Ken Holtzman pitched in the big leagues for 14 years, winning 174 games on the strength of a sterling career ERA of 3.49, while striking out 1,601 batters, hurling for the Cubs, A’s, Yankees and Orioles.  Born and raised in St. Louis, Ken and my oldest brother Del Jr. were on the same path throughout their developmental years, as they matriculated through the local amateur baseball scene.

Ken attended University City High School, graduating in 1963, while Del Jr. excelled in both academics and sports at St. Louis U. High, also earning his diploma in ’63. Both players went on to Big 10 colleges, with Ken attending the University of Illinois while Del became a Boilermaker at Purdue, and both made their mark in the classroom as well as on the field.

Throughout their childhoods, their parallel paths in the St. Louis amateur baseball scene were eerily the same, and through the years they not only became acquaintances, but friends as well. Both ended up being selected in the 1965 MLB draft (Ken by the Cubs, Del by the Phillies).  To this day, Ken considers our father, Del Wilber Sr., to have been the first scout who “discovered” him. Big Del attempted to sign Ken to a Twins’ contract out of high school, but as you’ll see below Ken instead headed off to Champaign, Ill., to get his college degree.

Recently, thanks to TPGF, Del Jr. and Ken were able to make contact again, catching up on many of the memories they will forever cherish and never forget.

The following segment is Ken Holtzman’s recent email to Del Jr., after their “reconnection” decades after their playing days were over.

We hope you enjoy this brief trip down Memory Lane, as written by a ballplayer who made it to the top.

Bob Wilber

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Del:  I just got your correspondence about your new organization and was impressed by your efforts in creating something so important and long overdue.  As you know, I have fond memories of your mother and father going back many years.

It seems like only yesterday that your dad took me up to Bloomington, Minn. to pitch batting practice to the Twins, and I was shaking in my boots when I had to pitch to Mincher, Killebrew, Allison, Rollins, et al.  But, your dad  calmed me down long enough to get the ball over the plate and then he took me up to Mr. Brophy’s office to talk about signing a contract.  My father, unfortunately, turned it down in favor of a grant-in-aid to the University of Illinois but, I think, ultimately it was the right decision.

After getting my bachelor’s and master’s degrees years later, I often wondered what would have happened if I had signed with the Twins that day.  I was fortunate, however, to have played in many World Series games with some great teams so I think it worked out okay for me.

I also remember being on your mom’s radio show at the KMOX studio on Hampton Ave., and being so nervous (it was my first time on radio) your mom had to calm me down in order to talk clearly.  She was the nicest lady and I know she was proud of all her kids who turned out so well. I still live in the St. Louis area (Grover) and occasionally I wander into Kirkwood near your old house or drive past SLUH when I eat dinner in the city, and I remember all the good times we had.  I firmly believe that the high level of competition that existed in the amateur leagues that we sprang from was directly responsible for any success I had in the Major Leagues.  From Khoury League and American Legion to high school and college ball, when you were at Purdue and I was at U of I, we got to play at a high level at an early age.

My memories of those years are just as vivid as my experiences in the Majors and probably just as important.  My father has been gone now for many years and my mother (now 88) is in a nursing home with Alzheimer’s.  I know they’d be very happy that we were able to re-connect and I hope you’ll keep me posted with the progress of your new endeavor.   I hope this note finds you well and that you are successful in all your efforts.

Ken Holtzman