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Gaither Celebrates Quarter-Century Of Baseball Tradition

Photo courtesy of DAVID MOLNAR

Danny Santiago was the second baseman for the 1985 Cowboys.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 8, 2009

TAMPA - When Gaither High School's baseball program began 25 years ago - where has the time gone? - the Cowboys couldn't even claim a homefield advantage.

Key reason: There was no home field.

"It was a cow pasture out here," said Scott Holiga, a first baseman and pitcher on Gaither's inaugural team, which played at Lutz Little League. "But every day, along with our practices, we all did a little something to make it into a field.

"And now? Wow! I can't even recognize the place."

Gaither baseball has grown - even beyond the well-manicured field, the lighted batting cages, the spacious locker room and press box - into one of Hillsborough County's most prominent programs. Frank Permuy, the only coach in Gaither history, welcomed back 75 of his former players Saturday afternoon for the program's 25th anniversary reunion.

This season, the Cowboys will feature a blue throwback cap with the Green Bay Packers' style G logo - worn only in the program's inaugural 1985 season - and a "25th anniversary" notation on the side.

"History and tradition are important," said Permuy, 66. "Twenty-five years is a milestone and it's something that should be recognized. We have come a long way."

Fourteen former Gaither players have signed professional contracts. Two of them - pitcher Chad Zerbe (Giants, 2002) and catcher Kevin Cash (Red Sox, 2007) - have World Series rings. Nearly 100 former Cowboys have earned college scholarships.

The 2005 Cowboys were state runners-up, losing the Class 6A final to Davie Nova 3-0 at Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium. Gaither has nine district titles, three Saladino Tournament championships and two players (Caleb Graham and Ryan Anderson) who won the Saladino Award, given annually since 1971 to the top player in Hillsborough County.

But Saturday afternoon, members of Gaither's inaugural 1985 team had the best story to tell.

The Cowboys were 2-20, perhaps a predictable finish for a group of non-seniors who were largely carved out of Chamberlain's district. To hear the players talk, it sounded more like a track team than a baseball squad.

"We ran and ran and ran," said former Gaither infielder Danny Santiago, who now works in sales. "We were young and probably didn't know what we were doing. But we were in shape and I guess we built the foundation."

Gaither's first victory was 6-5 against King. Holiga pitched the entire game and he still remembers the final out. King's Derek Bell, a future major-leaguer, hit a screaming liner to right field with the bases loaded, but Gaither's Linden Scotland flagged it down with an over-the-shoulder catch.

"It seems like a long time ago," said Scotland, who now works in the mortgage business.

"It was a long time ago," said Holiga, now vice president of his family's glass company.

The inaugural players are now in their early 40s with jobs and families of their own. In some cases, they have remained close - Santiago and Scotland share Bucs' season tickets and were in each other's wedding - but Saturday afternoon was also a time for the entire Gaither baseball era to get acquainted.

Former Gaither pitcher Clint Rossbach, who now works with his old teammate at Holiga Glass, was the 1985 opening-day starter as a sophomore. He saw the program grow to the point where it beat Hillsborough (and pitcher Gary Sheffield) to dedicate Gaither's field, then reached the district final before falling to Plant (and pitcher Chris Myers, a first-round draft pick).

"There was no tradition or no anything, so we all started from scratch," Rossbach said. "It's just something that happens in your life and 25 years later, it all goes by pretty fast. But they are great memories."

Permuy is hoping to make more memories before retiring. When he began Gaither's program - three seasons after leading Tampa Catholic to the 3A state title - he expected to coach about 10 years, then settle into administration.

It never happened.

"There's something about being around the kids, teaching the game, that keeps you young," said Permuy, who decides each year about whether to return. "It's in your blood. There's something really nice, too, about starting a program and seeing it through."

Especially when there's a 25th anniversary reunion, plenty of old faces and memories, along with a reminder of humble beginnings.

Reporter Joey Johnston can be reached at (813) 259-7353.

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