Stephen Demeter (January 27, 1935 – February 3, 2013) was an American professional baseball player and
scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
**Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
**Scouts BSA, sectio ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
as a
third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball or softball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. In the scoring system us ...
for two seasons.
Career
Demeter played for the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
in 1959. Prior to the 1960 season he was traded to the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
for
Norm Cash
Norman Dalton Cash (November 10, 1933 – October 11, 1986) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. A power hitter, his 377 career home runs were the fourth most by an America ...
. The trade turned out to be one of the most lop-sided trades in Major League Baseball history, as Demeter played only four games for the Indians before being returned to the minor leagues, from which he never returned. Cash went on to win the 1961 AL batting championship and was one of the top sluggers of the 1960s, hitting 377 career home runs.
Demeter was a fixture of the
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field ...
teams of the mid- to late 1960s, hitting 272 minor league home runs in his long career, and has been inducted into both the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame, in 1990, and the
International League Hall of Fame
The International League Hall of Fame is an American baseball hall of fame which honors players, managers, and executives of the International League (IL). It was created by the International League Baseball Writers' Association in 1947 to honor t ...
, in 2009.
He served one year (in ) as a
coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
with the MLB
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
, working at first base through June 13, and then as bench coach, and also managed for nine seasons in the Pirates'
farm system
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
, at the helm of the
Sherbrooke Pirates
The Sherbrooke Pirates (French language, French: ''les Pirates de Sherbrooke'') was the name of a Canada, Canadian minor league baseball franchise in the Double-A Eastern League (1938–2020), Eastern League representing Sherbrooke, Québec, that e ...
(1972),
Salem Pirates
Salem may refer to: Places
Canada
Ontario
* Bruce County
** Salem, Arran–Elderslie, Ontario, in the municipality of Arran–Elderslie
** Salem, South Bruce, Ontario, in the municipality of South Bruce
* Salem, Dufferin County, Ontario, part ...
(1973; 1976–77),
Charleston Charlies
The Charleston Charlies were a Triple-A minor league baseball team located in Charleston, West Virginia. Two separate Charlies franchises played in the International League from 1971 to 1983. The team was the relocated Columbus Jets. In 1977 the ...
(1974–75),
Shreveport Captains
The Shreveport Captains (1971–2000) and Shreveport Swamp Dragons (2001–02) were a professional minor-league baseball team based in Shreveport, Louisiana. They were affiliated with the California Angels (1971–72), Milwaukee Brewers (1973–74 ...
(1978), and
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons (known colloquially as the Herd) are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. Located in Buffalo, New York, the team plays their home games at Sahlen Fiel ...
(1979–80). He also was a roving instructor and scout for the Bucs.
Personal life
Demeter's grandson,
Derek Dietrich
Derek Richard Dietrich (born July 18, 1989) is an American professional baseball second baseman and outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins, Cincinnati Reds and Texas Rangers. ...
, is a professional baseball player.
[Star News Online]
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References
External links
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demeter, Steve
1935 births
2013 deaths
Augusta Tigers players
Baseball players from Pennsylvania
Birmingham Barons players
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) managers
Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players
Charleston Senators players
Cleveland Indians players
Denver Bears players
Detroit Tigers players
Durham Bulls players
Leones del Caracas players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Major League Baseball third basemen
Minor league baseball managers
People from Homer City, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh Pirates coaches
Pittsburgh Pirates scouts
Rochester Red Wings players
San Diego Padres scouts
Sherbrooke Pirates players
Syracuse Chiefs players
Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players
Tulsa Oilers (baseball) players
Wausau Timberjacks players