Don Demeter - Early Career

Early Career

In 1945, Demeter started his life in baseball when he joined the Oklahoma City YMCA Junior League. In Demeter's senior year at Capital Hill High School, his team won 59 games of 60. They went on to win the 1953 Oklahoma state title. After graduation, the New York Yankees signed two members of the team, while the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Don and eight of his teammates. He was signed by Dodgers scout Bert Wells. While his classmates each received a $3,000 signing bonus, Demeter was given only $800. Demeter was the only member of the Capitol Hill High School starting varsity team that was not chosen to be on the Oklahoma City all-star prep team, yet he would be the only player to go on to be a success in the Major Leagues. By 1959, Don was the only remaining Capital Hill High alumni of 11 that was still in professional organized baseball in any capacity. As a stepping stone to professional baseball, in the early 1950s Demeter played ball for the American Legion's Mosier's Tiremen of Oklahoma City. After signing with the Dodgers, Don was assigned to the Minor League Class D Sooner State League Shawnee Hawks. For his first season of professional baseball, he was paid a salary of $150 a month. In 104 games for the Hawks, Don had a .223 batting average to go with 9 home runs, 6 triples, and 42 RBI. After the disappointing season, Demeter said, "I don't enjoy baseball. I'm not sure I should continue it," feeling that he was living a more useful life. His passion for the game was reinvigorated though after the 1954 World Series. "But when I saw Alvin Dark tithed the church from his 1954 World Series share, I realized that baseball could have a very real meaning.".

For the 1954 season, Don was promoted to the Class C California League Bakersfield Indians, where he hit .267 with 26 home runs and 89 RBI. In December 1954, Demeter decided to put in some extra playing time and experience by going to Venezuela and playing for team Cabimas. In the 33 game loop, Don hit .306 with 15 RBI, half of which came from two grand slams over the course of the season.

He began the 1955 season with the Class A Pueblo Dodgers of 1955 Pueblo Western League. He impressed early, hitting .262 with 5 home runs and 23 RBI in 39 games before being promoted to the Class AA Southern Association Mobile Bears. In 92 games at Mobile, Don his .251 with 11 home runs and 36 RBI.

Don rejoined Cabimas for winter league play in the 1955-56 Venezuelan Occidental League. Demeter set the pace early in the league, hitting for a .433 average with 7 home runs and 12 RBI in his first 60 at bats. On January 21, 1956, Demeter tied a Venezuela national record by hitting 16 home runs in a season, hitting two in one game. Demeter finished the winter-ball season second in the league in batting average with a .369 mark and tied for first in home runs with 17, compiling 73 hits and 38 runs scored in 52 games.

Demeter continued his Venezuelan power surge back in the States for the AA Texas League Fort Worth Cats. Don went on a tear in the 1956 season. He hit home runs on four consecutive days from April 24 to 27, and six in his last seven games, a new league record. On May 20, he had a 5 hit day that included his 10th home run of the season in a 17–4 victory over San Antonio. Don finished the year with 41 home runs and 128 RBI, both second only to minor league journeyman Ken Guettler, who had 143 runs batted in and shattered the Texas League record for home runs with 62. He also was very busy in center field for the Cats, leading the league in putouts with 442. Demeter was selected to the Texas League All-Star Team, receiving a scroll and a $100 check. Fort Worth General Manager Spencer Harris compared him to an all-time great, saying, "He's ahead of Duke Snider at a similar stage in Duke's development."

Don played his first major league game on September 18, 1956, pinch hitting in the bottom of the 3rd inning for pitcher Roger Craig. He struck out against St. Louis Cardinals hurler Vinegar Bend Mizell, taking all three strikes looking. Mizell and Demeter later became very close Christian friends. Don got over his rookie jitters the next day against the Cards, hitting a 2-1 pitch off Don Liddle into the left field stands to contribute to a 17-2 victory. Demeter finished the season 1 for 3.

He didn't compete for the Dodgers in the 1956 World Series, but did join the team for a playing tour through Japan. In the 18 game series, the Dodgers went 14-4 with Demeter hitting above .300 and five home runs, just one behind the team leaders Gil Hodges and Duke Snider. During the tour, Dodgers Vice President Buzzie Bavasi named Demeter as one of the stars ready for the Majors. The Dodgers were offered $750,000 for Demeter and five other prospects, but the offer was turned down. On November 2, Bavasi announced that Demeter would be one of the prospects invited to an early tryout training camp at Vero Beach, Florida the next February. National League president Warren Giles gave Don very high praise, saying that he, "should make the grade as a regular with the Dodgers next season. He played outstanding ball in Japan." Brooklyn President Walter O'Malley announced during the Japan tour his plans to move Duke Snider over to left field to make room for Demeter in center.

Before the 1957 season, Demeter was rated as one of the top 8 rookie prospects in February in a poll conducted by 12 major league organizations. On January 12, he signed his contract to play with the Dodgers for the year. In an exhibition rematch of last year's World Series, the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees 1-0 in 11 innings after Demeter hit a double and later in the inning scored on a wild throw by Gil McDougald as he ran to third. Overall, Don failed to impress during spring training and was cut by the Dodgers on March 31 and subsequently optioned to the AAA St. Paul Saints of the American Association.

Don started the season very strong, hitting .350 with 35 RBI and a league-leading 12 home runs through June 5. On July 4, Demeter helped his team improbably overcome an 8-1 deficit by hitting three home runs to help the Saints beat the Minneapolis Millers 9-8. Two days later, he was selected to the American Association all-star team on July 6, 1957. He was one of only four unanimous picks by the league's broadcasters and writers.

On July 14, Demeter had to leave a game after severely pulling a tendon in his left hand. Still hurt, Don returned on August 2 to pinch hit a game-winning double in the 10th inning to beat Louisville 3-2. However, the injury still severely limited Demeter's play all the way to September.

By season's end, Demeter's numbers were down from last year, but still highly productive. His 28 home runs were good enough for 3rd in the league, he was 5th in OPS with a mark of .940, 3rd in steals with 13, and 3rd in slugging percentage at .562. Don finished the season with 86 RBI and a .309 batting average in 134 games. He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on September 29 after being voted to the all AAA team. Dodger VP Bavasi recalled Demeter from St. Paul after his minor league team was eliminated from the Association playoffs, but once he learned that Don was one of the players selected to the team, he told Demeter to go to Hollywood instead.