The late Peter Pompeo, who grew up in a land of baseball plenty in Portland’s East Deering section, never lost his love for the game.
Long past his sandlot playing days, Pompeo remained active in his favorite sport as coach, scorekeeper, and personnel recruiter. He was handed the manager title on such Portland Twilight League title teams as Eastern Oil, Yudy’s Tire and Benoit’s of Biddeford, but his chief reward was closeup contact with the finest of athletes and athletics.
Pompeo had more individual success in a brief fling at fighting, but the team spirit and sidelines camaraderies were more important. Too, the association of his youngsters, namesake Peter and “baby” Bobby, with the gentlemanly likes of peerless veteran Merv Kilgore and the East Deering duo of Portland High three-sport stars Willie Greenlaw and Frank Nappi provided an ideal sports setting.
Brothers Ken and Tom MacMillan, also part of East Deering’s rich baseball tradition, naturally were pleased to play under the Pompeo banner.
Ticking off the parade of talent assembled by Pompeo in more than two decades of Twilight ball runs the risk of skipping several standouts, but coming to mind quickly were such as pitchers Mel Ike Parker, the brothers Jack, Dick and Dave; Frankie Rivers, Dick Harrington, Lin Southworth, Dick Dutremble and Norm Faucher.
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