- Joe DePugh grew up with rock legend Bruce Springsteen in New Jersey
By JAKE NISSE
Former high school baseball star Joe DePugh – who inspired Bruce Springsteen’s song ‘Glory Days’ – has died at the age of 75.
DePugh passed away at a hospice facility in West Palm Beach, Florida due to metastatic prostate cancer, his brother Paul told the New York Times.
Springsteen and DePugh grew up together in Freehold, New Jersey, and played little league baseball together.
While Joe was known as the team’s star pitcher, Springsteen was actually nicknamed ‘Saddie’ by his friend due to his unfortunate lack of ability on the diamond.
And though the pair ultimately embarked on different paths in life, with Springsteen of course becoming a rock music icon, DePugh’s baseball ability made an impact on him and into one of his most famous songs.
As reported by the The Times Leader, he and Springsteen re-connected one night at a bar in 1973, after being out of touch for years following their high school graduation.
Bruce Springsteen’s hit song ‘Glory Days’ was inspired by his friend Joe DePugh (right)
Springsteen posted a touching tribute on Instagram to his late friend and ex-teammate DePugh
In the song, Springsteen references a teammate who could ‘throw that speedball by you’
The pair caught up over some drinks and the conversation ultimately inspired several lyrics in ‘Glory Days.’
‘I had a friend was a big baseball player back in high school,’ Springsteen sings in the song. ‘He could throw that speedball by you, make you look like a fool, boy.
‘Saw him the other night at this roadside bar, I was walking in, he was walking out We went back inside, sat down, had a few drinks, but all he kept talking about was Glory Days.’
Springsteen acknowledged his friend’s passing with a post on Instagram, quoting his own lyrics.
‘Just a moment to mark the passing of Freehold native and ballplayer Joe DePugh,’ he said.
Springsteen is seen pitching a baseball for the ‘Glory Days’ music video
‘He was a good friend when I needed one. ‘He could throw that speedball by you, make you look like a fool’….Glory Days my friend.’
The song, released in 1985, went platinum and is still known as one of his most famous songs to this day.
While DePugh tried out for the Dodgers, he actually ended up playing college basketball for DIII King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
He reportedly worked as a contractor and spent time living in both Florida and Stowe, Vermont.
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High school baseball star and Bruce Springsteen’s friend – who inspired hit song ‘Glory Days’ – dead at 75