My Teammate made it to the Majors
“It didn’t matter how long Johnny spent in the bigs - he made it. He could have thrown just one pitch and we’d still be talking about it. That’s pretty awesome.”
“Seeing John make it to the big leagues was really special. It’s almost like we were all there, and he was pitching for us. We were so proud of him.”
Before Ed Neary passed away, he shared so many stories and memories about baseball. One of the best times of his life was playing ball in high school for the Jefferson High School Eagles in the late 1950’s. Ed was a strong third baseman and outstanding pitcher in his own right. The team was full of talented guys, but one had something special.
When you are in the moment, you never really think about anything but the game or team in front of you. You look at your teammates as friends and peers, all working toward the same goal. But deep down you know - this guy has just a little more zip on his fastball. Just that much more break on his curve. And man, it seems like he just paints the corners of the plate.
John’s Pro Debut:
John Nolan Purdin was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Purdin was born in Lynx, Ohio. He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers before the start of the 1964 season. He made his debut on September 16, 1964, throwing two innings of no-hit ball in relief against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Fun story:
In the minors, Purdin threw a perfect game against Lexington in 1964. The game went seven innings, on the backend of a doubleheader. During warmups, he pegged his usual starting catcher, Butch Johnson, in the eye. Jim Connor came in from third base to replace him for the night, and Ed Knipple moved to third. Purdin struck out 11 batters in the perfect outing, with Knipple driving in the only run of the game.
John Purdin passed away in Charleston, South Carolina, at the age of 67. His time in the majors was brief, but the impression he left in southern Ohio and Jefferson High, the LA Dodgers, and Butch Johnson’s eye the lasted a lifetime.
“Seeing John make it to the big leagues was really special. It’s almost like we were all there, and he was pitching for us. We were so proud of him.”
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