Don Demeter - Personal

Personal

Don is the son of Lewis and Aileen Demeter, the third of four children. His foster father, George Stevens, was a Superintendent for Sunday school in Oklahoma City at the Exchange Avenue Baptist Church. As a junior in high school in 1950, he met his future wife Betty Jo Madole at the Exchange Avenue Baptist Church during a social event. They married on May 17, 1957 and had a son, Russell Don Demeter, on January 26, 1959. Todd Demeter, Don's son, was a second round draft pick of the New York Yankees in 1979. Todd played four seasons in the Yankees farm system and two with the St. Louis Cardinals, but never advanced past Class AA. Two of his grandchildren, Cole and Caden Cleveland, were stars at Christian Heritage Academy with All-State honors, and are currently set to play Division 1 college baseball at Morehead State in Kentucky.

After winning the World Series with the Dodgers in 1959, Demeter returned home to Oklahoma City to spend the winter as a youth director at a Baptist church. In Oklahoma City, he lived near neighbor Washington Senators catcher Mike Brumley, who often accompanied Demeter to church appearances several nights a week throughout Oklahoma and Texas throughout the years, as well as a special series of church meetings in Alaska in 1966. In the aftermath of his career-best 1962 season, Don toured on a team put together by Willie Mays, was a speaker at church functions across five states, and finally in February 1963 went on a church-sponsored tour of Japan along with Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson. The tour was sponsored by the Texas Baptist Convention in order to participate in what was referred to as the "New Life Campaign". They gave Christian testimonies to locals and spoke to Japanese professional baseball players. Before leaving, they held a news conferenece, emphasizing their goals in their trip to Japan. They said, "We are two Christians from the United States. We are here to present our witness for Christ."

Demeter did not drink, smoke, or curse during his baseball career. He also rejected endorsement deals for advertising alcohol and tobacco products.

Once his baseball career was over, Don returned home to Oklahoma to start a pool-building business and later became a preacher. In 1973, Don became president of the minor league Oklahoma City 89ers.

Demeter entered a political race in 1976 as a Republican, losing a bid for a seat in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.