"The Greek God of Hitting" 

When people talk about "pure hitters", some names immediately come to mind.  In modern day baseball, it's the great Tony Gwynn.  In men's fastpitch out west, there's Phil  Hiromerides. (pronounced "Her-om-e-deez") . Comparisons of the two players come easily.  "Sweet swing" they'll say..."great hands"..."a natural hitter".  Gwynn spent a career chasing a .400 average -- which is about what Hiromerides wound up hitting for his career. 

Both Gwynn and Hiromerides made a science of their approach to hitting.  They studied the game. They went to school on the pitchers.  It has been said that to become a great hitter, a player must know his weaknesses as well as his strengths. Gwynn and Hiromerides certainly did.  Disciplined hitters, they had a knack for waiting for the pitch they wanted to hit. And hit it they did.  Teammate/pitcher Mark Bennett said it succinctly, calling Hiromerides, "The Greek God of Hitting".

Phil has played alongside some of Southern California's best, including Team Lyons/Team USA All American Tony Peeples.  Off the field, they are best friends.  Asked to describe Phil, Peeples had this to say:

Secret to Success

Teammate Tony Peeples described Phil's formula for success in three words:  "Patience, Quick Hands."  Peeples added: He  never tried to hit the long ball...but just to hit it hard somewhere. When you try to hit it hard and stay up the middle you'll get a lot of hits."    Asked to describe Hiromerides approach at the plate, Peeples said: "Phil has a powerful, but extremely compact fastpitch swing.  His mental focus, and discipline at the plate, makes him a very tough out for pitchers”.

As opposing teams will tell you, there is no good place to play Hiromerides.  Chart him? Good luck. You'll wind up with a dots from foul line to foul line.  Guard the line? He'll go up the middle.  Shift to the right side?  He'll do a Tony Gwynn and find the 5.5 hole.  Cheat in and play shallow?  We'll get a good look at your uniform number.

From Montreal to Santa Barbara

Despite the fact that Phil spent most of his life in Southern California, there is a decided international flavor to his roots, which trace to Greece, France and Montreal, Canada.  Phil's father is from the island of Cyprus, where he still resides; his mother hails from northern France, while Phil himself was born in Montreal.  (To paraphrase Vin Scully, "Bienvenue, Monsieur Hiromerides")

Phil's family came to Santa Barbara, California in 1971, where he played at Goleta Valley Little League.  He recalls Pete Rose and George Brett as his boyhood idols, working to emulate their style of play, which he admired.  Asked about the origins of his own hitting ability, Phil laughingly recalls how he and childhood friend Mike Merrigan would get a tennis ball and bat, and throw BB's to each other like pitcher and batter against our garage doors. "Our parents hated the noise of the ball hitting the door and the neighbors broken windows, since they would have to pay for them, so I think that is how I developed quick hands and a keen eye."

He went on to play high school baseball at Dos Pueblos High in Goleta.  After graduating high school in 1983, he went to work for his father as an auto mechanic.  Phil got his start in fastpitch in 1986, when he was invited to play for a local team, "Oldenkamps", run by the late Rudy Robinson, alongside Robinson's sons Clayte and Jon, who still play today.   Greg Sepulveda of the Lakewood Jets, was the first player Phil took note of.  He could hit and play defense, something many now say about Hiromerides.

It didn't take long before his Southern California buddies hung the "Greek God of Hitting'' moniker on him.  Later, when playing "up north" for Fresno Team Lyons, then-manager Giles Madruga, called him "Buddha", because of his habit of sharing bits of philosophy on attitude and hitting with him and the team.  During warm-ups, or even before an at bat, Phil would visualize the game and pitcher in his head. His form, his pitches, looking for weaknesses.

Seventeen Years in Search of The Brass Ring

Phil played for Santa Barbara Instant Replay from 1990-1996, moving on to the Long Beach Painters in 1997-1998, playing in the ISC World Tournament in 1998 in Kimberly, WI.  He returned to Santa Barbara in 1999, playing with old friends on Escalara Plumbing before settling in with Fresno Team Lyons in 2000 where he played through 2003.  He played in National tournaments virtually every year that he played since 1990.

The 2000 Best of the West tournament was typical of Hiromerides' performances over the years.   In an early game, a home run, 2 RBI's and a run scored against a tough Phoenix team.  Facing the legendary Peter Meredith in their next game, his team was held to two hits, but of course, Hiromerides owned one of those.  When elimination bracket play began on Sunday, it was "Hiro" going two for three with a double and RBI to upset  top seeded Verner Construction.  Lyons advanced to the finals of the tournament, before falling to Peter Meredith's Larry Miller Toyota. Always in the thick of things. 

Finding a "0" in the hits column of a box score bearing Hiromerides name is about as likely as finding one next to Tony Gwynn's.  Oh, of course it's happened, but you wouldn't want to bet the ranch and the dog on it.

In the 2001 season, playing for Team Lyons in the CCASA, California's top men's league, he hit .341 on the season, with the numbers looking like T-Gwynn's: mostly singles, but some extra base hits and homers to keep the outfielders honest.  We do note, with all due respect to the Great Gwynn, Phil had 3 triples in 41 at bats, while Tony took more than 600 to muster that total.  Team Lyons won the league title that year with a 19-6 record.   A cross-country trip to the ASA "A" National Tournament to Cullman, Alabama ended in disappointment when washed out by rain.

The Top of the Mountain

A glance at the box score for the 2002 ASA "A" National Championship Game says it simply: 1 at bat, 1 hit, 1 run. But it was the biggest hit of Phil's fastpitch career, and an important one for Team Lyons. Phil did not start the game, having missed a good deal of the season due to family and other commitments. The title game turned into a slugfest between two familiar rivals from the Central California ASA league, Fresno Team Lyons and the Stockton Maverick Electric Sharks. Lyons had overcome a 4-0 first inning deficit, rallying for 4 runs in the 6th to take a 9-6 lead. The Sharks were not finished though, scoring 3 in the bottom of the 6th for a 9-all tie. To start the 7th inning, Lyons looked down the bench, sending their veteran hitting star, Phil Hiromerides to the plate to face the Sharks' Cary Weiler. Like a scripted finish to the tale, Hiromerides laced a double to the gap in left center, then flashed his trademark smile as he cross home plate with the winning run on a single by teammate Kory Krueg later in the inning.

Game, set, match.  A National championship after 17 in pursuit.  Hiromerides' 5 for 10, .500 performance in the 2002 National tournament earned him Second Team All American honors, but Phil is quick to tell you that "it was the National Championship that meant everything to me".  After 17 years, he had reached the top of the mountain.  "Wearing the 'ring' gives me a sense of accomplishment and confidence in life" Phil says...."that is what makes a good man to his family and his teammates."

Returning to His Roots and Discovering the Joys of Teaching the Game

Tony Gwynn stepped away from baseball after the 2001 season and is now coaching young players San Diego State University.  Phil stepped away from fastpitch after the 2002 season (except for a couple of early season tourneys in 2003).   He has discovered the joys of teaching the game in Goleta, California, a small idyllic town near Santa Barbara, 100 miles or so north of more hectic Los Angeles.  Phil returned to the place that gave him his start - the Goleta Valley South Little League, sharing his  knowledge of hitting and love of the game with the next generation of ballplayers.  He sits on the board of the league, manages his own little league team, the Giants, as well as the All Star team.  He says that it didn't leave him much time for him to play fastpitch. 

Phil was married in the fall of  2002, to Pam.  He's proud father to 12 year old Nathan and 18 year old step daughter Sarah, with a little one on the way, due right around Christmas, no less. His love of his family is readily apparent and his priorities in order, family first, playing ball second.   But there is little to hint that he'd rather be doing one over the other.  He is clearly happy with his lot in life and a chance to give something back, to impart some of what's he's learned along the way to a group of fortunate 11 and 12 year olds.  He also finds time to coach football as well. 

Has fastpitch seen the last of those familiar line drives off the bat of Phil Hiromerides?  Well, for the coming 2004 season, pitchers won't have to worry about him.  He'll be taking some time away from fastpitch, to help with the baby, and continue his Little League duties.  He's quick to note that "I'll have a lot to attend to, training my newest ballplayer, whether boy or girl".   But retirement? Oh, pitchers don't get off that easily.  With that familiar broad smile, he is quick to note that turning 40 in 2005 doesn't mean retirement from the game, but an opportunity to put together a 40 and over team that will be tough to beat.  Having played fastpitch out of the Santa Barbara area most of his life, the 40 and over team will reunite Phil with many of the same players that he grew up playing with.   

"I may not be as fast and agile these days, but with years, comes wisdom and patience for the game. All it takes is one pitch."  Indeed, that's always been the problem for opposing pitchers facing Phil Hiromerides.