Dennis Lewallyn

From 1975 through 1982, Dennis Lewallyn pitched in parts of eight seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, and Cleveland Indians. The 6-foot-4 righty totaled a year and a half of major league service time, going 4-4 in 34 games. “I threw a sinker, slider, change-up; did not throw a lot of pitches in a game,” said Lewallyn of himself.1 Since his playing days ended, he has been employed as a minor league pitching coach or coordinator in various franchises.

Dennis Dale Lewallyn was born in Pensacola, Florida, on August 11, 1953. He was the fourth child of Alfred T. Lewallyn Jr. (a native of Anniston, Alabama) and Johnnie Mae Lewallyn, née Hall (originally from around Atmore, Alabama). Lewallyn’s three older sisters were Gwen (born in December 1949), Susan (born in July 1951), and Brenda (born in August 1952). The sisters did not spoil their baby brother, who noted “they were actually mean to me.”2

The senior Lewallyn served on an aircraft carrier with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during World War II. He played baseball on a service team. After the war, he was an aircraft mechanic and signal man at a Pensacola Naval Air Rework Facility (NARF). Johnnie Mae worked at Western Union in Pensacola. Baseball was quite popular in Pensacola in World War II. Herman Franks, an instructor in the Naval Aviation program there, recalled the enthusiasm of local fans when he caught for the 1942 Pensacola Fliers, the Naval Air Station (NAS) team, against college teams and service clubs. Franks also managed Ted Williams in Pensacola in 1944; this NAS team competed against the Corpus Christi NAS squad, featuring Johnny Sain.3  

Dennis Lewallyn loved the New York Yankees and his favorite big-leaguers were Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. He had a supportive family, telling author Scott Brown, “We had enough and didn’t lack, but we had to work for everything we got.”4 Lewallyn pitched in youth baseball, including PONY League, but was not the star pitcher of any one team.

The coach who influenced him the most was Fred Waters, who strongly suggested that Lewallyn not go out for football at Pensacola High School. “When I approached Coach Waters with the idea of playing tight end, he told me, ‘You’ll get killed playing football; your future is in baseball,’” said Lewallyn.5 Waters managed the Minnesota Twins Gulf Coast League team during summers, and scouted for the Twins. Shortly after Lewallyn’s sophomore season (1969), Waters managed Bert Blyleven in the Gulf Coast League. When Blyleven and Lewallyn were teammates on the 1981 Cleveland Indians, Blyleven told Lewallyn that “Fred Waters was the best pitching coach I ever had.”6

Lewallyn wowed the scouts at Escambia High School in Pensacola, which he wound up attending from his freshman through senior seasons. Scouts came to Escambia Gator games to watch Lewallyn and teammate Preston Hanna pitch in the early 1970s. The year after Lewallyn graduated, the 1972 Escambia Gators won Florida’s Class 4A title.7

The Atlanta Braves initially drafted Lewallyn in the third round (56th overall pick) of the June 1971 major-league draft out of Escambia High. However, he opted to attend Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida. Lewallyn was the second ex-Chipola player to reach the majors. Terry Enyart (two games for the 1974 Montreal Expos) was the first. As of the end of the 2019 season, 22 more had followed, including José Bautista, Russell Martin, Patrick Corbin, and Tyler Flowers.

Ellis G. Dungan coached Lewallyn at Chipola in 1972. “Dennis was a tall, rangy kid,” recalled Dungan. “He had an outstanding high school coach…Waters was one of the best pitching guys in the business. When I got Dennis, he needed to fill out physically and I helped teach him how to compete, but Fred Waters already taught him a lot and Dennis had good mechanics and was becoming an outstanding competitor.”8

The Dodgers selected Lewallyn in the first round (eighth overall) of the January 1972 draft (secondary phase). “I signed for a $20,000 bonus after our Junior College state tournament ended in Winter Haven, Florida,” said Lewallyn. “Scout Dale Jones of the Dodgers got my signature at the Holiday Inn in Winter Haven. The Dodgers let me have one season of college pitching experience.”9  

Lewallyn moved up quickly as a starter in the Dodgers’ minor league system from 1972 through 1974. He began with Daytona Beach in the Class A Florida State League.  He was 11-6 with a 3.70 ERA for the West champions, managed by Stan Wasiak and Bob Shaw. “John Hale was my catcher,” said Lewallyn. “Iván de Jesús and José Baez played shortstop and second base.” Greg Heydeman was the only other pitcher with Daytona Beach to reach the majors, with one appearance for Los Angeles in 1973.

For 1973, Lewallyn moved up to the high Class A California League. With the Bakersfield Dodgers, he got off to a bad start but ended 11-12 with a 3.86 ERA, in a team-leading 175 innings. Again his team reached their league’s finals but lost. Lewallyn recalled that Dennis Eckersley pitched for the Reno Silver Sox.10

Getting another promotion in 1974, Lewallyn pitched for Waterbury in the Eastern League. He went 7-10, 4.30 in 23 starts. He showed rather good control (43 walks in 138 innings). Future big-league managers Terry Collins and Jim Riggleman were Waterbury teammates and friends. Riggleman was Lewallyn’s roommate. Another teammate, Joe Simpson, became an Atlanta Braves broadcaster.

The most important day in Lewallyn’s life was November 23, 1974, when he married Kathryn Ann Deal—his high school sweetheart—in Pensacola. The blessed marriage produced two offspring—David, born in 1978; and, Bryan, born in 1982. David is a real estate agent in Pensacola, while Bryan coaches the Pensacola State College baseball team. Bryan complimented his dad as follows: “He loves and provided for our family very much; he is incredibly hard-working and loyal, and honest! Most that know him professionally would say the same things about him. They would also tell you he has an incredible sense of humor.”11

Again Lewallyn showed enough to continue his rise through the ranks. His 1975 season with Class AAA Albuquerque was solid—13-10, 3.90 ERA. He was called up to the Dodgers in September, and pitched three scoreless innings in two relief outings. In his debut on September 21, he retired all six Astros he faced at the Astrodome, including César Cedeño and José “Cheo” Cruz in the eighth. Lewallyn and Red Adams, the Dodgers pitching coach, had a funny exchange after the seventh inning, as related in Scott Brown’s 2013 book Baseball in Pensacola. “‘You got another inning in you,’ inquired Adams, who asked Lewallyn what his best pitch was. Dennis said, ‘Sinking fastball.’ Adams, within close range of catcher Steve Yeager, exclaimed, ‘So why don’t you throw it?’ Yeager kept asking Lewallyn for different pitches, so he yielded to Yeager. Adams yelled, ‘Aw, don’t listen to him. He’s just calling off that pitch ’cause he can’t hit it himself.’” Brown wrote, “Yeager hit the roof; Lewallyn got a chuckle and settled into his work.”12

During the winter of 1975-76, Lewallyn pitched for Zulia (based in the city of Maracaibo) in the Venezuelan League. Dodgers general manager Al Campanis sent him there along with Greg Shanahan. Lewallyn recalled, “First year, I lived in a three-bedroom condo near a supermarket…next year (1976-77) in a hotel with a restaurant. Travel was tough—eight-hour bus ride to Caracas, so we would fly to Caracas with seven- to eight-day road trips. Wives would stay behind in Maracaibo. Luis Aparicio was my manager. We were paid in U.S. dollars but could exchange them, if needed.”13  Venezuela’s economy was driven by petroleum dollars and owners could pay good salaries.

Lewallyn and several U.S. teammates favored each other. If one had a good outing, they took credit for it after the game, but a bad performance meant “pointing to someone else,” he quipped. On the mound, he was 3-7 with a 3.46 ERA as Zulia finished 26-35, fifth of five teams.

Los Angeles kept Lewallyn at Albuquerque for most of 1976. He was 15-10 in 25 starts and 180 innings. The big club again made him a September call-up. Although the Dodgers finished with a solid 90-72 record, that was still 18 games behind Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine.” The first of Lewallyn’s two starts that year came at Atlanta on September 18. He went 6 2/3 innings in a 5-2 loss, striking out two and walking one. Tom Paciorek, Lewallyn’s 1975 teammate with Albuquerque and Los Angeles, homered off him.

Lewallyn got his first big-league win in the Dodgers’ 160th game, at home versus San Diego on October 1. He pitched seven scoreless frames, which lowered his ERA to 2.16. He fanned one and walked as the Dodgers won, 8-1.

Lewallyn pitched part of 1976-77 in Venezuela, going 1-1, 2.70 ERA in six regular season games, with one start for 35-29 Zulia.14  He had two walks in 20 innings, and returned for the postseason, pitching in relief as Zulia lost to the Magallanes Navigators in the semis.

The Albuquerque-Los Angeles shuttle continued in 1977 as Lewallyn logged 175 innings at AAA, going 13-12. Teammates Joe Simpson, Henry Cruz, and Danny Walton were also stuck at AAA, as the parent team won the NL West and pennant. Lewallyn went 3-1, 4.24 with one save for Tom Lasorda. His comments on Lasorda were: “What you see is what you get,” but “Alston was quiet, spoke to you in a fatherly manner.”15

The save was a four-inning stint on September 28, 1977, versus San Francisco, allowing four hits, including a homer to Willie McCovey; John Montefusco was his lone strikeout victim. “The 1977 Dodgers pitchers got healthy…I did not pitch in the postseason…they did not have six-year free agency back then.”16

His final win of 1977 – and in the majors – came on September 30. After Lewallyn pitched a scoreless 14th inning at home versus Houston, Steve Garvey’s walk-off single gave L.A. a 6-5 win. Two days later, in the final regular season game, he blew a save and suffered his only loss for the Dodgers that year.

Lewallyn spent 1978 to 1980 pitching for Del Crandall in Albuquerque. He bonded with Crandall, one of the most sought-after skippers in baseball after managing the 1970 Albuquerque Dodgers to the Texas League championship.17  Lewallyn made 52 relief appearances for the 1978 Dukes, co-champions of the PCL with the Tacoma Yankees, and pitched two scoreless innings in one outing for the 1978 NL champion Dodgers. It came during a brief call-up at the end of July.

Lewallyn posted a 10-8 ledger for the 1979 Dukes, with 14 saves. He was 0-1, 5.11 ERA in seven relief appearances with Los Angeles in mid-season. His only decision was a 4-3 loss in relief at Shea Stadium on July 11, 1979, when John Stearns’ bases-loaded single drove in Lee Mazzilli with the tenth inning game-winner.

Crandall also managed Lewallyn in Dominican winter ball in the 1979-80 and 1980-81 seasons. Their team, Licey, won the pennant by going 40-19. The Tigers then disposed of the Estrellas Orientales, five games to one, in the league finals.

“That 1979-80 season was the one I enjoyed the most of winter ball,” said Lewallyn. “We had Leon Durham, Rudy Law, César Gerónimo, Jesús Alou, Dámaso García…Mike Scioscia, Mickey Hatcher.”18   Jerry Dybzinski, Licey’s shortstop, was league MVP, despite hitting .220 – he committed just three errors. “His nickname was ‘Jandao’ since he was bow-legged,” noted Lewallyn.19  

Lewallyn (7-5, 2.10 ERA) started 16 games, completing three, with one shutout. In 115.2 innings, he fanned 39, and walked just 12, helping keep his WHIP down to just 1.07. Licey’s team ERA was 2.25 with a 1.11 WHIP. Gerald Hannahs and Bill Swiacki were Licey’s other key starters going into the 1980 Caribbean Series, the regional tournament that pitted the region’s winter-ball champs against each other. This edition was held in Santo Domingo.

In Game Three, on February 4, 1980, Art Howe’s Bayamón (Puerto Rico) Cowboys were no match for Lewallyn. Howe noted that “Lewallyn’s win was “the decisive series game.”20   Dickie Thon, Bergman, Eliseo Rodríguez and other hitters were baffled by Lewallyn, who threw just 115 pitches in 10 innings. This effort showed toughness, tenacity and the ability to perform under pressure.21  “Del wanted to take me out after eight,” said Lewallyn. “Then, he wanted me out after nine, but I pitched the tenth…won it in the bottom half, 1-0.”22  Licey won the round-robin tourney, going 4-2. The Series All-Star Team included Lewallyn and five other Tigers.

Returning to Albuquerque in 1980, Lewallyn swung back to the bullpen for Crandall, making just one start in 54 appearances. He had a superb year, earning MVP honors in the PCL; 15-2 with a 2.13 ERA in 127 innings and earning 24 saves. Part of this was luck, claimed Lewallyn. “I’d make a good pitch and get a double play…make a bad pitch and still get a double play. Scioscia used to say I was the luckiest son of a gun alive.”23  He also said, “I was a pretty durable guy and the guys began to call me a good luck charm. I’d come in with us down by three or four runs in the eighth inning and get three outs, and then we’d score four or five in the ninth to pull it out.”24

Lewallyn was then traded. “We’re in Ogden Utah late in the 1980 season,” he recalled. “Del tells me, ‘As soon as we are mathematically eliminated, you are going to the Dodgers.’ We went on a win streak, in the second half, beat Tucson two games to none) in the playoffs, won a five-game series versus Hawaii.”25  On September 12, 1980, Crandall called Lewallyn into his office. The skipper said, “Bad news—you are no longer a Dodger. Good news—you were traded to the Texas Rangers.” Bill Russell had been hit by a pitch in Houston the night before and the Dodgers needed a shortstop. So they picked up Jesús “Pepe” Frías in exchange for Lewallyn. By coincidence, Frías was a Licey teammate in 1979-80 and part of 1980-81.

When Eddie Robinson, the Texas GM, got through to Lewallyn, he asked the pitcher, “When can you be in Arlington?” Lewallyn and his wife were in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, making a stop to rest at the home of in-laws, en route to Pensacola. Lewallyn surprised Robinson by stating, “I can be there in 30 minutes.”26

In four games with Texas, Lewallyn had no decisions and a 7.94 ERA in 5.2 innings. He then returned to Licey, pitching in 19 games (2-3, 2.15 ERA in 50.1 innings).27  The Tigers lost in the league semifinals that year; Lewallyn picked up their only win as a starter.

Lewallyn was the last player sent down by the Rangers in spring training 1981. “Jim Kern was a question mark, but started throwing 97 MPH and started the season with Texas,” he said. “Eddie Robinson told me, ‘I will get you back to the majors.’”28  With the Wichita Aeros (Class AAA American Association), Lewallyn was 8-5 with a 3.44 ERA and 25 saves in 52 games. He was a league All-Star, and Cleveland purchased his contract on August 25. His seven games with Cleveland showed an 0-0 record with a 5.40 ERA.

That winter, Lewallyn played ball in a new place for him: Puerto Rico. Rich Donnelly, his manager with Wichita, accepted the job of managing the Ponce Leones. However, Donnelly left for the States one month into the season, and Ed Nottle replaced him.29  The Lions finished third in the regular season with a mediocre record of 28-32—but caught fire in the postseason, defeating Santurce in the semifinals and Bayamón in the finals. Lewallyn’s 29 regular-season games in relief included eight saves and a 1.37 ERA. His two saves versus Santurce were a difference-maker in the semis, and he saved one more against Bayamón.

He then took part in his second Caribbean Series, held in Hermosillo, Mexico, February 4-9, 1982. Puerto Rico (3-3) finished second behind Venezuela. Lewallyn pitched two scoreless innings, one in each game he pitched. Lewallyn recalled how impressive Mexico’s Fernando Valenzuela looked in shutting out Puerto Rico in the series opener for both teams.30  Valenzuela was the lefty pitcher on the Series All-Star Team.

With Cleveland in 1982, Lewallyn made an Opening Day roster for the only time in the majors. His only decision for the Indians was a 9-8 loss to Milwaukee on April 13 in long relief. He pitched well after relieving Rick Sutcliffe in the fourth—5.2 innings, three hits, two strikeouts—only allowing Paul Molitor to score a 10th inning run. Lewallyn was ineffective in his three other Cleveland games. Thus he was sent to the Charleston (West Virginia) Charlies of the Class AAA International League, where he was 1-5 with a 4.24 ERA. Except for a brief comeback five years later, that ended his career in the U.S. minors.

However, Lewallyn returned to Ponce for the 1982-83 Ponce season. He was 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA in seven games for the Lions.31

Lewallyn’s winter experience became valuable in his tenure as a minor-league pitching coach and pitching coordinator with the Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves organizations. He has served in this capacity from 1983 to the present. “Winter ball helped me understand where they Venezuelan, Dominican, Puerto Rican players are coming from,” said Lewallyn. “There is the credibility factor; been there and done that…have a lot of Latin American friends in baseball.”32

Lewallyn spent 1983 to 1995 in different roles with the Dodgers minor-league system. They included pitching coach for Vero Beach and minor league pitching coordinator. He enjoyed being reunited with Stan Wasiak, his first manager in pro ball, when Wasiak led Vero Beach in 1983.

At age 33 in 1987, he briefly returned to the mound, getting into four contests for the San Antonio Dodgers (0-1, 1.23 ERA). Mike Devereaux, a San Antonio outfield prospect, recalled how that team only won 50 games and that its pitching staff “could use all the help it could get.”33

Ron Perranoski noted that thanks to Peter O’Malley, the Dodgers were a family-oriented and loyal organization during this era.34  Winning the World Series in 1988 was also special.

In 1996 Lewallyn was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks to be a pitching coach in their new minor-league system. He started with the Lethbridge (Alberta) Black Diamonds, managed by Chris Speier. Lewallyn served in 1997 as pitching coach of the South Bend Silver Hawks. Then the High Desert Mavericks benefited from his expertise in 1998.  Brad Penny (14 wins, 207 strikeouts) thrived under Lewallyn’s coaching. Buck Showalter, Arizona’s first manager for the 1998 big-league season, was aware of Lewallyn’s fine pitching from high school days, as well as his baseball acumen. Showalter had grown up in the Escambia County School District.

Lewallyn’s next stop in the Arizona chain was the El Paso Diablos (Class AA Texas League) from 1999 to 2001. Arizona’s win over the New York Yankees in the 2001 World Series was a mixed blessing for Lewallyn—disappointment in view of his fond memories growing up as an avid Yankee fan, but happy to be part of a second organization to become World Champions.

Next, Lewallyn put in a stint of nearly five years as Arizona’s minor league pitching coordinator from 2002 to 2006. It was interrupted midway through 2004, when Al Pedrique replaced Bob Brenly as D-Backs manager; Lewallyn became the big club’s bullpen coach.

Lewallyn then moved on to the Chicago Cubs organization. From 2007 to 2010, he was pitching coach for the Tennessee Smokies in the Class AA Southern League. “I’m a Southern boy and East Tennessee will be a good fit for me,” said Lewallyn upon joining. “I am excited to be with the Cubs organization; this will be my first year with them and I am looking forward to it.”35  He helped 22-year old pitcher Andrew Cashner for the 2009 Smokies, managed by Ryne Sandberg.

On July 29, 2009, Lewallyn was inducted into the Albuquerque Isotopes Hall of Fame, along with Tom Paciorek, Jesse Priest, and the 1972 Albuquerque Dukes. Lewallyn was Albuquerque’s career leader in wins (74), losses (52), saves (51), shutouts (7) and appearances (232).

Lewallyn served as the Cubs minor league pitching coordinator in 2011 and 2012. He was glad that Pensacola obtained a franchise (the Blue Wahoos) in the Class AA Southern League in 2012, and happy for their skipper, old friend Jim Riggleman.

Lewallyn’s association with the Atlanta Braves began in 2013, as pitching coach for the Class AA Mississippi Braves. He has held that role from 2013-16 and 2018-present; in 2017 he served with the Florida Fire Frogs (Advanced A).

Two former M-Braves pitchers, Touki Toussaint and Kyle Wright, each made their initial call to Lewallyn when making their big-league debut with Atlanta.36  “He (Lewallyn) pitched in a different generation from these kids, but he can still instill in them the right types of mentalities and prepare them,” said Chris Harris, the M-Braves’ director of communications and broadcasting. “These guys are still moldable at the Double-A level.”37

On February 1, 2019, Lewallyn attended a special ceremony in Pensacola honoring Ellis G. Dungan for his 19 years of coaching at Chipola and 36 years of scouting with Toronto, Houston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Buck Showalter was the master of ceremonies.

After 48 years in professional baseball, Lewallyn can still relate to today’s players. He talked about it with the Pensacola News Journal in June 2019. “Part of it is, I was there once,” he said. “It has been a long time ago but I was there once.”38  He continued to throw batting practice in 100-degree weather during the summer of 2019.

What Lewallyn most enjoys about being a pro baseball pitching coach is “watching guys get to the big leagues…continue their careers.” 39  His son Bryan neatly summarized his dad’s 37 pro seasons as a pitching coach and coordinator: “He is incredibly experienced, and is a very good communicator when teaching pitching and baseball,” adding, “He is passionate and proud of his guys and the work that they put in!” 40

Lewallyn serves on the Board of Directors of the Pensacola-based Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation, one devoted to baseball-related, educational, and service initiatives. He and Kathryn have been married for 45 years and reside in Pensacola.

Last revised: October 22, 2019

Acknowledgments 

Grateful acknowledgment to Dennis Lewallyn for June 29 and July 5, 2019 phone interviews. Bryan Lewallyn, Dennis’ younger son, shared insights on his dad via Twitter, July 8, 2019. Ellis G. Dungan, Lewallyn’s 1972 baseball coach at Chipola Junior College, spoke with the author via phone, July 5, 2019. Miguel Dupouy from Venezuela provided insights on the Venezuelan Winter League, 1975-77, via e-mail. Bill Nowlin furnished hyperlink-related suggestions. Author Scott Brown alerted the bio author to the Pensacola-based Mordecai Brown Legacy Foundation.

This biography was reviewed by Chris Rainey and Rory Costello and fact-checked by Alan Cohen.

Sources

Articles

Dan Shugart, Dennis Lewallyn comes home to Pensacola as pitching coach with Mississippi Braves, July 2, 2019. https://weartv.com/sports/wahoos/dennis-lewallyn-comes-home-to-pensacola-as-pitching-coach-with-mississippi-braves

Books

Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff (editors), Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, Third Edition, 2007.

Rafael Costas, Enciclopedia Béisbol Ponce Leones, Editora Corripio, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 1989.

Thomas E. Van Hyning, Puerto Rico’s Winter League, Jefferson, North Carolina, McFarland Publishers, 1995.

Online

https://www.abqjournal.com/229812/isotopes-to-go-retro-honor-hall-inductees-tonight.html

https://www.baseball-almanac.com/college/university_of_southern_mississippi_baseball_players.shtml   

https://www.baseball-reference.com/schools/?key_school=2d5e45bb

https://chicagocubsonline.com/archives/2011/12/cubsminors2012.php

http://chipolaathletics.com/sports/bsb/indiansinthepros

https://www.milb.com/albuquerque/fans/abq-baseball-hall-of-fame  https://www.milb.com/albuquerque/news/four-legends-inducted-into-abq-hall-of-fame/c-33514292

https://www.mordecaibrown.com/about/

https://msfame.com/rip-hall-of-famer-jim-peanuts-davenport/

www.pelotabinaria.com.ve      

http://wbdata2.winterballdata.com/

Notes

1 Dennis Lewallyn, phone interview with Tom Van Hyning, June 29, 2019 (hereafter Lewallyn interview #1).

2 Dennis Lewallyn, phone interview with Tom Van Hyning, July 5, 2019 (hereafter Lewallyn interview #2).

3 Herman Franks, phone interview with Tom Van Hyning, May 1999, and Scott Brown, Baseball in Pensacola: America’s Pastime & the City of Five Flags, Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2013.

4 Brown, Baseball in Pensacola: America’s Pastime & the City of Five Flags: 184.

5 Lewallyn interview #2. Fred Waters, from Benton, Mississippi, was a two-sport star (football-baseball) at Mississippi Southern College (now the University of Southern Mississippi), in 1947 and 1948.  Waters pitched for the 1955 and 1956 Pittsburgh Pirates, as a teammate of Roberto Clemente. His minor league pitching career included three seasons with Pensacola’s Class D team in the Alabama-Florida League—1960-61 Pensacola Angels, and 1962 Pensacola Senators. Waters, a lefty, led the loop with 197 strikeouts in 1961. He managed for 24 years in the minors, 12 of them with the 1975-1986 Elizabethton Twins in the Appalachian League.

6 Lewallyn interview #2.  

7 Bill Vilona, “Escambia High honor significant part of baseball past,” Pensacola News Journal, February 6, 2017.

8 Ellis G. Dungan, phone interview with Tom Van Hyning, July 5, 2019. He is proud of his five rings earned as a scout (1992-93 Blue Jays, 2005 Astros, and 2008-09 Phillies). Pensacola native Mark Whiten and Biloxi product Howard Battle were two of many players Dungan signed.

9 Lewallyn interview #2.

10 Lewallyn interview #1.

11 Bryan Lewallyn, direct tweet to Tom Van Hyning, July 8, 2019.  

12 Brown, Baseball in Pensacola: 147. 

13 Lewallyn interview #1.

14 Lewallyn’s complete regular season stats in Venezuela: 4 wins,-8 losses, 3.33 ERA; 23 games, 13 starts, three complete games, 116.1 innings, 134 hits, 40 strikeouts, 28 walks and a 1.393 WHIP.

15 Lewallyn interview #1.

16 Lewallyn interview #1.

17 Del Crandall SABR bio by Gregory H. Wolf. 

18 Lewallyn interview #1.

19 Lewallyn interview #1. Tom Lasorda managed Licey from 1972-76; Dodgers still sent prospects to Licey in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

20 Art Howe, in-person interview with Tom Van Hyning, Osceola County Stadium, Kissimmee, Florida, March 1992. 

21 Howe interview.

22 Lewallyn interview #1.

23 Lewallyn interview #2.

24 “Lewallyn Learned Dukes Lessons Well,” Albuquerque Journal, July 28, 2009 (https://www.abqjournal.com/229801/lewallyn-learned-dukes-lessons-well.html)

25 Lewallyn interview #1.

26 Lewallyn interview #1.

27 Lewallyn’s two-year Dominican League totals were 9-8 W-L, 2.11 ERA, 36 games, 19 starts, four complete games, two shutouts, two saves, 166 innings, 154 hits, 64 strikeouts, 24 walks, and a 1.133 WHIP.

28 Ibid. 

29 Lewallyn interview #2. Lewallyn indicated that the reason for Donnelly’s return was the a serious illness of his daughter

30 Lewallyn interview #2.

31 In Puerto Rico, he had a 3-3 won-lost record and a 2.17 ERA in 36 games, with nine saves in 58 innings, recording 22 strikeouts and nine walks.

32 Lewallyn interview #2.

33 Mike Devereaux, in-person interview with Tom Van Hyning, Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland, May 19, 1992. Devereaux was traded to the Baltimore Orioles by the Los Angeles Dodgers after the 1988 season.

34 Ron Perranoski, in-person interview with Tom Van Hyning, Vero Beach, Florida, March 1993.  

35 “Smokies name Lewallyn pitching coach,” by Tennessee Smokies, November 16, 2006 (https://www.milb.com/milb/news/smokies-name-lewallyn-pitching-coach/c-144843)

36 Bill Vilona, “Pensacola native Lewallyn grateful for near half-century in pro baseball,” Pensacola News Journal, June 1, 2019 (https://www.pnj.com/story/sports/2019/06/01/pensacolas-lewallyn-grateful-near-half-century-pro-baseball/1312418001/)

37 Vilona, “Pensacola native Lewallyn grateful for near half-century in pro baseball.”

38 Vilona, “Pensacola native Lewallyn grateful for near half-century in pro baseball.”

39 Lewallyn interview #2.

40 Bryan Lewallyn, direct tweet to Tom Van Hyning, July 8, 2019.