pudding.
At about this point, the boys from Bluefield arrived, their manager leading the parade.
The jig, of course, was up.
So it was that Harveycutter was reflecting on this amusing little morality play as he accompanied the poobahs of the Big South.
"When were you at Bluefield?" Harveycutter asked the Marylander. "Before or after Billy Hunter managed there?"
The man was a trifle startled.
"I neither managed at Bluefield before or after Billy Hunter," he said. "I am Billy Hunter."
Hunter, as it turned out, had been hired at Towson State after his work with professional ballplayers was through. His first job at Towson? Baseball coach, naturally enough.
"Do you remember the day ya'll came in here and caught us watering the field?" Harveycutter said.
Hunter's countenance darkened.
"Hell, yes, I remember."
"Well, I was the one holding the hose. Somebody else was holding the nozzle."
\ WORDS OF WISDOM: A new book by Philadelphia Phillies saloon-keeper in disguise, John Kruk (as told to Paul Hagen), crossed this desk recently. Although the reviewing of literature is not the weekly purpose of this space (our newspaper leaves that to more scholarly types), several passages in "I Ain't an Athlete, Lady . . . " bear scrutiny.
For example, when asked whether he was in peak physical condition upon reporting to spring training, quoth he: "To run a marathon? Probably not. To play baseball? The bases aren't that far apart."
On his famous All-Star Game bailout against left-handed fireballer Randy Johnson: "I wasn't going to let him hit me while I was stationary. It would have been embarrassing to die on national television, and besides, you can't hit good when you're dead."
\ SCOUTING REPORT: Through the grapevine came a report from former All-Timesland pitcher Brad Clontz, who toils with Class AA Greenville, S.C., as a reliever. Clontz told friends that when the Braves played the Birmingham Barons not long ago, he couldn't help but be impressed by a certain bald-headed former basketball player. According to Clontz, Michael Jordan is, in fact, the best hitter on his team.
Which must come as crushing news to Sports Illustrated.
by CNB