Donora’s Chuck Giuffrida was a highly regarded MLB prospect

He signed with the Dodgers after dominating at the high school level.

If there were a Valley version of “Rapid” Robert Feller or Nolan Ryan and his “Express,” it may have been Chuck Giuffrida, a member of Donora High School’s Class of 1960.

At 5-11 and 185 pounds, this husky right-hander was so overpowering it was almost normal to pick up a newspaper and read something like this April 9, 1959, account in the Observer-Reporter: “Pitcher Chuck Giuffrida strikes out 20 batters and throws a three-hitter as Donora defeats Monongahela 8-3 in the Section 16 baseball opener.”

It’s easy to picture opposing hitters trembling in the batter’s box, flailing away at Giuffrida’s offerings — either that or standing immobilized and taking strike three. His fastball flew to the plate at the speed of a Dragon’s blistering breath.

Over his three years of high school ball, he put up a record of 18-2, winning a remarkable 90% of his decisions. Another newspaper report of the day said he was the top prospect from Donora since Stan Musial.

The late Steve Russell said one person who saw Giuffrida pitch for DHS told him, “He was as dominant as any high school pitcher who ever pitched in the Mon Valley.”

So dominant, big league scouts sought his signature on a contract.

One of those scouts was Russell’s father, Jimmy, a native of Fayette City who spent 10 seasons in the majors as an outfielder for the Pirates, Braves and Dodgers from 1942-1951.

“Dad, as a Dodger scout, signed Giuffrida to a professional contract. I kind of recall Dad pursuing him, and how many times I would wait in the car when he would go to a prospect’s house to attempt to capture a signature of acceptance,” Russell said. “He failed many more times than he succeeded, and I saw the pain and frustration it caused him. Tough way to make a living.”

Perhaps, but Giuffrida signing was a nice addition to Jimmy’s resume.

Giuffrida reportedly received a five-figure bonus after being pursued by 13 other big-league clubs, all but two of the 16 teams.

Bucky Phillips commented, “Chuck was a young phenom as a pitcher and was nearly on par with Dennis Vugrinovich as a top prospect as a future professional pitcher.”

Phillips was also a bona fide prospect. Rex Bowen, director of scouting for the Pirates and Reds, placed “can’t miss” tags on those three stars.

“The people on Allen Avenue heard Chuck’s father’s catcher’s mitt pop constantly as young Chuck threw to the old man every day weather permitted,” Phillips recalled. “Rumor was that he faced Pirate icon Danny Murtaugh’s son from Munhall in a game and made him look foolish.”

Giuffrida began as a professional pitcher in 1961 at age 18 as a member of the Class C Great Falls Electrics. He worked 38 innings, experiencing difficulty on the mound for the first time, registering a lofty ERA of 6.63.

The next season, the Dodgers organization thought it best to send him down one notch to D-ball. So he suited up for a team known as the Keokuk-Midwest Dodgers. Winning seven games while posting an ERA of 3.79, he impressed the Dodgers brass enough to get bumped up several levels in the Dodgers system for his next two seasons.

Giuffrida struck out almost exactly one batter per inning pitched, but he walked 111 batters — five more walks than strikeouts.

Pitching for the Class-A St. Petersburg Saints, he made 25 appearances from 19631964, including 21 starts. His ERAs in those two seasons were respectable at 3.67 and 3.57. His career win-loss record stood at 17-14.

It’s just speculation, but perhaps what happened in a game he pitched in late May of 1964 hurt his chances at stardom.

A story by Joseph Flint of the Daily Republican-Herald American mentioned Giuffrida was breezing along for the win, which he did get credit for, when a line drive smashed his thumb. He had given up just one walk and four hits, but his day ended there. Nevertheless, his manager said he had “great expectations for Giuffrida.”

Until then, his ERA stood at just 2.75 — and remember, it ended up at 3.57. Flint wrote that Giuffrida twice knocked off the league’s first-place team. His control was perhaps the best it ever was in his pro career. He fanned 42 batters against 18 walks.

As any scout, manager, or fan knows, big league success is difficult to predict.

“It’s a fine line between who makes it and who does not, but the locals were shocked that he never made it to the show,” Phillips said.

Phillips said many locals were more confident in predicting Giuffrida would become a star than they were of Musial and Ken Griffey Sr.