Free agency is typically a term reserved for professional sports where talented players spend time in the offseason unattached to a team. Even though it has been several years since he played, Willie Dukes name still resonates with local softball teams as one of the most sought-after free agents because those who have been in Greenville sports circles for the past few decades remember not only his skill set but his demeanor.
“My parents raised us to be humble and respectable,” Dukes said. “My dad in particular always stressed the importance of letting your play on the field speak for you. I also had great coached like Elijah Moore, Cleotha Wilson, Hugh Christian and Joe Hubel who knew the game and expected excellence out of their players.”
Playing at Rounds, Frisby and Maude Bryan parks, Dukes reputation as one of the city’s best baseball players started way back in the late 70s and early 80s when he played on little league teams with players who were two to three years older. Always a kid who was big for his age, his athletic ability surpassed his size.
There are no official records, but those who grew up along with Dukes remember that he is on a short list of less than five players who hit home runs over the Rounds Park fence during his little league days. Keep in mind that for a nine or ten-year old kid, a 200-foot home run is quite the feat.
“I never kept up with stats or home runs,” he said. “Back then, it was all about the support that parents and coaches provided for the kids playing little league baseball. Parents brought their coolers to the park, watched the game and really reinforced what coaches were trying to teach on the field.”
As Dukes got older, he made many baseball stops along the way. He carved out a niche in the sport and established an identity of his own. This was especially important since his father, Willie Sr., was a legendary quarterback for Coleman High School in the late 1960s.
Under tremendous public pressure to follow in his father’s footsteps, Dukes didn’t play football until his junior year at Greenville High. But by this time, major league scouts had already heard of this big kid who could pitch and play any position on the field. A couple of years later, the Boston Red Sox single A affiliate in Winter Haven, Florida signed him as an outfielder where he played for five seasons.
“I enjoyed the experience and really got a chance to do something that not many people get a chance to do,” he said. “I was released after a few seasons back in April of 1992. By June of 1992, I was working for the Greenville Fire Department. And I’ve been here for 27 years.”
Dukes, now a Battalion Chief for the fire department has a son who is playing college baseball. The message to this third-generation athlete and his cohorts is the same. “Carry yourself with dignity and respect and let your play do the talking for you,” Dukes said. “Also, whether it’s baseball, the fire department or any other career, find something that you love doing and you’ll be successful at it.”
