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People SearchFind an individual who either played a sport or was a member of a support group. Search by last name by clicking on the first letter of the person's last name.
Mr. Damian Grossie
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Home Phone: 337-886-9154 May, 2016 Grossie not a big fan of ‘what if’ By Bruce Brown Athletic Network If he had it all to do over again, Damian Grossie might change a thing or two along the way. Like the time he bowled over a Mississippi State catcher, broke his collarbone and missed a month of his 1991 senior season with UL’s Ragin’ Cajun baseball program. He had returned for another year to improve his Major League Baseball draft status after being chosen in the 40th round in 1990 by the Texas Rangers, so getting injured was the last thing he needed. “If I had anything to do differently, I would have slid at Mississippi State,” Grossie said with a wry smile. “It took a while to come back. You lose upper body strength. I lost 4 ½ weeks. My confidence level was still high when I came back. I was ready to play. You realize how much you love the game.” Grossie bounced back to finish the campaign on a high note, but his pro dreams were derailed. “It was an adjustment, but I accepted it,” he said. “was a new challenge, just another chapter in my life.” Grossie doesn’t waste time with “what if.” His career “as is” was still remarkable. Some 25 years after the last swing of his bat, Grossie remains the Ragin’ Cajun career leader in triples, with 20. He ranks second in runs batted in with 181; third in home runs with 36, trailing only Scott Hawkins (42, 2006-09) and Ron Robicheaux (39, 1983-86); third in total bases (399); fourth in at-bats (757) and in runs (157). The former Teurlings Catholic star led the 1989 team with 68 RBI (tied for third in single season record lists) and had 149 total bases. He had 10 of his career 20 triples in one season. He wasn’t just a stack of statistics, either, as he flourished on Mike Boulanger teams that went 41-23, 49-13, 47-18 and 49-20 while ruling the American South Conference and earning spots in three NCAA Regional fields. It should have been four, but the 1989 club was left home. “We had David King and Donne Wall on that team,” Grossie said. “We were a scrappy team. When we didn’t get a bid, we were crushed.” Those Cajuns played hard, stayed together, even enduring that NCAA snub to keep winning the next year, when Grossie was an All-ASC selection and pick of the Rangers. “I liked Coach Bo,” Grossie said. “He treated you like a man. He had no reins on us. You played if you worked hard. It was up to you to take care of your business.” “If you struck out three times in a game, he would say make the next one count. Hit a home run. Go for it “that was Mike’s motto, every game.” Boulanger’s aggressive style and handling of personnel helped the players put up with less-glamorous aspects of the ride. It was before artificial turf at Tigue Moore Field, and players had responsibility there, as well. “If you were a position player, you had to take care of (the area around) your position,” Grossie said. “We raked, watered. Still had bad bounces in the infield, though. Also, we literally built the locker room. We did a lot of work.” “That was when there were no restrictions on time spent at the park. It made us gel. We were close.” Close group of players, thirsty for time at the ball park. That sounds like Grossie’s formative years at Teurlings. The Rebels won the state title in Class 2A when Grossie was a sophomore under coach Jackie Harrelson, reached the quarterfinals the next year and were in the semifinal game under Gary Perkins the year after that. “We had a group of 6 or 7 athletes who did a little bit of everything,” said Grossie, who also played football at TCHS. “There were no real standouts. We were just a group of athletes who competed.” “I loved football, too, but baseball was my game. I played shortstop, pitched and played catcher when Jay Domengeaux broke his arm. I love catcher. You have control of the game. At third, it’s all about your reaction time. At shortstop, that first step can make or break you.” “In high school, I realized I had the potential to be a Division I (college) player. The Lord blessed me with a gift to be able to hit the ball, and I also put in a lot of hard work. I would hit six hours a day if you let me. I just love baseball.” College offers came from Arkansas, LSU and Northeast Louisiana (now ULM), but Grossie chose UL – both to play closer to home and to stick with TCHS teammates. And, with some 46 wins per year, the Boulanger years were productive, although Grossie admitted that “the Cajun teams they have now are probably more talented than we were.” Upon graduation, Grossie worked for 10 years in law enforcement with Wildlife and Fisheries offices in New Iberia combining a lifetime love of the outdoors with his interest in law enforcement. “It’s hard to say which I picked up first, hunting or baseball,” he said. “I can remember driving up to practice at 1:55, still in my camo clothes from deer hunting.” “Hunting is a great 1-on-1 sport. Plus, I love the outdoors, to be in that world.” Grossie is now in the oil industry, but he will always be an outdoorsman as many are in South Louisiana. And, even though his baseball-playing days were shorter than he’d hoped, Grossie allows his mind to drift from time to time to his final game, in the 1991 NCAA Regional at LSU. The Tigers held on for an 8-5 win after days of rain delays, but Grossie gave them something to remember. “They were really good,” Grossie said. “They had Chad Ogea pitching for them and were winning the World Series and crushing people.” “I was dialed in. I think I went 3-for-5 with a home run, and even on the outs I made I hit it square.” Grossie’s time on the baseball stage ended too soon, but that final act lives on. * * * * * * * * *
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