Steve Streater, who holds three N.C. High School Athletic baseball pitching records, died earlier this month.
Steater held the national record for wins in a season (23) and career (61) following his senior season at Sylva-Webster High in 1977. He still holds the NCHSAA record in both categories and for 12 shutouts in a season. He is No. 2 in the state in strikeouts in a season (228) and career (553).
He had eight career no-hitters.
I saw one of Streater's more impressive efforts. In 1977, Wake Forest-Rolesville was the host team for the best-of-three state championship series.
Streater pitched the first game in the series and tossed a pretty effortless one-hitter.
After the game, a couple of Wake Forest players said Streater was good, but they wished they could face him again. They thought they could hit him if they had another chance.
Sure enough, Streater pitched the next day and the Wake Forest players were right. WF-R touched Streater for two hits as he threw just as effortlessly.
I've covered high school athletics for 40-plus years and the two-day series remains among the most remarkable feats I've seen.
Streater finished 23-1 that season.
He played football at the University of North Carolina and was all-conference as a punter and defensive back. He signed with the NFL’s Washington Redskins before he was paralyzed in an automobile accident.
