A couple of times a week, I stop at the Big River Shell Station on Belle Terre Boulevard. It’s always between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., because I enjoy a group of men who gather there daily to have coffee.

The group includes “Buddy” Bailey (The Andouille King of LaPlace), Larry St. Amant, Mike Sistruck, Sammy Duhon, Simmie East, Doug Matherne, Rev. Vernon Alexander (Pastor of St. Peter Baptist Church in Edgard), Albert Lipps and James “Popsicle” Poche.

Larry, “Buddy” and I are the oldest in the group. Our group discussions are usually about politics, sports, family and church.  

Larry talks most about sports and his experiences while playing at Destrehan High School. He was a good athlete, but not as good as he thinks he was.

His best friend, Mike, suggested I write an article about Larry. I said I would and the title would be: “Larry St. Amant, a legend in his own mind.” We all laughed, including Larry.

In doing a little research, I learned a lot in a short time about a man I’ve known all my life. He lettered in four sports at Destrehan High School — football, baseball, basketball and track.  

At the age of 15, he played on the Destrehan 1949 State Championship Football Team. He enjoyed all sports, but baseball was, and still is, his love.  

After graduating from Destrehan High School in 1952, he later played professional baseball with New Iberia in the Evangeline League.  

He was employed at Shell Oil in Norco and, shortly after being hired, was drafted in the Army and served his country in Korea.  

He and his wife, Carolyn (now deceased), were married for 48 years and had four children: Mark, Kevin, Craig and Kent.

Since his wife’s death seven years ago, he visits her gravesite every day.

“It’s just a habit,” he said, “and I get to think a lot about our lives.”

The St. Amant family was well known and respected in St. Charles Parish.  

Larry has two brothers, Lou — who coached baseball at ULM for over 20 years and is in the university’s Hall of Fame — and Erick, the youngest, now retired, was also a good athlete.

Larry said that Lou was the best of the three.

Getting back to his love of baseball, I said to Larry, “I remember one of the best high school games I’ve ever seen. You were pitching against Reserve and “Chin” Clement, a pretty good pitcher himself, beat you 1-0 when Oswald Duhe hit a home run.”

“No, we won that game!”

Well, being the peacemaker that I am, I didn’t argue, but, believe me, Reserve won 1-0. After all, if Larry is a legend in his own mind, it’s his history. If he thinks he won, that’s OK, but I know differently.

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477 or e-mail: hkeller@comcast.net.