To the Editor:
Several of us local baseball enthusiasts in Lincoln and Knox counties, in our sixties and seventies, lost a hero a couple of weeks ago. That man was Don Bowman, a local baseball hero from Jefferson, who passed away at Cove’s edge in Damariscotta at the age of 82.
Don was recognized by any baseball people as a great player with the God-given talents of hitting and fielding, as well as being a tremendous pitcher.
Major league scouts, such as Clyde Sukeforth, recognized Don as having tremendous skills as a baseball player.
Don played minor league ball in Texas and upper-state New York while in his early 20’s. Following a short career in the minors, Don played for the Augusta Millionaires for a while.
Loving the Jefferson area, Don left the Millionaires and played in the Knox-Lincoln Twilight League for the Waldoboro Townies, the Thomaston Clippers, and the Damariscotta and Boothbay Teams.
Many of those who played with him, such as Paul ‘Ducky” Levansaler, Roy Winchenbach, Stan Hanna, Henry Ilves, Lannie Oliver, Fred Burnham, Lloyd Hodgkins, Dick Scofield, Willis Hallowell, Lou Cook and others admired and respected him a great deal.
Many of his opponents in this area, such as Frank Leary of Warren, admired and respected him as well.
We all will miss Don, a true hero to us all.
Louis Cook, Union
