TROUT CREEK — The official population of Trout Creek is small (325 in the last census) but the southern Ontonagon County town has produced some big talent.

Basketball players like Jim Manning, Bob Gale, Dave Besonen, Bruce Knivila, Shana DeCremer-Ojala and others are ranked among the top talents ever produced in the Upper Peninsula.

And that’s naming just a few of the players who starred at Trout Creek, and later, Ewen-Trout Creek High School.

The two schools boast of more 1,000-point career scorers than any school in the U.P.

While it’s been long-known as a basketball haven, Trout Creek has the distinction of having produced two players who pitched in the major leagues.

Those were Manning and Dick Pole, who made it to the big leagues in 1962 and 1973 respectively.

Manning, considered by many observers to be the finest prep hoops player in U.P. history, tallied 2,147 points in his career. That stood as a record.

“Jim Manning was the finest all-around player I ever coached,” late Trout Creek coach Bruce Warren said. “He could do it all.”

Coached by his father, Ben, Jim recorded was also a fine baseball player, who attracted attention from big league scouts for his strong arm.

The Minnesota Twins signed him to a contract and had him on the big league roster at the age of 18 in 1961.

Manning made his major league debut on April 15, 1962 versus the Los Angeles Angels. He pitched three scoreless innings in relief.

That was followed by a rough start two outings later against the Cleveland Indians in which he gave up six runs.

He logged seven innings for the season, but had no decisions.

His best season came with the Charlotte Hornets of the Sally League in 1965. Manning was out of baseball by 1967. 

Pole, like Manning, had been a basketball standout at Ewen-TC. He also gained the attention of major league scouts with strong mound showings for the school team.

“He was a big (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) kid who could really throw the ball,” recalled later E-TC basketball coach Tom Caudill. “I believe he had a no-hitter or two.”

The Boston Red Sox signed him to a contract in 1969 and called him up to the majors in 1973 after he posted a 2.03 ERA at Pawtuckett of the International League. He was named Pitcher of the Year in Pawtuckett. 

In 1974, Pole was pitching for the Red Sox when he was seriously injured in a game against the Baltimore Orioles.

After shutting out the Orioles for eight innings, Pole loaded the bases in the ninth.

That was when Tony Muser of the Orioles lined a shot back at the mound that broke his cheekbone and caused damage to the retina of his eye.

The ball bounced off Pole and went over the third baseman’s head for a two-run double. While he had to leave the game, Pole was credited with the victory in a 5-2 verdict.

He was never quite the same pitcher after the injury. He did pitch in Boston in 1975 and 1976 and made a brief appearance in the 1975 World Series.

Drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 1977, Pole finished up his career in the Northwest. His best record came in 1977 when he posted a 7-12 record.

With a 25-37 major league record, the Trout Creek native made a living by being a pitching coach/bench coach for the next three decades.

During a stint with the Chicago Cubs, future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux credited Pole for making him a complete pitcher.

“He told me not to try to strike out every batter, to be a pitcher,” Maddux later said. “He taught me how to pitch.”

Big league manager Dusty Baker also liked his work and hired him as a pitching coach at stops in Chicago and Cincinnati.

He finished his career in 2009 as the pitching coach of the Reds, having made several stops along the way.

For the record, Manning is the uncle of DeCremer-Ojala, who was elected to the U.P. Hall of Fame a few years ago.

Like his father, Manning was chosen to the Hall of Fame. He declined the nomination, however.