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Degifico, Vincent A. (2005)

Writer: Maine Baseball HOF
Maine Baseball HOF
Aug 12, 2019
2 min read

Degifico, Vincent A. (05)

Since World War II finished in 1945 one of the rarest of finds in the major leagues is a Maine native who plays but is not a pitcher. Bill Swift of South Portland leads a number of pitchers (e.g, Carlton Wiley, Bert Roberge, Peter Ladd, Fred Howard) who made it to the Big lop. but | remember only too well every day players: a catcher, Ron Tingley, born in Presque Isle who made it in the 80’s with the Cleveland Indians, and Ellsworth’s Dick Scott, a shortstop who got a “cup of coffee” in the 1990’s and also checked in with an RBI .

Today we honor one of those with very good credentials - one of Maine’s best hitters - Vinnie Degifico.

Vinnie graduated from South Portland High School in 1983 alter being named to the All-Telegram League team in 82 and 05. He was coached by Rod Choroszy at South Portland and by Dick Loubier in American Legion baseball. Vincent enrolled at the University of Southern Maine in 1984 and participated in the NALA World Series.

In 1986 and 87 Vince enjoyed two All-American seasons with USM. In 19386 he led the nation in hitting with a .526 batting average and .937 slugging percentage.

He was the 17th selection in the 1987 June draft chosen by the Boston Red Sox and began his professional career with Elmira of the NY-Penn League. Degifico played in the Red Sox minor league system for six seasons (1987-1992).

In 1989 Vince was listed as a first baseman on the top ten Red Sox prospect list. He received awards for the highest batting average, most home runs, and MVP at Winter Haven. He was named one to the top nine players in the Florida State League in 1989 where he had 15D home runs and 5? RBIs.

In 1990 he played at New Britain and enjoyed a terrific season rooming with Jett Bagwell. Others he remembers well include Tim Nehring, Paul Quantrill, Eric Wedge.

He has always been connected with baseball. He has been active in the Twilight League. He helped Peggy Seigel open the first indoor baseball facility: Four Seasons.

He has been assistant coach for 13 seasons (1992 - present) at USM. Presently he is employed at the USM Ice Arena where he is the manager.

In 1987 Vincent married his high school sweetheart Cindy White and they have an eight year old son and a 2 year old daughter.

Vince entered the Husky Hall of Fame in 1997. The same year USM won the National Championship with Vince helping Eddie Flaherty.



Degifico, Vincent A. (05)

Degifico, Vincent A. (05)


Degifico, Vincent A. (05)

 
 
 

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Meet the 2026 Maine Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
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Portland Press Herald 4/10/2026
https://www.pressherald.com/2026/04/10/meet-the-2026-maine-baseball-hall-of-fame-inductees/?copylink=true

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Former St. Dominic and current Gray-New Gloucester coach Bob Blackman and Cony coach Don Plourde are among the 11 members of the newest class. Four coaches currently preparing for the upcoming high school baseball season are among the 11 inductees in the 2026 Maine Baseball Hall of Fame class.

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Gray-New Gloucester’s Bob Blackman, Brewer’s Dana Corey, Hampden Academy’s Jon Perry and Cony’s Don Plourde are all part of the class that will be inducted on Oct. 4 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland. Blackman coached St. Dominic High School to nine state championships in 22 seasons before the school closed at the end of the last school year. He was named the coach at Gray-New Gloucester in September. Corey hit .359 at the University of Maine in 1971. He played two seasons in the Chicago Cubs system and has been the head coach at Brewer for 18 seasons.

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Perry hit .381 at the University of Maine in 1981 and helped the Black Bears reach the College World Series. He has coached for the past 45 seasons at the high school, American Legion and collegiate levels. 

Plourde is in his 17th season as the coach at Cony High School and has been named the KVAC Coach of the Year five times. He has been coaching at various levels for more than 30 years. 

Others earning induction are: 

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• Al Cloutier, who has been involved in baseball in Augusta as a player, Cony High and American Legion coach, Babe Ruth League director and volunteer. 

• John Kolasinski, who was a college coach at for 37 years, first at Husson and later at Siena Heights University in Michigan. He is a five-time New England Coach of the Year winner.

• Mark Littlefield, a Portland High graduate, who is now in his 36th season working on the medical staff of the New York Yankees organization. 

• Scott Littlefield, a Portland High graduate, who will be inducted posthumously. Littlefield coached at Florida State University and the University of Southern Maine before working for 34 years as a Major League Baseball scout, including 16 as a player personnel special assistant for the Texas Rangers.

• J. Ronald Livington, who will be inducted posthumously. Livingston was an All-Star infielder for the semi-pro Presque Isle Indians in the Northern Aroostook League in the 1930 and 1940s. He also coached and was a director in the South Portland National Little League.

• Mike McCullum, of Portland, who hit .338 at the University of Southern Maine and earned ABCA Division III All-American honors in 1999. 

• Jim Taylor of Lewiston, who was a founding member of the Central Maine Board of Approved Baseball Umpires and was instrumental in starting the Maine chapter of the Collegiate Baseball Umpires Association.

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Maine Baseball Hall of Fame day  Delta Dental Park aka Hadlock Field 7/19/2026
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