Roosevelt High School Baseball

Bruce was an extremely athletic baseball and basketball player for the Roughriders in the early '50's. At 6'9" he is perhaps the tallest player to ever wear the Roosevelt colors in baseball competition.

Growing up in the Greenlake area, Bruce attributes his interest in sports to an athletic mother and a father who was very interested in competitive athletics. Bruce playing in an era before Little League, remembers most of his early baseball experience coming with Boy's Club teams, and teams sponsored by other civically minded groups.

Tragedy struck Bruce at the age of 12 when his father suddenly died. From that point on he was determined to be a good athlete; in a sense using sports as a way to memorialize his father. He remembers spending many hours alone working on both basketball and baseball skills, always striving for perfection in the execution of each drill. Bruce credits this determination for laying the foundation for his later success.

Bruce originally matriculated at Lincoln High School. Once enrolled at Lincoln he soon discovered that neither the basketball nor baseball coaches thought highly of his athletic prowess. Frustrated by the gap in perceived athletic ability, Bruce after talking to an aunt, discovered that he actually lived within the Roosevelt boundary. Using this information, he transferred to Roosevelt at the beginning of his Junior baseball season.

Bruce started his Roosevelt career as a first baseman. One day while tossing the ball from 1st base to home, Coach Harney noticed that Bruce was throwing a natural screwball. (A screwball is a curve ball that breaks in the opposite direction.) Coach Harney decided on the spot that Bruce was now a pitcher.

Bruce went 8-1 during his Senior Rider season, relying on a strong fastball and a big breaking curve. Two of his wins were very satisfying no-hit and one-hit victories over Lincoln. One of his most memorable wins was over Cleveland and their ace pitcher Dick Minnis, a player later enjoying a nice pro career. Bruce credits any baseball success he had at Roosevelt to Coach Harney. Bruce states, "The coach believed in me and gave me the opportunity. I will always admire and respect him."

One summer Bruce played for an Elks Club sponsored semi-pro team. This team traveled around Washington playing other teams manned by top high school players, and players with college and pro experience. Bruce recalls pitching either three or four no hitters during that one summer. Babe Barberis, a well-known coach in the area at that time, coached the team.

After leaving Roosevelt Bruce signed a pro contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He signed for a $20,000 bonus (about three years salary for the average worker at that time), and $500 a month. Bruce played with Phoenix in the old Arizona-Mexico League, going 14 and 3 in his rookie pro season. He then played with Waco in the Big State League, and with Lincoln, Nebraska before moving up to the AAA Hollywood Stars in the PCL. Bruce's pro career came to end after 4 ½ years when he developed arm trouble.

Following his baseball career Bruce enrolled and graduated from the University of Washington. Today, Bruce lives in the Redmond area and is the Western Region Business Development Director for Sales and Marketing for the Roman Meal Co.