Memory Lane: Brandt knew baseball was his game
Randy Brandt knew at a young age that baseball was his ticket to a career in athletics. Baseball scouts had been looking at him since he was in ninth grade.
Brandt was a two-sport standout for the Frazier Commodores in the early 1970s, excelling at baseball and basketball.
鈥淚 wanted to play football, but my dad wouldn鈥檛 let me,鈥� Brandt said. 鈥淚 would have played football, but the scouts advised my dad not to let me play football because of the chance of injuring my arm. Baseball was always number one and I agreed with my dad. How many sports did I need to be playing?鈥�
Brandt played four years of baseball for Frazier and helped lead the Commodores to a section title in 1971, when he was a sophomore. He notched a 9-1 win in the WPIAL playoffs against Peters Township, allowing five hits and notching seven strikeouts in seven innings. Frazier was ousted from the playoffs in the next round falling to Ellwood City, 6-2.
鈥淲e were beating Peters Township pretty bad,鈥� Brandt recalled. 鈥淚 wanted to come out of the game sooner than I did. I wanted to start the next game, I wanted to win. Our next pitcher didn鈥檛 get it done and I ended up coming into the game with a tired arm.鈥�
Brandt had tremendous numbers for the Commodores as a sophomore and junior, with an ERA under 2.00 and he averaged nine strikeouts a game in his high school career. Some of the highlights included recording 18 strikeouts against California in 1971 and firing a one hitter against Mapletown in 1972.
鈥淚 remember the game against California,鈥� Brandt offered. 鈥淢y dad worked at a chemical plant with a bunch of guys from California. It seemed like I always did well against them. I had the high school record for strikeouts with 18 for 27 years. I didn鈥檛 know that until my neighbor said he saw in the paper that my record had been broken.鈥�
Brandt also played first base when he wasn鈥檛 pitching. He batted .356 as a sophomore with three home runs and hit .385 as a junior with three home runs.
鈥淚 had an American Legion game when I was playing for Perryopolis when I struck out 20 batters,鈥� Brandt recalled. 鈥淚 liked legion ball. Bill Vargo coached me in American Legion ball. Coach Vargo helped me more than anybody, he did all the little extra things.鈥�
Brandt, who was 6-3 and weighed 165 pounds, played basketball at Frazier and had solid numbers for coach Henry DiVirgillio. The Commodores posted a record of 23-2 in 1970-71, they defeated Albert Gallatin in the WPIAL playoffs 71-60, knocked off Washington 81-74 and then lost to Homestead 63-55. Brandt played a little as a sophomore and tallied 67 points.
His junior campaign in 1971-72 saw the Commodores finish 15-7. Brandt scored 309 points for an average of 14.0. In his senior season in 1972-73 the Commodores were 12-10. Brandt had a solid season with 330 points for an average of 15.7. Brandt was team captain as a senior.
鈥淚 liked basketball,鈥� Brandt said. 鈥淚 had three letters for basketball, nothing major. Baseball was my sport. I was playing basketball because I liked to play. I played underneath, I had to rebound to get my shots. I have a lot of respect for coach DiVirgillio and assistant Joe Lafko and Chuck Kelly, who was my junior high coach.鈥�
Brandt broke his thumb playing volleyball and only pitched in two games his senior season at Frazier. He was still selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fifth round of the 1973 baseball draft.
鈥淧irates鈥� scout Cecil Cole had followed me closely,鈥� Brandt explained. 鈥淓lmer Gray was watching me, too, for the Cincinnati Reds. I had a private workout at Riverfront Stadium and I thought the Reds might take me. I just got my cast off my arm and I threw for Harding Peterson at a high school and had that workout with the Reds.
鈥淚 signed right away. I was a dummy, what did I know? I came from Frazier High School and my dad worked in a chemical plant. We didn鈥檛 know what we were doing. I wanted to be honest and not show an attitude, so like a dummy I signed the first offer.鈥�
Brandt pitched in the Pirates farm system from 1973 to 1978, with stops at Bradenton in the Gulf Coast League, Niagara Falls in the New York Penn League, Salem in the Carolina League, Charleston in the Western Carolinas League and Shreveport in the Texas League.
His record in six minor league seasons in the Pirates organization was 31-32 with a 3.08 ERA. His best season was 1976 when he was a combined 11-7 at Salem and Charleston.
鈥淚 got invited to play winter ball with Mike Easler after the 1978 season,鈥� Brandt said. 鈥淚 had a great year in winter ball, but I was released by the Pirates in spring training, one of the last players cut. I got home and my phone was ringing and it was Tampico of the Mexican League. I went down and played for Tampico Alijadores, Triple A ball in the Mexican Major Leagues.鈥�
Brandt had an outstanding season at Tampico posting a record of 13-3 with a 2.05 ERA and 99 strikeouts.
鈥淭he manager of the Tampico team told me that San Francisco wanted to trade for me,鈥� Brandt stated. 鈥淭ampico wouldn鈥檛 do it because every home game that I pitched we won. That meant big money.鈥�
The next season he pitched for Toluca Osos Negros. His stats through July 27, 1980, were a 10-2 record with 77 strikeouts.
鈥淭here was a problem that year at Toluca,鈥� Brandt revealed. 鈥淚 had to leave because they wouldn鈥檛 give me a work visa and there was trouble with the government. I was there illegally because my tourist visa had run out. I had to come home.
鈥淚 saw Pirates鈥� scouting director Murray Cook at a game at Three Rivers Stadium. He asked me if I be interested in going to Portland, they needed a left-hander. I told him I would go to Portland on one condition, that I get invited to Major League camp in the spring, and I never heard from him. I didn鈥檛 want to be just an organization player. I had to draw a line somewhere.鈥�
After getting out of baseball, Brandt worked as a plant supervisor at Therm-O-Rock East, Inc. in New Eagle before working at Exxon Mobile. He was forced into retirement in 2001 after injuring his back. He has also undergone six knee surgeries.
Brandt, 60, resides in Newell, with his wife of 35 years Kathleen. They have twin daughters, Melinda and Amanda.