“Siegfried’s Baseball Passion Leads to Hall of Fame”
Article Published on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 by Starla Pointer in the local News-Register/McMinnville, Oregon
Doctor George Siegfried’s passion for baseball revolves around competing and staying in the game. After more than 50 years of athletic experience, his zeal for the sport appears as great as ever.
The McMinnville-based chiropractor, who operates Dunn Chiropractic Clinic, still finds time and energy to enjoy baseball even as he progresses into his sixties.
His peers recently recognized Siegfried’s longevity and success. The right-handed pitcher became inducted into the Portland City League’s Hall of Fame as a member of the Outlaws. Siegfried has pitched in the Men’s Senior League since 1976, when he moved to Portland to study at the Chiropractic College at the University of Western States. In that timespan, he has recorded over 200 victories, while nearly achieving no-hitters on a few occasions.
Regarding his enshrinement, Siegfried noted, “To be honest, it’s a great honor, but for me, it’s all about competing. I don’t want to be on a shelf somewhere; I want to keep playing.”
The respect among Siegfried’s peers shouldn’t come as a surprise. His fierce playing style hasn’t diminished with age nor has his record of attendance. He has escaped major elbow and shoulder injuries throughout his career, resulting in 41 years of continual playing time.
Amazingly, Siegfried’s opponents are aged 18-45, but he bests athletes 20, 30 and 40 years younger by employing pinpoint control and devastating breaking balls. He commands an arsenal of five pitches including four-seam and two-seam fastballs, a changeup, a slider and a high- looping curveball. Siegfried’s talent to throw any pitch on any count places his opposing batters off-balance and guessing.
“I’m not really a strikeout pitcher, I pitch to contact. But if I really want to get a guy out, I can spot any pitch to try to get a strikeout. I’ll consistently go low and away, but I’m not afraid to go up and in.
“I don’t hit too many guys. Well, I’ve hit my share.” he amended with a wry smile. “I don’t hit them in the head, just in the leg or the ribs. They’re thinking, who’s this old guy? That’s until they get hit; then they know.”
Siegfried’s competitive fire and pitching skills result from lifelong practice and experiences. Growing up playing baseball outside Philadelphia ignited his fervor. His pitching style resembles that of his father, and his uncle, who pitched for the Philadelphia Athletics.
While his high school, Bishop McDevitt, didn’t field a team, Siegfried satisfied his baseball yearning by playing semi-professional summer ball in the Pen-Del league.
In 1969, he walked on at Mt. St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He pitched as a freshman and sophomore before leaving to study at Schiller University in Heidelberg, Germany.
Siegfried returned from overseas each summer to resume play in the Pen-Del league. During this time, he received serious scouting from the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. While a professional baseball career appeared a viable option, Siegfried received wise counsel from former pro catcher, Buddy Hoff.
“I met Buddy during summer ball. He was released by the Pirates and joined our league. We became good friends and he used to catch me all the time. He stayed on as a scout for Pittsburgh and he scouted me a lot, but I was going back and forth to Europe for school. Buddy told me to stay in school, because I could always make the decision to play professionally after I finished,” remembered Siegfried.
“Buddy taught me a lot, but most importantly, he taught me to ne unafraid. Everyone wants to hit a homerun off you, but you can’t be scared of hitters. I learned the name of the game was location and timing,” he added
During the summer of 1977, Siegfried played semi -professionally in Mexico. Famed scout Mike Brito, who had recently signed Fernando Valenzuela for the Los Angeles Dodgers, personally scouted Siegfried.
In Mexico, Siegfried originally learned the benefits of Gus Hoefling’s Championship Conditioning programs. Hoefling, who worked for the Phillies, devised a flexibility program which Siegfried credits as the backbone of his incredible durability.
Following his graduation from the University of Western States, Siegfried worked as the team chiropractor for the Italian Olympic Track and Field Division. During his stay in Pisa, he played baseball for the Camp Darby Military team, where he earned numerous pitching awards.
“That was really cool,” noted Siegfried. “There was lots of different competition there, lots of ex-ballplayers, and we played the Dutch national team which had some fantastic talent.”
After returning to the States, settling in McMinnville, Siegfried finally embarked on his Portland City League journey.
He combined his chiropractic career with his semi-pro playing while raising four children. His kids have inherited his competitive nature, and son Chris was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 11th round in 2007.
Ultimately, Siegfried displays zero signs of slowing as his storied playing career continues. While he notes the camaraderie among teammates remains a tremendous benefit of the sport, one aspect keeps him coming back every year.
“To be able to compete and stay in the game is the greatest feeling in baseball,” said Siegfried.