1974 Richfield High School graduate and University of Minnesota alumnus Brian Denman was born in Minneapolis on February 12, 1956.
Denman was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the 1978 January secondary phase. The 6-foot-4 right-handed pitcher was a hot prospect in the Red Sox organization, winning 30 games over his first two minor league seasons, and 51 between 1978 and ‘82.
Denman made his major league debut on August 2, 1982 at age 26, allowing two runs on six hits over five innings to earn the win in Oakland. 1961 St. Cloud Cathedral graduate Tom Burgmeier earned the four-inning save (on his 39th birthday). Noticing these cool little connections makes Baseball Reference game logs some of the best reading on the internet.
Denman made nine starts during his only big league season, going 3-4 with a 4.78 ERA, only striking out nine in 49 innings of work.
He only lasted 2/3 of an inning in his second-to-last start, giving up six runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk against the Yankees at Fenway. He was again relieved by Burgmeier.
Denman made one heckuva recovery, pitching a six-hit shutout at Yankee Stadium on October 2, his final major league start.
He played two more seasons in the Red Sox organization, and 1985–’86 with the Tigers’ triple-A Nashville Sounds.
In addition to being an all-time great baseball player at Richfield, Denman was a standout member of the Spartans’ 1972 state champion and ’73 and ’74 state runner-up basketball teams. These days Denman makes his home in Buffalo, NY.
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