WBW Newspaper 3

Forty years ago when Whitey Ford or Bob Turley got into pitching trouble, the Yankees would call on Ryne Duren for relief. This past weekend, Duren, a Yankee legend, five time All-Star and pitching star of the 1958 World Series, was pitching again on Long Island - this time for Winning Beyond Winning, a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping young athletes make the right choices with respect to education and preparing for life after competition.

At a dinner held at the 56th Fighter Group Restaurant in Farmingdale, and attended by over 100 people, Duren spoke candidly and poignantly about the devastating effects of drugs and alcohol and how alcohol affected his life. He gripped the audience by beginning his remarks with the statement that "I played in the pros from 1954 to 1965, and already 108 of the players I played with have died from alcohol or drugs or alcohol and drug-related diseases." He spoke of the need for education and more programs like Winning Beyond Winning to help educate young athletes with respect to the importance of education and the benefits of steering clear of the abuse of alcohol and chemicals. He concluded his remarks by asking the audience to do him a favor. "When you get the chance, thank God for my life, and for this idea of Winning Beyond Winning, which can help so many others."

Duren, whose fame came while pitching for the Yankees from 1958 to 1961, conquered alcoholism after he left the pros. Once recovered, he developed and directed the Stoughton Community Hospital Alcohol Rehabilitation and Education Program in Stoughton, Wisconsin, and remained the director of that program through 1980. He also served on the Wisconsin Governor's Citizen Advisory Committee on Alcohol Abuse and the Wisconsin Drinking and Driving Council. He is a charter member of the American College of Sports Medicine Alcohol Use and Drug Abuse Committee, has been featured in national documentaries and talk shows on the topics of alcohol and drug abuse, and is a nationally recognized speaker, consultant and administrator in the alcohol abuse field.

During his playing career, Ryne sported thick, dark glasses and a blazing 100 mph fastball, and quickly became the most feared reliever in the league. The arrival of Ryne Duren into a ball game was as exciting as his actual performance. Nicknamed "Blind Rhine," he would frighten hitters when he entered the game, often throwing the first warm- up pitch back to the screen, which became his trademark.

Casey Stengel was once quoted as saying, "He's the most exciting thing in baseball; I would not advise hitting against Duren because if he hit you in the head you might be in the past tense."

In 1958, Duren won six and saved a league-high 20 games. He was brilliant in the Yankees' World Series victory over the Braves, going 1-1 (1.93) with a save. He saved 14 games in 1959, at one point going 18 games - (36 innings) - without allowing a run. In those two seasons he allowed only 89 hits, fanning 183 in just 151 innings. At the peak of his career, for two or three innings, Ryne Duren came as close to being invincible as any pitcher who ever lived. But he readily acknowledges that the work he is doing now, and the need to educate young athletes is of much more importance.

Duren was introduced to the audience by fellow ex-Yankee, Rosendo "Rusty" Torres, one of the founders of Winning Beyond Winning. After relating some of his own experiences, Torres noted the need for a program such as Winning Beyond Winning, using professional athletes to make presentations to today's players, saying, "There's a bridge to be built by us for young athletes, using our experiences, good and bad, to help guide them along the path to success and help steer them past the trouble spots, which would hurt them now and later." Torres also introduced Winning Beyond Winning's new T- shirt bearing his autograph and his statement. "Getting knocked down is part of every game, including life. Being prepared for it, and getting back up is what winners and champions are made of."

The capacity crowd at the 56th Fighter Groups included Vito Antuofermo, former undisputed middleweight champion of the world, and Tauna Vandeweghe, Olympic swimmer, both of whom serve on Winning Beyond Winning's Advisory Board.

Mike LiPetri, former pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies also attended. The entire PowerHouse Chargers Stan Musial team was in attendance, as were members of the Farmingdale Baseball Bronco Dodgers and their coaching staff. Nassau County Legislator Salvatore B. Pontillo, a supporter of Winning Beyond Winning since its formation, was present and drew the winning ticket for the grand prize - four field box tickets to a Yankee game.

Tom Sabellico, the president of Winning Beyond Winning, announced that plans are now underway for Winning Beyond Winning to conduct a full-year program with four local high schools during the 1998-99 school year and to work with the school's athletic directors, and athletes on various programs. It is the intention of the organization to bring the program to the schools free-of-charge, through fund raisers such as this dinner. The organization is planning a birthday bash to celebrate Rusty Torres' 50th birthday, to be held at the Westbury Manor on Oct. 15, 1998, with entertainment by The Traditions.

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