PROVO, Utah — The athletic-looking, gray-haired man sitting just below the press box in Larry H. Miller Field at BYU blends in with the crowd as he watches the Cougars play baseball. His World Series ring on a pinky finger is inconspicuous and, obviously, he doesn't have his Cy Young Award with him.
He is Vernon Law, one of baseball's best pitchers. Young, casual fans might not immediately recognize the name. But avid fans, those who hearken back to a time when the game was much richer in tradition, would readily recall "Deacon."
He has many reasons for being at a BYU baseball game. He was once the team's pitching coach and, now in his 70s, continues to throw batting practice regularly. His son, Vance, is the current BYU head coach and grandson Tim is playing for the Cougars after serving a mission in Toronto, Canada.
It didn't take much coaxing to get the senior Law to talk — with a bit of a drawl — about baseball and about the gospel.
Raised in a strong LDS family in Meridian, Idaho, he developed faith that carried him through the lifestyle challenges of Major League Baseball. Signed by Pittsburgh in 1948, he made his debut with the Pirates in 1950.
Brother Law wasn't shy about his religion when talking to the media or his teammates, and was labeled "Preacher" by teammate Wally Westlake. He explained to Westlake that the Church doesn't have typical preachers. He talked about being ordained a deacon, teacher, priest and elder. So Westlake started calling him "Deacon," and the nickname stuck throughout his career.
The Church was an integral part of his career. He said he pitched against the Houston Colt 45s (later Astros) on a miserably hot, humid July 4th in Texas. Leading 7-0 in the ninth, he got the last batter to pop up. After catcher Smokey Burgess caught the ball, he turned and shouted to his pitcher, "There! Now go home and read your Bible!"
He said he attended Church as often as possible during the season. Even on the road he would often take a taxi to Church, then arrange for another to pick him up and take him to the ballpark.
He and his wife, VaNita, had six children during his Major League career. He said keeping the family together was important to them. His family would accompany him to spring training in Ft. Myers, Fla., move to Pittsburgh during the summer and then to their permanent home in Idaho during the offseason.
Brother Law said his wife was a key to his baseball success. "It would just ruin your career if you didn't have the support of a good wife."
When the Laws first started attending Church in Pittsburgh, there were about 35 in attendance in a house, he said. "But now if you go back to Pittsburgh, there's a beautiful stake center practically in Pittsburgh and there are chapels all around the surrounding areas there. . . . It's interesting to see how people come into the Church and how it begins to expand and grow and it was a wonderful thing to be a part of."
He took seriously the responsibility of being an example of what the Church stands for, he said. While many other players landed lucrative promotional opportunities, Brother Law spent most of his time making non-paying appearances with youth groups and at Church gatherings. He said he was particularly mindful of his example when speaking to Little Leaguers who tended to put Big Leaguers on a pedestal. "I would talk to them about living a good life, a clean life, and taking care of themselves and dedicating themselves to good things along with education and baseball." He said one Little Leaguer asked him, "Do you smoke?" He answered, "No. That's not something that athletes should do." Then the youngster asked him why some of the other Major Leaguers were smoking. "They look at you and they watch every step you take, and you'd better step in the right direction," Brother Law said.
Since retiring as a player, he has stayed close to baseball. Besides coaching at BYU, he was a coach in Japan and a manager and coach in the Minor Leagues. Now, he said, he takes time for his family, always willing to throw batting practice for his grandsons.
And his commitment to the Church remains firm. He is on the high council of the Provo Utah Grandview Stake and has served in many callings, including bishop. "The Church finds things to keep you busy and out of mischief," he concluded.
E-Mail: ghill@desnews.com
