At the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame inductions Tuesday night, former major leaguer and 2007 inductee Denny Neagle opened his speech with a joke and had the distinguished crowd in stitches. From there, however, Neagle went through a rollercoaster of emotion, touching upon a very personal episode.
“We had an unfortunatetragedy last summer in our family,” Neagle said in his induction speech. “We lost my 5-year old nephew in a drowning accident.”
Connor Freed, 5, drown last summer in Anne Arundel County.
“It reminds me what sports are all about. We try to put on a good show ? but going through the tragedy that my family has gone through, it reminds us that life is too precious,” Neagle said. “We?re never guaranteed tomorrow.”
With a number of friends and family in the audience at Michael?s Eighth Avenue Tuesday night, Neagle recognized his sister Debbie, and her husband Tom, as his heroes.
“For me, she?s one of the best heroes that you could ever have. She?s been so strong through this ordeal,” the emotional Neagle said. “As athletes, people look up to you and put you on a pedestal ? but my sister Debbie is one of my heroes, too.”
The left-handed Neagle pitched 13 years in the majors, compiling a 124-92 career record with six major league teams. At 34, he retired after the 2003 season with an array of injuries, but not before he won 20 games with Atlanta in 1997, earning his second All-Star Game appearance. He also hit five home runs in the National League.
Before going on to the University of Minnesota and eventually to the majors, Neagle pitched at Arundel High in Anne Arundel County .
“Out of Arundel High School, he?s clearly the No. 1 guy to move onto the big leagues,” said legendary Arundel coach and State Hall of Famer Bernie Walter before Tuesday?s ceremony. “He?s been fortunate enough to accomplish those things. I?m elated that he?s going into the Hall of Fame.”
In his speech, Neagle recognized his son Trey, 7, whom he called “a future right-handed pitcher.”
The ideal scenario for him, though, would be able to see both Trey and his nephew on the mound.
“I would love to be talking 20 years from now about how great a pitcher he was,” Neagle said. “If there?s one thing that he did remind me of, it?s that we need to hold onto those precious moments and tell those you love that you love them.”
THE NEAGLE FILE
» Age: 38
» Position: Pitcher
» Throws: Left
» Residence: Colorado
» Did you know? Neagle?s parents, Joanne and Denny, Sr. were in attendance at Tuesday?s induction ceremony … Neagle was the Minnesota Twins third-round pick in the 1989 draft … Neagle pitched for Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York-AL, and Colorado.
