THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605100650
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
When the New York Mets learned Tuesday night that former teammate Brett Butler had cancer, they decided to collectively get him a card, letting him know he was in their thoughts and prayers.
By the next morning, the seed had grown into a letter-writing campaign. Two dozen or so personal notes were placed in a Federal Express envelope Wednesday afternoon.
Nobody's letter, however, can carry as much weight or meaning as Jerry Dipoto's.
The Mets' relief pitcher, in town Thursday night for the team's annual exhibition with their Triple-A farm club Norfolk Tides, has been there and back.
While undergoing a routine physical two years ago during spring training, doctors discovered a lump on Dipoto's thyroid gland.
``It took two to three weeks of tests before they were certain it was cancerous,'' Dipoto said. ``I had it surgically removed and then underwent radiation treatment. But I was back playing by June.''
Dipoto said his battle with cancer ignited him spiritually.
``Before, I always believed in God, but never gave it a second thought,'' he said.
Dipoto then pointed to his head.
``It started here, then I felt it in my heart. I started thinking to myself, `I'm 25 years old. What have I done to know in my heart where I'll be when I eventually leave this earth?' ''
In his baseball life, Dipoto was with the Cleveland Indians. Prior to tst major-league season, Dipoto had a 4-4 record, 11 saves and an impressive 2.40 earned-run average.
Once back with the Indians, Dipoto found the inactivity had robbed him of some sharpness. He bounced between Triple-A and Cleveland and his ERA with the Indians bounded to 8.04.
He was part of a five-player swap in '95 that landed him with the Mets. It also landed him in the same locker room with Butler.
Dipoto, 27, is Butler's junior by 11 years, but they share a strong thread.
``Brett is very spiritual,'' Dipoto said. ``This is a guy who loves the Lord. We saw things on an eye-to-eye basis.''
Every locker room has its factions, guys who hang together because they share common interests. Dipoto and Butler usually could be found conversing or playing cards - ``We were The Hearts Club'' - with Blas Minor and Doug Henry.
The foursome lost one of its players when Butler was traded to Los Angeles on Aug. 18.
Butler re-signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in the offseason, but was off to a slow start by his standards. A .291 lifetime hitter, he was batting tonsillectomy.
During surgery, Butler's doctor removed a plum-size tumor. A cancerous lymph node will be removed in two weeks. Radiation treatment will follow.
When news of his condition broke, Butler's wife Eveline said Brett was ``done playing baseball'' adding that he'd had ``16 great years.''
Dipoto isn't so sure.
``If I know him the way I think I know him, he'll play again,'' Dipoto said. ``I'll be very surprised if Brett's not back this year.''
Dipoto understands the knee-jerk reaction that comes when a doctor lays out the raw data: Butler's type of cancer has a 70-percent survival rate.
``He's scared,'' Dipoto said. ``I know I was when I got the news. But within the hour I said to myself, `So I got a bad roll of the dice. I can't quit. I can't shut down and mope.' Positive thoughts lead to positive results.''
Just how much of that made it into Dipoto's letter, he's not saying.
``A lot of my letter was personal stuff,'' Dipoto said. ``But I made it clear that if he needs to talk, I'm there for him. My battle with cancer is not something I talk about a lot. . . . But I have it burned in my mind what it's all about.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MIKE HEFFNER/The Virginian-Pilot
Butch Huskey signs autographs at Harbor Park on Thursday night.
Earlier, the entire team signed autographs at Nauticus.
by CNB