The ‘Legend of Pinky Deras’ keeps growing
By Charles Sercombe
Hamtramck Little League pitcher and legend Art “Pinky” Deras has been enjoying a perfect game the last couple of years.
Deras was recently the subject of a documentary on Hamtramck’s Little League and Pony League champs from the 1959 and 1961 respectively, and he is now about to be inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.
Deras is considered the best pitcher ever to compete in Little League. And it’s a title no one will likely ever take away from Deras – that’s how smoking hot he was.
He and Bill Romanowski (a linebacker for the Raiders and Broncos) will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on June 23 in Troy.
Buddy Moorehouse, who did the documentary on Deras, said Pinky is hoping that his teammate Tom Paciorek will be able to introduce him at the ceremony.
And there is more. We’ll let Moorhouse navigate from here:
The Hamtramck City Council voted in February to name a street in Hamtramck in Pinky’s honor. It’s going to be a portion of Dan Street. They’re going to have the official street-naming ceremony sometime this summer.
We’ll be finding out on Wednesday if our film (“The Legend of Pinky Deras: The Greatest Little Leaguer There Ever Was”) has been nominated for a Michigan Emmy. It’s up for consideration in the category of Best Historical Documentary. Fox Sports Detroit is running our documentary at 8 p.m. Friday (April 15) and 3 p.m. Saturday (April 16).
4 Responses to The ‘Legend of Pinky Deras’ keeps growing
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Tom Bommersbach
April 17, 2011 at 3:37 pm
I was with the kalamazoo team that was defeated by Hamtramck in their title run. Pinky hit two home runs and a shot off our shortstops leg for ,I think, a double. I have coached high school baseball for 35 years and have never witnessed a player as dominant as Art “Pinky” Deras! I very much enjoyed the documentary on the 16th of April, he truly deserves the title of ” The greatest”.
Paul Mellerowicz@yahoo.com
April 7, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Last line of viewing dates are incorrect. Closest Friday and Saturday are April 12 and 13. Is this a 2013 article?
csercombe
April 7, 2013 at 5:11 pm
This was published in 2011.
Paul Mellerowicz
April 8, 2013 at 11:08 am
Thanks for the info on pub date.
I was at the ceremony at Hamtramck High School in the summer 2011. Neat program to see Pinky and a lot of former teamates. Tom Paciorek and hisyounger brother Mike was there too. Mike was a 1973 grad of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s. I was one year older then Mike at OLSM.