There may be some debate concerning how to address Bar Harbor native LeRoy Eugene Dyer. In addition to his given name, friends, teammates and colleagues alternate calling him Lee, Lefty or Bub.
But there is no argument when the subject is his ability as a baseball pitcher. Dyer is remembered as brilliant.
“My most vivid memory was when he broke the Penobscot Valley Conference strikeout record,’ said life-long friend Kenneth K.Riddell. “his curve bail was sinking and his fast ball was sizzling.
Needless to say, I didn’t see much action in the outfield that day!” “That day’ was May 19, 1950. Dyer allowed one hit and recorded 22 strikeouts as Bar Harbor defeated Orono 2-0.
Dyer twice struck out 18 batters in a game: On May 16, 1950 in a 9-0 win against Brewer; and on May 31, 1950, 1n the Eastern Maine tournament, as Bar Harbor beat Stockton 6-1.
After graduating from high school, Dyer enrolled at Bowdoin.
Elected team captain in 1956, the lefty with the rising fast ball was Polar Bear coach Danny MacFayden’s “go to guy.”
He still holds the Bowdoin record for most strikeouts in a game, 15 against MIT in 1954 1n a 2-0 Polar Bear win and 15 against New Hampshire, also in 1954.
Between his sophomore and junior years at Bowdoin, Dyer spent the summer pitching for the Presque Isle Indians in the Maine-New Brunswick League.
After an appearance against Edmonton, Len Merullo, a scout for the Chicago Cubs, offered Dyer a $5,000 bonus to turn pro. Dyer chose to stay at Bowdoin. After earning his degree, Dyer tried out with the Red Sox and Phillies, then signed with the Milwaukee Braves.
“During my spring training experience with the Braves in 1958, and later with the Waycross Braves of the Georgia-Florida League, I saw too many kids with some pretty good athletic ability get cut with neither a high school diploma or a possible college degree to fall back on, dyer said. Dyer posted a 6-11 record for Waycross but decided the journey from Class D to the Major Leagues was a long haul. He turned to a career in education.
Dyer concluded his 35-year career as Superintendent of Schools in Portland, Connecticut. in 1994. the Board of Education named the baseball field in his honor.
“What a proud moment for an old baseball player from Bar Harbor, Maine, said Dyer. “My baseball days were very special to me and | look back warmly with a sense of gratitude for all those who helped me along the way.”
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