Deer Park Bicentennial Throwback Thursday | May 7, 2026
DP Wildcats Win State Baseball Title:
Where It All Started - In the words of Coach Estes:
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Despite the cold and mud, the spring of 1977 brought excitement to the baseball diamond as Deer Park High School won the state championship for their class. The following are excerpts of articles in local papers chronicling this unforgettable moment in Deer Park sports history.
Congratulations, State Champs!
Move aside Cincinnati Reds, we have a championship baseball team in Deer Park. The high school team, coached by Hank Estes, won the State Class AA Baseball Championship on the Ohio State University diamond on Saturday, June 4. The Wildcats defeated Coldwater High School 6 to 0 to claim the title.
The remarkable two-hit shutout hurled by Jim Gross, came on the day following his pitching and batting a 5 to 4 win in the semi-final game against a good Medina team. Bob Boyce provided all the runs Gross needed in the title game when he blasted a home run in the first inning with two mates on base. Gross and Boyce were named to the Cincinnati Enquirer’s “All-City” team along with Coach Estes who was named “Coach of the Year” by the Enquirer.
En route to the State Championship, the “Cats” won the Eastern Hills League title, the District title, and the Southwest Ohio Regional Championship. The Wildcats completed the season with a 30 and 2 record. (1)
Proudly displaying the State Championship Trophy and the individual plaques are seniors Jeff McNulty, Jim Gross, Derby Garrett, Dan Holle and Frank Thorman.
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Hail the Champs: The Deer Park Wildcats
By John Perin
The Deer Park Wildcats are the 1977 Ohio Class AA State Baseball Champions. The Wildcats locked up the crown with victories in the semi-final and final games last weekend in Columbus.
Deer Park captured the final game with a 6-0 shutout over Coldwater on Saturday afternoon, after taking a 5-4 verdict over Medina Buckeye on Friday afternoon in the semi-finals.
Righthanded pitcher Jim Gross hurled both games, going the distance in each and getting two hits in each contest. The victories gave him a final won-lost record of 19-1.
Saturday Afternoon – Jim Gross’s first warm-up pitch before the start of the game sailed past catcher Frank Thorman and carried to the backstop causing the Coldwater fans to cheer loudly.
For the rest of the afternoon, Gross’s pitches sailed right past the Coldwater batters and their fans sat quietly and watched.
Gross struck out eleven of the Cavaliers and limited them to only two hits, both singles.
In the bottom of the first, Deer Park opened-up their sizzling offense. Before the inning was over, the Wildcats had given Gross more runs than he needed for the triumph.
With one out, Deer Park got two men on base. That brought up third baseman Bob Boyce who promptly clubbed a towering fly ball down the leftfield line. The drive carried over the fence for a three-run homerun. That broke the scoring ice for the Wildcats and put an immediate damper on the Coldwater hopes.
Just to make certain, Deer Park drove two more runs across before the inning ended. That sent them out to a 5-0 advantage.
With the five runs glaring on the scoreboard behind him, Gross kept the pressure on and the Coldwater bats off. He struck out nine of the first 13 Cavaliers’ batters.
Gross had a perfect game going into the fourth inning when he gave up a single to Coldwater’s Jeff Geier. Geier then stole second base, but that was as far as he got.
Following this, the Wildcats went scoreless through the next three innings before tallying another run in the fifth inning. It was merely icing on the cake.
Other hitting stars in the game were Derby Garrett and Frank Thorman who each had two hits in three at bats.
The game ended on a familiar note as Gross struck out the final Coldwater batter. That brought the entire Wildcats’ squad onto the field to celebrate the win and the state championship as their fans cheered. (2)
Moments after the Wildcats clenched the State Championship
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Bob Boyce, team’s top hitter with a .525 season batting average.
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Pitcher Jim Gross: Cincinnati Enquirer’s high school player of the year.
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Jeff McNulty prepares for his turn at bat.
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“The past has taught its lesson, the present has its duty and the future its hope.”
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- News article clipping from unknown local paper
- News article clipping from possibly the Cincinnati Enquirer
- Antlers, 1977 yearbook
- Hank Estes binders of sports clippings, articles, photos etc.
A sincere effort has been made to convey the history as accurately as possible from artifacts, documents and personal narratives in the district’s archives.
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Deer Park Schools is also asking alumni and community members to help preserve the district’s history. If you have Deer Park memorabilia — such as yearbooks, photographs, letterman jackets, uniforms, or other school items — please consider donating them back to the district so they can be featured during bicentennial celebrations.
Alumni & Community Story Submission
As Deer Park Schools prepares to celebrate its 200th Anniversary in 2026, we are collecting memories, photos, and memorabilia from alumni and community members to help tell the story of Deer Park Schools.
If you have a favorite memory, historic photo, or item connected to Deer Park Schools, we would love to hear from you.
Your submission may be featured in Bicentennial displays, district publications, social media features, or community events throughout the celebration.