ROBERT DENNIS (DENNY) DOYLE
By JAMES BROWN
104TheScore.com
Caverna has won two state baseball championships. In both 1961 and 1972, the Colonels were Kentucky champs, and on both teams there were Doyles.
Robert Dennis (Denny) Doyle, the eldest of the three brothers, has died at the age of 78.
Denny was a legend on the diamond while still in high school. Any time spent with anyone of that era, and they will have a story to tell. Sadly, many of them are not with us anymore.
When I learned of his death, the first two people I thought of were Joel Wilson and Ronnie Ellis. Two former colleagues at the Glasgow Daily Times. Joel, known to many as the longtime editor of the newspaper, covered sports when Denny was on the rise at Caverna High School. He witnessed first hand the wonder that was the eldest son of Robert (Jake) and Virginia Catherine (Toohey) Doyle, born at T.J. Samson Community Hospital on Jan. 17, 1944. Joel often spoke of the prowess Denny had on the diamond as a pitcher, fielder and hitter.
In 1961, the Colonels beat Owensboro, 3-1, in the quarterfinals. Then knocked off Lafayette, 5-2, in the semifinal round, and Waggener, 1-0, in the title game.
Ronnie, meanwhile, grew up in the 1960s when Denny parlayed his legendary high school career into an outstanding run at Morehead State University. Like so many young folks of his generation, Ronnie rooted for Denny to be a star in the Majors. After a slow start, he was.
The star turn came in the 1975 season when the kid from Cave City was traded to the Boston Red Sox from the California Angels, as they were then named. While the Red Sox of that year may be known for the World Series that got away, Denny was slugging away in the seven-game series.
The second baseman was the only player for either team to hit safely in all seven games, and Ronnie liked to claim Denny would have been MVP of the series if Boston had won. Of course, the Cincinnati Reds ended up winning the series, 4-3, on a single by Joe Morgan. The Game 7 score was, 4-3.
Rick Bailey, former sports columnist for the Lexington Leader, wrote on Oct. 23, 1975, “Most Consistent Hitter — … Denny Doyle, the former Kentuckian who was the only player with a hit in each game.”
There were five future baseball hall of famers also playing in the series.
Denny began his professional career in 1966, but it took him four years to get the call to Major League Baseball. He was not selected in the draft, but signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies. He made his major league debut in 1970 with Philadelphia. In 1973, he was traded to the Angels.
For both Philly and California, Denny hit below .300, but for the Red Sox, he became a more consistent contact hitter. He hit .310 in 89 games, and had a league-best 22-game hitting streak. He started at second base in the field. He played two more seasons for Boston before retiring, and starting the Doyle Baseball Academy with his younger brothers, Brian and Blake.
Denny lived in Florida after his MLB retirement, which is where he and his brothers built their baseball training business. He died Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022, in Winter Garden, Florida, according to Winter Oak Funeral Home and Cremations – Winter Garden. There will be a service for him on Dec. 28 at 1 p.m. local time at First Baptist Church of Winter Garden.
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