WRESTLING NEWS
The Truth About 'Macho Man' Randy Savage's Impressive Baseball Past
By MARIA SCINTO
He was Baseball-obsessed
Randy Savage (né Poffo), even as a young boy, had baseball diamond dreams, he could always be found in the backyard playing catch with his brother Lanny or playing pickup games in a nearby park. At the age of 10, he got his first taste of organized ball when his mom signed him up for Little League in his hometown of Downer's Grove, Illinois.
His Father was Supportive
After his father’s (Angelo Poffo) college baseball career was behind him, he supported his son’s dreams to pursue the same. He took his boys for regular visits to both Chicago ballparks, Wrigley Field and Comiskey Park, and spent time coaching Randy on how to play catcher.
He Skipped School
The Poffo family went to Hawaii for a year, when Poffo Sr. got a wrestling contract there, and the sons were homeschooled so that they could play baseball. The brothers trained for 11 months and Randy even landed a semi-pro catching gig with an outfit called Gouvea's Sausage Phillies.
A High School All-Star
As a junior in Downers Grove North High Trojan, Randy batted .500, helping his team win the conference title, and as a senior, he batted .525 making them champions yet again. In both years, he was voted team MVP and chosen to play on Illinois’ All-State Team.
Failed to be Drafted
Despite his outstanding high school baseball career, he didn’t catch the eye of major league scouts and his hopes of being drafted were crushed. When the 1971 draft happened, 794 players were selected, but Randy was “completely ignored” according to his brother Lanny.