But one of DePugh's co-workers was familiar with the story of the 1967 graduates running into each other at a New Jersey bar in 1973 and catching up on old times. He immediately recognized the scenario when he heard Springsteen's 1984 hit "Glory Days" and told DePugh about it.
In the opening of the song from Springsteen's "Born In The U.S.A." album, the Boss sings, "I had a friend was a big baseball player back in high school, he could throw that speedball by you, make you look like a fool boy, saw him the other night at this roadside bar."DePugh discussed his days of playing baseball with Springsteen and even nicknaming him Saddie in a recent interview with the New York Times.
DePugh said he was hesitant to believe that Springsteen sang about their chance meeting until a radio station played the song at his request.
"My wife starts bawling," DePugh told the New York Times. "That's how I knew exactly that it was me."
Dick Enderly, another former Little League player who attended school with Springsteen, said the rock star confirmed that the song is about DePugh at their 30th high school reunion in 1997. "I got it straight from the horse's mouth," Enderly told the New York Times.
In 2005, 21 years after the release of the top 5 pop song, another classmate, Don Norkus, arranged for Springsteen and DePugh to meet for lunch.
"Bruce pulls in and I point at him and he points at me, and that's when the hugging started," DePugh said. They spent hours talking. They met again a few years ago.
DePugh said he was dumbfounded by Springsteen's humility. "He said, 'Always remember, I love you,' not like some corny Budweiser commercial, but a real sentimental thing," DePugh said.
DePugh, who played alongside Springsteen in the Babe Ruth League, began calling Springsteen Saddie because of their comparative baseball skills.
Springsteen's boasting about DePugh's talent as a pitcher wasn't exaggerated. During his senior year of high school, he received an invitation to try out for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
DePugh seriously entertained thoughts of becoming a professional athlete. "I was like, 'I'm going to be a pitcher for the Dodgers. No, I'm going to college. No, I'm going to be a pitcher for the Dodgers.' Well, the tryout cleared that all up."
DePugh, who also played basketball, earned a degree in English from King's College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. DePugh, who was unable to find full-time work as a teacher, is a self-employed contractor. He lives in Vermont.
Awkwaaaard. No doubt these two took a class trip minus the rest of the class to Brokeback Mountain in their senior year of high school. I mean jeeeez get a room. This isn't a bromance it's just two dudes that want each other. Springstein must have thought this guy was the coolest kid in school back in 32' or whatever year he graduated. But I guarantee this dude had no clue who Springstein was. Springstein got big, still wanted to be high school cool, and so he wrote a song about this guy. Clearly once this baseball player dude saw how big Springstein got he went from not remembering him to believing he was best friends with the guy. Classic case of you were cool, now I'm cool, if we're friends we can pretend we both have been and will be cool forever.
How about DePugh saying he genuinely loved Bruce. Like not just love but LOVE. That's pretty serious man, take it back a notch. And his wife started crying when she heard the song? What kind of bullshit is that? Like she's never heard the song before. "Oh my husband used to play baseball and Bruce knows him, I'm so wet I could cry. Ok now I'm crying" I admit its cool to have a hit song that's written about you but no need to pretend you didn't already know. You have to know right?
Either way, now that Bruce acknowledges the song was about this guy I'd be looking for some compensation. Friendship isn't enough. You know what's better than being friend's with Bruce Springstein? Cash. More importantly, his cash. I'd want a good 10% of whatever that song has grossed over the years. I'm claiming emotional damages because every time I hear that song it makes me think of when I tried out for the Dodgers and didn't make it. I'm coming after those millions Brucey, and I'm coming after YOU (but not in a gay way).
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