It
takes special talents to reach the highest professional ranks in any
sport. To do it in such a sport as baseball from this region is
downright remarkable, considering the abbreviated schedules in this
part of the country do not allow a lot of experience to be gained.
But Doug Piatt overcame all obstacles en route to a brief, but
highly successful, stint in the big leagues. At Beaver High School,
he lettered four years on the diamond. His last year, in 1983, Doug
helped the Bobcats win the WPIAL Championship, with the team then
going all the way to the PIAA Finals before losing. Doug was 10-2
that season, and when he wasn’t on the mound, played a rock solid
third base. Following graduation, Doug headed to Panama City in
Florida to play at Gulf Coast Community College. In 1984, Doug was a
third round choice of St. Louis in the winter draft, but he didn’t
sign. He left Gulf Coast to attend Western Kentucky University on
scholarship, where he enjoyed great success. He was named Pitcher of
the Month for a series of outstanding performances. In 1988, Doug
signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians. He showed
earned run averages of 2.21 with Waterloo, 2.51 with Kingston, and
0.51 with Watertown as he climbed the Indians’ chain. He also earned
Pitcher of the Month four different times those two seasons. That
interested Montreal, who traded for him in the final month of the
1989 season. Doug opened with West Palm Beach in 1991 and had a 0.99
ERA with nine saves and made the Florida State League All Star Game.
But he never played in the game as he was promoted to Jacksonville
where he again shined with a 2.20 ERA and six saves. Doug was placed
on the Montreal’s 40 man major league roster for 1991. Playing with
AAA Indianapolis, he had 61 strikeouts and 13 saves in 47 innings,
with a 3.45 ERA. That brought him a promotion to Montreal, where he
made his debut on June 11, 1991. He tossed two shutout innings
against Cincinnati. Doug appeared in 21 games with the Expos that
season, showing a fine ERA of 2.60. He struck out 29 in 34.2
innings. He didn’t make it back to the majors, but he accomplished
what so few do. Doug resides in Leetsdale with his wife Beth. They
have five sons: Deon, James, Nigel, Isaiah, and Caleb.
It
takes special talents to reach the highest professional ranks in any
sport. To do it in such a sport as baseball from this region is
downright remarkable, considering the abbreviated schedules in this
part of the country do not allow a lot of experience to be gained.
But Doug Piatt overcame all obstacles en route to a brief, but
highly successful, stint in the big leagues. At Beaver High School,
he lettered four years on the diamond. His last year, in 1983, Doug
helped the Bobcats win the WPIAL Championship, with the team then
going all the way to the PIAA Finals before losing. Doug was 10-2
that season, and when he wasn’t on the mound, played a rock solid
third base. Following graduation, Doug headed to Panama City in
Florida to play at Gulf Coast Community College. In 1984, Doug was a
third round choice of St. Louis in the winter draft, but he didn’t
sign. He left Gulf Coast to attend Western Kentucky University on
scholarship, where he enjoyed great success. He was named Pitcher of
the Month for a series of outstanding performances. In 1988, Doug
signed a free agent contract with the Cleveland Indians. He showed
earned run averages of 2.21 with Waterloo, 2.51 with Kingston, and
0.51 with Watertown as he climbed the Indians’ chain. He also earned
Pitcher of the Month four different times those two seasons. That
interested Montreal, who traded for him in the final month of the
1989 season. Doug opened with West Palm Beach in 1991 and had a 0.99
ERA with nine saves and made the Florida State League All Star Game.
But he never played in the game as he was promoted to Jacksonville
where he again shined with a 2.20 ERA and six saves. Doug was placed
on the Montreal’s 40 man major league roster for 1991. Playing with
AAA Indianapolis, he had 61 strikeouts and 13 saves in 47 innings,
with a 3.45 ERA. That brought him a promotion to Montreal, where he
made his debut on June 11, 1991. He tossed two shutout innings
against Cincinnati. Doug appeared in 21 games with the Expos that
season, showing a fine ERA of 2.60. He struck out 29 in 34.2
innings. He didn’t make it back to the majors, but he accomplished
what so few do. Doug resides in Leetsdale with his wife Beth. They
have five sons: Deon, James, Nigel, Isaiah, and Caleb.