Any good baseball historian knows why John Picconi would look at hitting a foul ball as one of his best memories from his playing days.
When the opposing pitcher was Bob Feller, it was looked at as an achievement to just get your bat on the ball. The faceoff that stands out in Picconi’s memory occurred at Merchants Park, Denver’s old wooden baseball stadium on South Broadway, in the post-World War II era.
It was a time when major-league baseball players went on barnstorming tours. Feller, the fireballer of the Cleveland Indians staff, was at the height of his career. He posted 26 victories and struck out 348 batters in 1946 and won 20 games in 1947.
The normal barnstorming routine featured either two teams of major-league players facing each other or a team of big-leaguers playing local all-star teams. Picconi was a member of the local all-stars.
“About all I could do was stand up there,” Picconi remembered of his at-bats against Feller. “He (Feller) didn’t spare any horses, but I did get a foul ball.”
Picconi recalled that the barnstorming team also included pitcher Johnny Sain of the Boston Braves and outfielder Charlie Keller of the New York Yankees.
“I caught a line drive in center field off of Charlie Keller that almost took my glove off,” Picconi recalled.
That time in Denver’s baseball history was just before Sen. Edwin C. Johnson of Colorado helped convene the Single-A Western League, with the Denver Bears taking membership in 1947. Before the Bears, the featured baseball in Denver was The Denver Post Tournament and the Victory League, with teams from military bases that featured players with big-league experience. Picconi played in The Post Tournament for a team called the Greeley Quarterbacks.
“Denver used to be a one-horse town, and in some ways I wish it still was,” Picconi said. “There have been a lot of changes since those days.”
But his love for baseball hasn’t changed. Picconi, 85, helped coach the Regis University baseball team for 16 seasons during two terms. He accepted an invitation from head coach Del Petersen in 1989, and after sitting out a couple of seasons in the late 1990s, he still is going strong on coach Dan McDermott’s staff.
But there’s a bigger challenge in Picconi’s life. He’s recovering from surgery for stomach cancer. He hopes to rejoin the Rangers on the field for the upcoming postseason.
McDermott noted his hitting and bench coach remains upbeat.
“They told him he’d have to eat six or seven smaller meals a day instead of two or three large meals,” McDermott said. “He said that pasta six times a day sounded pretty good to him.”
Picconi came out of Denver’s north side at about the same time as pitcher Virgil Jester and infielder Pat Haggerty. All three played minor- league baseball, with Jester and Haggerty seeing time with the Bears.
After his professional baseball days, Picconi came back to Denver and became a standout in the city’s fast-pitch softball league at City Park. He called his new sport “pumpkin ball.”
“I always was a pretty good hitter and I could bunt pretty well,” Picconi said. “I played in seven World Softball Tournaments in Clearwater, Fla.”
The brand of softball at City Park was high quality. Picconi played for the Public Service team in a league that featured Art Unger, Alex Risoli, Al Larson, Jack Gray, George Bruno and pitchers Larry Bollig and Harvey Sterkel.
“We played a 23-inning game in a tournament in Bridgeport, Conn., where Sterkel pitched all 23 innings, struck out 35, and we lost 4-3,” Picconi said.
Picconi’s era in Denver’s sports scene could be traced by the names of the time. He played for coaches B.O. Moles at Denver North and Pete Butler at Colorado State Teachers College in Greeley. John Karamigios was establishing himself as the Galloping Greek from Cherry Creek at Denver West High School and later at the University of Denver. Unger, Bollig and Sterkel were making the headlines from the softball games at City Park.
“We now have every sport you can imagine in Denver,” Picconi said. “It’s hard to believe. I’ve always enjoyed the game of baseball. I really have never tired of it.”
Picconi bio
Born: July 16, 1922, in Denver
High school: Denver North, 1940-42
College: Colorado State Teachers College
Military: Coast Guard
Family: Wife Anita; sons Dave, Donald and Mark; daughter Donna
Hobbies: Yardwork, gardening
Wishes: Maintaining friendships and memories
