Dick Dutremble proved on the baseball diamond that the length of a man’s body was insignificant compared to the size of his heart.
The 5-foot, 6-inch Dutremble was a battler who says he “was fortunate for his size to be able to compete with the best baseball players in Maine.’’ However, he did more than just compete. He starred, leading the Telegram League in hitting in 1949 (.431) and 1950 (.428), when playing shortstop for the St. Louis High ballclub.
The Saco native also led the Telegram League in total bases those years, spraying the ball to all fields with power. After high school, Dutremble excelled for the Portland Press Herald Braves and the Portland Pilots, where he switched to third base. Hank LaVallee was his aggressive coach with the Braves. Dutremble remembers the time LaVallee told him to steal home with the bases loaded. ‘I said are you crazy and all he (LaVallee) said back was ‘go on the next pitch. | was safe.
The former sheriff of York County, re-elected eight times, and now employed as State Director of Civil Emergency Preparedness, also was a Star football player for St. Louis High. In fact, the swift halfback was team captain.
His leadership qualities also were displayed on the baseball diamond where the fiery shortstop usually called the infield signals. «A team player, Dutremble once offered to catch hard-throwing Willie Greenlaw when the club’s regular catcher failed to show up. “Willie said he would take it easy on me,” Dutremble said. Greenlaw didn't take it easy on Dutremble or the other team) pitching a no-hitter, Dutremble says his varied baseball experience helped him in life.
“It taught me how to accept defeat as well as victory. And it allowed me to make many new friends.”
Apparently enough. “friends” to get re-elected eight times,