I was invited this past week to attend the Valero American Legion Baseball Banquet. The team, based at Destrehan High School, is coached by Marty Luquet and sponsored by American Legion Post 366.

When I arrived, the program listed Mr.

Lenny Yochim as the guest speaker. Being a

fan of Lenny Yochim when he played with

the New Orleans Pelicans in the late 1940s

and early 1950s, I enjoyed speaking to him during the meal. I asked him about

some of the players that played with the Pelicans during his time.

When he addressed the crowd, he held the interest of everyone, especially the young baseball hopefuls. He shared how he played American Legion baseball with three different teams in three years.

He went to Jesuit High School and later transferred to Holy Cross. He played major league baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1951 – 1954. He then played four years in Venezuela and pitched the first no-hitter in that league.

When Lenny played baseball, it was truly the great American pastime. In 1947, the Pelicans drew over 400,000 fans. Truly an incredible statistic.

He recalled playing in an exhibition game against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets

Field. While there, he met a young, rather small, left-handed pitcher named Whitey Ford. Ford was late for a meal after a game, and Lenny asked him what happened. “The New York Yankees just gave me a contract,” he said. “How much did you get?” someone asked. “$500,” Ford answered.

Whitey Ford is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame. He pitched for the Yankees during some of their glory days.

Lenny also remembered Paul Petit, the first $100,000 Major League Bonus Baby signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who pitched his first game as a Pelican.

Lenny later worked at Shell Oil in Norco and played on their semi-pro team in the River Parish League.

As Mr. Yochim ended his interesting talk, I turned to my friend, Steven Weber, principal of Destrehan High School, and said, “I’m reminded of an old African proverb that says, ‘When an old man dies, a whole library is buried with him.’”

Lenny Yochim, a New Orleans legend who retired as a baseball scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2002, said, “Baseball, the once great American pastime, was good to me.”

I think it worked both ways. Lenny was good for baseball.

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