Joe McInnes parked his 1994 Chevy Caprice in the gravel parking lot behind Bellefonte Area Senior High School and wondered why there was such a large crowd for a high school baseball game. Even though he knew he was there to see a kid that was supposed to be the greatest prospect ever it was still a high school baseball game on a rather cold April afternoon. Bellefonte High School wasn’t even that great overall being five games under .500.
“I guess it’s just too good to pass up,” McInnes said as he grabbed his notebook and climbed out of the car. He looked down at the piece of paper sticking out that said “Dale Elison.” A strong, cold wind blew the paper from his notebook and he stepped on it to keep it from flying across the parking lot. As he picked it up, a familiar foot appeared in front of him. McInnes knew only one person who still wore penny loafers to a baseball game.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Donovan Rogers said. “You know full well there’s no way this kid is going to fall to the Yankees.”
“Yeah, I know,” McInnes said to the elderly man. “Still, I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t send in a report on the kid. Someone told The Boss about him and he said to try and do whatever I could to convince the rest of you that his guy wasn’t worth the time or trouble.”
“Knowing full well that none of us would believe that,” Rogers said with a laugh. “This is the third time I’ve seen this kid.”
“And?” McInnes said as he turned to walk toward the field.
“He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” Rogers said.
“This from the guy who’s signed two Hall of Famers and more All Stars than I can count,” McInnes said with a smirk.
“Yep,” Rogers said.
The two baseball scouts walked to a cinder block building with a giant red Indian painted on it with a slogan “Can’t Stop The Red Raiders.” Turning the corner, McInnes realized it was the concession stand and Rogers suggested McInnes get the “Red Raider Burger” with the lettuce and onions. McInnes picked up the tab for both of the men.
“We won’t be sitting alone,” Rogers said with a chuckle.
“Oh?” McInnes said. “Who else is here?”
“It would be faster to ask me who’s not here,” Rogers said.
“OK,” McInnes said laughing as the men started to walk up the steps into the stands. “Who’s not here?”
“Boston,” Rogers said.
“Who else?” McInnes asked.
“Just Boston,” Rogers said. “Everyone else is here to watch this kid. Some of them have been here half a dozen times. It’s one of those situations where you are getting the chance to watch something really special and you want to take advantage of it before you cuss the fact he’s hitting against you.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing it,” McInnes said as he looked up and saw the other scouts from the other 29 Major League Baseball teams.
“It’s like it’s old home week,” McInnes said and the two men laughed.
The game between Bellefonte High School and Clearfield High School was scheduled to begin in five minutes. The object of all the scout’s attention was due to bat third and play third base in the game.
“Hey Joe,” Pete Pablo, scout for the Florida Marlins yelled.
McInnes waived to him and sat down with Rogers and Ernie Jackson, scout for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
“You taking the kid?” McInnes asked.
“I’d lose my job if I didn’t tell the home office to do exactly that,” Jackson said with a smile.
The teams took the field and all the eyes in the packed stands focused on the figure in the number 20 jersey running out to third base. Dale Elison might have only been a high school student but he could already bring a crowd to a hush. The ball was thrown around the infield and Clearfield went down one, two, three in the top of the first inning.
“You know, that pitcher’s not too bad,” McInnes said. “For a high school kid there’s a good drop in his curve.”
“That’s the advantage to having such a superstar on the team,” Rogers said. “We show up and if a kid can put together a few great game he might get drafted when he’s otherwise be signing up for a job at the nearest car wash.”
The scouts laughed as the first two batters for Bellefonte reached on walks.
“This pitcher reminds me of Mitch Williams,” John Allen, the scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, said loud enough for all to hear. The scouts laughed and shook their head in agreement.
“That’s one guy in a weird situation,” Rogers said.
“How so?” McInnes said as Elison walked from the on-deck circle to the plate.
“The kid said he’ll go to college unless he’s drafted by Philadelphia,” Rogers said.
“You’re kidding,” McInnes said.
“No,” Rogers said. “OK, here we go.”
Elison stepped into the right hand batter’s box and smacked the bat off his cleats. Digging in, he waved the wooden bat over his shoulder and locked his gaze at the pitcher. The catcher stood up and put out his hand to call for the automatic walk. The pitch was way outside for ball one.
“Son of a bitch,” a scout from behind McInnes said. “These guys are so scared they’re going to walk him and load the bases rather than risk the home run.”
“Hell Jack,” another scout answered, “the kid’s hit a home run every other at bat this season. Why would you risk going down three zip in the bottom of the first?”
Again, the catcher stood up and called to the pitchout. Unlike the first time, Elison stood in the batter’s box leaning on the bat like it was a cane.
“Is that a wooden bat?” McInnes asked Rogers.
“Yeah,” Rogers answered. “Two of the teams in the league refused to play Bellefonte unless the kid switched to a wooden bat because last season he smacked a line drive up the middle and shattered a pitcher’s finger when he tried to field it.”
“That’s impressive,” McInnes said.
“Just wait until he gets a chance to actually hit the ball,” Rogers said.
The catcher stood and called for the pitchout. Ball three.
“Look at the kid,” McInnes said. “He’s pissed.”
“You would be too,” Rogers said.
“That’s true enough,” McInnes answered. “He’s still to the point that he just wants to play the game. I guess if I could hit a home run every other at bat I’d be wanting to hit every chance I could.”
The catcher stood and Elison flipped the bat toward the Clearfield dugout as he charged down to first.
“Who’s he think he is?” One of the scouts yelled. “Pete Rose?”
“Don’t bet on it!” McInnes snapped back evoking a roar of laughter.
The scouts made small talk until the bottom of the third inning when Elison came up with two outs and no one on base and Clearfield leading two to zero.
“Gotta pitch to him now,” McInnes said.
“I hope so,” Rogers said. “I’d hate to have to go back with a scouting report that said ‘The kid knows how to take an intentional walk.’ The brass would be pissed off.”
Elison stood in the right side batter’s box and dug in. The first pitch came in just below the knees for ball one.
“Surprised he held off on that,” McInnes said.
“He has a really great eye,” Jackson said. “Of course, he’s only dealing with high school pitching to this point.”
The pitcher shook off three signals and then finally shook his head. He went into the wind-up and fired what the scouts assumed had to be his best attempt at a fastball. Elison swung and sent the ball at least 450 feet over the center field wall. Putting down his head, Elison made a quick jog around the bases without showing a single bit of joy over hitting what was his twenty fourth home run in only 14 games.
“Geez,” McInnes said. “Is this guy so sick of home runs already that he’s not even going to celebrate it?”
“That’s the way the kid is,” Jackson said. “He’s so workmanlike you would think he has been a major league veteran for a dozen years.”
“I know a boat load of major league guys who would not act that humble after hitting a home run,” Rogers said. All the other scouts mumbled agreement.
Bellefonte didn’t get another hit until Elison came to bat in the sixth inning. He was intentionally walked for the second time.
“Well,” Rogers said, “It’s been real, gentlemen.”
“You’re leaving?” McInnes asked.
“They’re going to walk the kid for the rest of the game,” Rogers said. “I saw a game last week where the bases were loaded and State College was up by one. They walked home the tying run rather than let Elison take a shot at beating them.”
“That’s insane,” McInnes said.
“That’s what happens when you face this kid,” Rogers said. “I’m telling you. This kid is going to make everyone forget Barry Bonds and his steroid enhanced record. This kid is going to be mentioned in the same breath as Hank Aaron or Babe Ruth.”
Rogers waved to the other scouts and made his way down the steps toward the parking lot. The other scouts packed up and headed for the exit. By the bottom of the eighth inning it was just McInnes, Jackson and Allen.
“John?” McInnes said to the Phillies scout. “Is it true this kid’s been telling people he will go to college unless you draft him?”
“So far that’s all he has said to everyone,” Allen answered. “However, if someone throws a few million at him I will be very surprised if he really takes that full ride to Penn State.”
“Penn State?” McInnes asked. “Hell, they don’t even have a respectable baseball program. Why would he go there?”
“He turned down Miami, Arizona State and Wichita State,” Jackson said. “He said that he wanted to be a Nittany Lion ever since he was a kid and he was going to be one if he wouldn’t be a Phialdelphia Phillie.”
“So he’s proven good on his threat before in turning down the other colleges?” McInnes asked.
“Yeah,” Jackson said, “which bodes very badly for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and my bonus check.”
The three men laughed as Wililams walked to the plate. There were runners at second and third with one out and Clearfield leading the game five to four. The scouts started to pack up because the smart baseball play would be to walk Elison and have the double play set up.
“Wait a second,” Allen said as McInnes stood up to leave. “Look at the kid.”
McInnes turned to look and saw that instead of leaning on his bat as in the previous intentional walks, Elison was dug in like when he hit the home run. As the pitch came in, Elison’s bat twitched.
“Oh my God,” McInnes said. “He’s timing the kid’s pitch.”
“Oh man,” Jackson said. “This is going to be good.”
The second pitchout came in and Elison stood like a rock. McInnes sat back down, turned to Allen and smiled.
“This going to be worth the trip?” McInnes asked.
“Should be,” Allen said.
The pitcher for Clearfield tossed in a slow pitch toward his catcher’s outstretched glove. The pitch was outside but not too far away for Elison to try and get a piece of it. Elison lunged and smacked a line drive down the right field line. He sprinted to first as the entire Clearfield baseball team stood frozen and watched the baseball bounce into the right field corner. Elison rounded first and headed for second as the Clearfield coach started screaming for someone to get the ball. By the time the ball returned to the infield Elison was standing at third with a triple after putting Bellefonte ahead 6-5.
“That’s amazing,” McInnes said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen before in a baseball game.”
“I’ve seen this kid do a lot of things that I haven’t seen anyone do in a baseball game,” Jackson said. “This kid is the real deal.”
“Can I meet him?” McInnes asked.
“Sure,” Jackson said. “Once the game is over he usually makes time to play ‘Amuse The Scout’.”
The three men waited patiently for Bellefonte to wrap up their seven to six victory and for the little league players to get their autographs from Elison.
“Dale,” McInnes said as he approached with his hand out. “Joe McInnes from the New York Yankees.”
“Nice to meet you,” Elison said as he shook his hand. “I’m not going to sign with you.”
“No way in the world you would fall to us,” McInnes said. “Still, I had to check you out because The Boss wants to see you in pinstripes.”
“I would rather eat sushi straight from the ocean,” Elison said with a smile.
“Hey Dale,” Allen said.
“Hi Mr. Allen,” Elison said to the Phillies scout. “Any luck at changing the rules so that someone can trade you that first overall pick?”
“We wouldn’t trade it anyway,” Jackson said.
“I know,” Elison said as he shook the Devil Rays scout’s hand. “You know I am still not going to sign with you no matter what you offer me. I want to start a Phillie and I want to end my career a Phillies Hall of Famer.”
“Well, let’s put it this way,” Jackson said. “When you get out of Penn State you will still have to go where you are drafted regardless of if it’s Philadelphia or anywhere else. You won’t pass up being a pro ballplayer so someone will get you.”
Elison paused and started to clean his cleats.
“True.”
“Then why wait four more years to become a free agent and sign with the Phils?” Jackson said.
McInnes looked on with curious interest as Elison stopped cleaning his cleats and just stared at the dirty dugout floor.
“You have a point,” Elison said. “However, if I go to Penn State I get a college degree and a chance that I’ll end up in Philly.”
The scouts finished up their pleasantries with Elison and made their way to the parking lot.
“I guess he is the real deal,” McInnes said.
“Yeah,” Jackson said. “We have to find a way to get that guy signed. I think he could start for us right now.”
“That going to be your pitch to him?” McInnes asked.
“I can’t say for sure,” Jackson said. “I am going to definitely recommend it to guys in the front office.”
“Good luck,” McInnes said with a smile. “Even if you sign him, he’ll be gone in six seasons.”
“I’ll take six seasons of a superstar,” Jackson said. “Besides, I just find ‘em. It’s the owner’s job to keep ‘em.”
