Jan 15, 2008 @ 11:29 PM
By MARQUES PHILLIPS
Observer-Dispatch
CICERO – His enshrinement into two halls of fame ensure Newport native Brett Helmer’s legacy will travel further and last longer than the home run blasts he’s made a career of launching.
"It is a real big honor," Helmer said. "It lets you know you did it right. It’s the biggest honor in our sport."
Helmer was inducted into the National Specialty Sports Association Hall of Fame and the New York State USSSA Hall of Fame during the past year.
He’s a long-ball specialist who plays professional softball as well as having put on power hitting exhibitions all across the country, including some Major League parks. In fact, he was the first person to hit a ball clean out of Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark.
Helmer said just getting the opportunity to hit at a Major League ballpark is special in itself, but, as a baseball fan, it’s still daunting for him to perform in front of some of the professional players he enjoys watching on television.
"They’re up in the dugout standing and watching," Helmer said. "Once you do it once, they remember who you are."
Helmer has developed friendships with the Dodgers’ Jeff Kent and Luis Gonzales among others, and said he calls them when he’s going to be in town.
However, Major League players aren’t the only people who find Helmer’s skills and personality infectious.
Doug Owen is the president of New Hartford Little League and has asked Helmer do things to help the league raise money.
"He’s got a big heart," Owen said of Helmer. "He’s never said ‘no’ to me. Anything we’ve asked, he’s done."
A couple years ago, Owen asked Helmer to put on a home run exhibition at Murnane Field. According to Owen, Helmer hit some balls across the street into the houses on the other side of Burrstone Road. As a result, Owen has had a hard time getting someone to agree to let Helmer put on another such performance for fear he’ll hit traffic.
Instead, Helmer uses his job as National Promotions Manager for Easton Sports to hand out equipment for the league to use. West Canada Valley basketball coach Steve Porter used to coach Helmer in baseball and says Helmer donates equipment to the high school from time to time.
Porter, who coached baseball for 18 years, said Helmer’s success isn’t a surprise to him.
"We have trees in the back of our field and he would hit it into those," Porter said. "I’ve never seen that before or since."
Helmer chuckled when asked if he’s hit more than Barry Bonds’ 762 home runs during his softball games. Heck, he’s hit 200 in a single season. There are Easton bats named after him and his homers can be seen on www.youtube.com.
Helmer, who makes his home in Cicero, said he’s having fun with his job and can’t see himself walking away anytime soon.
"I’m having fun and being productive," he said. "When
it feels like a real job to me, that’s when I’ll probably stop doing
it."
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