Richard W. “Dick” Redmond began his journey to the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame as a four-year letter winner at Portland High School.
The Bulldogs’ catcher from 1944-1947, Redmond led the team in RBI during the 1945 season when Portland won the Telegram League championship. He served as co-captain in 1947.
in the Twilight League, Redmond was catcher for Ray's Diner and an all-star in 1948 with a .310 average and four home runs.
Two of his homers won games in the final inning.
He also had a pitching record of 2-0.
During military service for the Naval Receiving Station in Charleston, S.C., Redmond was player manager in 1950. He led the team in hitting and was 7-5 as a pitcher.
The same season he played several games with Somerville, S.C. in the Eastern Carolina League. In the final game he played first base for the first time in his career, completing the feat of playing every position.
In 1951, Redmond had an outstanding season on the mound, posting a 16-4 record.
One of his wins was a two-hit shutout with 20 strikeouts.
Playing the outfield when not pitching, he hit .385.
Redmond was discharged from the Navy in 1952 and enrolled at Portland Junior College.
During the winter he was contacted by Bill O'Connor, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
before terms for a contract could be concluded, O'Connor suffered a heart attack and was incapacitated for more than two months.
Redmond continued in college before O Connor finally contacted him with the offer of a contract for a Class D team in the Brooklyn organization.
Although tempted, Redmond declined and decided to make education his life's work. Thirty-four years later, he was confirmed as Maine's Commissioner of Education.
At Portland Junior College, he hit .500 in 1953 and played 12 games for Fairfield in the Down East League. He tied a league record of four doubles in a game at Dixfield.
The same season, O'Connor arranged to have Redmond sent to Dalhousie, N.B. in the New Brunswick Senior League as a pitcher.ait record was 12-2.
Transferring to Ricker College, Redmond was a player-coach in 1956-57.
in each season he hit more than .400 and had a pitching record of 5-2.
in 1956 he was a catcher for Dalhousie, earning a spot on the league's all-star team.
Redmond played for Woodstock, N.B. the following season and hit three home runs in one game, shortened to five Innings by rain. He again was the League's all-star catcher.
A teammate and opponent in the league was Dick Cormier (Hal, 1992).
"He was a tough competitor but always with good sportsmanship, said Cormier. "I did not relish playing against his team."
At Dalhousie in 1958, Redmond was again a league all-star.
Bob Philbrick (Hall, 1988) was his teammate for part of the season.
In 1960, while playing for the Houlton Collegians, Redmond hit three home runs and a double with 10 RBI in a doubleheader at Plaster Rock, N BB.
He finished his career in 1961, playing several positions for the Richmond Town Team before becoming principal of Richmond High School.
Legacy Page
https://obituaries.pressherald.com/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/obituary.aspx?n=richard-w-redmond&pid=188599465&fhid=25478
Richard W. Redmond, 88 . April 2, 1929 - March 29, 2018
"In his youth, Dick was a stand-out baseball catcher and a four-year letter winner at Portland High School. He continued to play baseball in the Twilight League and was a player manager during his military service in Charleston, N.C., and also at Ricker College.
While attending Portland Junior College, he was contacted by a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers and offered a Class D contract which he declined, and decided to make education his life's work.
Dick and his younger brother, Dave, played semipro ball in Woodstock, New Brunswick, where Dick met his wife, Evelyn, in Dalhousie, N.B. He finished his baseball career in 1961, playing several positions for the Richmond Town Team before becoming principal of Richmond High School.
In 1993, he was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, joining his brother, Dave, who was inducted in 1981. When his brother, Jack, was inducted in 1994, it was the first time that three brothers were so honored."
Kommentare