Denny Zylstra, planning some shenanigans.
Denny Zylstra is one of the true big-timers in the history of Coupeville athletics.
His runs as an athlete, coach, and die-hard supporter have been well-documented, and he has been a member of the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame for some time.
Today, though, thanks to Charlie Burrow, we have a story about a young Denny which I hadn’t previously heard.
One day in the spring of 1958, the Coupeville High School baseball team was returning from a game in Port Townsend aboard the PT-Keystone ferry.
The players were still in uniform because the county stadium where we played in downtown PT didn’t have showers – the team suited up at the Coupeville school, then went by bus to Keystone and walked aboard the ferry.
At that time the PT ferry dock was further north than the current dock and only about a block from the stadium, so CHS saved having to pay the fare for the bus by having the team walk aboard.
Anyway, at some point after we departed PT, someone dared Denny Zylstra (CHS ’58), the team’s leading pitcher, and prankster, to jump off the ferry while it was underway.
He said he’d do it for $35.
So, when enough pledges were raised from players and supporters to meet his price, he began to strip off his uniform preparatory to making the plunge.
But, unfortunately (or, fortunately for Denny) a member of the ferry crew who’d gotten wind of the proceedings intervened and warned us that if he jumped, they’d be calling the sheriff and Denny would be arrested when we arrived at Keystone.
So much for that idea.
PS — Don’t remember who won the ball game.
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