To this day, Rob Stanifer is forever grateful for the opportunity to play American Legion baseball for Post 52.
It jump-started his baseball career to the big leagues!
“American Legion (baseball) allowed me to go to college,” said Stanifer, a 1990 graduate of Easley High School and a 1994 grad of Anderson University. “I was recruited by Anderson but never really got back to them because of the circumstances. After one game (for Post 52), the Anderson coach spoke to another player on our team and asked where I was going. He told him nowhere. Two days later, I signed with Anderson. So if it wasn’t for that Legion game and my coach Bobby Belleve showing up, I never would’ve played college baseball and never would’ve played professional baseball. I will always be indebted to that moment.”
Added Stanifer, about playing for Post 52, “Legion ball provided great competition, but it also provided me personally with a getaway. My mom passed away my senior year in high school so it was really a rough time. Just a family atmosphere really helped me go through that summer. And to show up every night playing the game you love, it definitely help me in my personal life and baseball career and I’ll always be grateful for that.”
Stanifer played two years of legion baseball for Easley with Randy Bray as the head coach and Gregg Powell as the assistant coach. Stanifer said the “family atmosphere” of being on the Post 52 team helped him get through a tough time in life.
Stanifer did not want to single out any certain game that he’ll always remember for Post 52. Instead, he talked about the “camaraderie” of the team and the “friendships” that were made in legion ball.
Stanifer said he will be making it back to Easley on Friday, May 29 for the Alumni Night. Stanifer, 53, will be awarded a prestigious gold jacket at the sit-down dinner of the banquet dinner at Larry Bagwell Gymnasium. The gold jacket is presented to ones who have gone on from Post 52 legion ball and played in the big leagues. And to his credit, Stanifer is the lone person from Post 52 legion ball to play in the Major Leagues.
“I was very surprised and very honored – it will be one of my best memories,” said Stanifer.
Back in 1994, Stanifer had a memorable performance in a college doubleheader at Anderson. He had two home runs, had 12 RBIs and was the winning pitcher. Stanifer went on to be named the 1994 National Christian College Athletic Association Player of the Year.
Stanifer was selected in the 12th round (320th overall in the MLB Draft) out of Anderson University by the Florida Marlins. He appeared in 36 games as a rookie for the Marlins, mainly as a relief pitcher. The memorable rookie season of Stanifer was capped off with a World Series!
Looking back on that rookie season and a World Series, Stanifer said, “I was lucky enough to be called up in May. It was a dream come true for any player to get that call and just to be around that level of teammates and players. I remember waiting in the airport in Charlotte by a payphone to see if I was going to the big leagues or not. I got the call that I was flying to Houston and I called my dad. It was an incredible moment for both of us.”
Stanifer, who stood in at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, played a total of three seasons in the Major Leagues (two with the Marlins and one with the Boston Red Sox).
He said that the main pitches he threw were the fastball, the slider and the split. He said his fastball was usually in the 91 to 94 range, but he was once clocked at 97 in Triple A ball.
Locally, Stanifer will always remember his roots in Easley and ones like Bert Owens who helped him stay on course.
“Bert Owens was a life teacher to me,” Stanifer said. “I’ll always be grateful to him.”
Facing legends in the bigs: Stanifer reflected back on that memorable 1997 season with the Marlins when he faced legends like Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs.
And he got them out.
“It was just an honor to be able to face you guys like that,” said Stanifer. “I remember in our pitchers meeting before we would go over scouting reports. When we got to Tony Gwynn, the scouting report was good luck. I remember I threw my first pitch fastball and he popped it up to left field. I just had a big smile on my face, knowing I got one of the best hitters out ever.”
Dodgers memory: Stanifer grew up in Easley as a die-hard fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and his favorite player was pitcher Orel Hershiser. So when he faced the Dodgers on the pro level, one game really hit home for him in that 1997 season.
“Growing up a huge Dodgers fan, to walk in the stadium where I’ve seen so many games on TV then actually get to pitch,” he said. “I remember coming into the game and Eric Karros is hitting. Mike Piazza (is) at second base. I just looked around the stadium and thought how cool is this, a guy from Easley living a dream.”
Stanifer as a coach in Florida: Rob coached baseball for 12 years at Northeast High School in Florida (2010-21), which included being named a five-time Coach of the Year.
Remembering his dad: When asked who someone was that he has always looked up to, Rob quickly mentioned his dad (Bill) who passed away in 2003.
“I always looked at my dad,” said Rob. “He was tough man (with a) military background, but he went through a lot in his life and made all the sacrifices to help me and my brothers and sisters have a good life. He was funny and didn’t care what anybody thought about him, and that’s what I loved about him.”
A treasured story: Stanifer has one story – at the plate and batting – that he’ll always cherish.
“So many good stories to tell I think my best one is my first at bat in the Major Leagues I got a base hit off Jose Lima in spring training,” he said. “They gave us bats with their names on them. That day my bat was flown in from AAA. I took one swing with that bat on the first pitch, got a base hit and put the bat up and never use it again. It hangs on my wall now.”
Advice to any up-and-coming pitchers: Stanifer took some time to give some advice to any pitchers in the Easley area who are trying to make it to the big leagues.
“Pitching changes over the years from the art form of pitching to today’s world is hard throwers, but being able to throw your breaking balls for strikes at any point,” he said. “The biggest advice is being so confident in yourself no matter if you throw 75 or 95 believe that’s the best pitch in the world you’re about to throw.”
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