One game in a baseball career that spans five decades still brings up memories for Joe Arnold.

It wasn’t during his 10-year career working for George Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees, which brought him World Series rings in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

It didn’t happen at the University of Florida, either, even though Arnold helped the Gators build a new stadium, host a regional for the first time in state history and make a trip to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time in 1988 during his run as head coach from 1983 to 1994.

He also coached Florida Southern College to the NCAA Division II championship game four times, including two titles in 1978 and 1981, played and served as assistant coach at Arizona State and had a brief stint in the minors with Houston Astros.

But none of those games during that time measured up to the one here in Grand Junction, which some call the greatest game ever played at the National Junior College World Series.

In the tournament opener for Miami-Dade College in 1966, Arnold hooked up in a pitcher’s duel with Phoenix College’s Gary Gentry, who later won 13 games for the 1969 Miracle Mets during a seven-year major league career.

“We both went the distance,” Arnold said of the 13-inning game that Miami-Dade won 1-0.

“Dennis Hegarty hit a home run right down the left-field line. I think it was 295 (feet) down the left-field line and it went about 302. Unbelievable. You talk about tense. People have told me it’s probably the best game ever played at the JUCO World Series and I was proud to be a part of it.”

The rubber-armed Arnold didn’t get much of a respite. He pitched in relief in the Falcons’ second game before blanking Ellsworth (Iowa) College in the third.

“We went to Grand Junction with 13 players. We only had about three or four pitchers,” said Arnold, who still owns the JUCO record for innings pitched in a tournament with 302⁄3.

“We were about two-thirds of the way through the year and our coach, who was big on discipline, cleared out about six or seven guys. That year, I played shortstop, third base, left field and they brought me in in relief when I wasn’t starting.”

Heartbreak came in the championship against Nassau (Fla.) Community College.

“I threw a pitch on the inside corner to a guy (Kurt Bevacqua) and it hit his bat,” Arnold said.

“It’s like slow motion seeing the ball go past the left fielder over the fence and seeing the guy score the winning run (in the bottom of the ninth).”

Bevacqua led the tournament that year with 11 hits and a .393 batting average for Nassau, which won 6-5 in the title game.

“I remember I won the Most Valuable Player award in a losing cause and I felt sick,” Arnold said.

“I probably felt the worst of anybody on our whole team.”

Arnold led Miami-Dade back to the national tournament in 1967 and again fell short in the title game against Bacone (Okla.) College.

“I pitched a shutout in the (semifinal) and I wanted to pitch again, but they didn’t throw me,” Arnold said.

“It was a different game back then. Now, guys are specialists. They have long relievers, closers. Guys just don’t suck it up and throw when their arms hurt anymore. Back then, we just had to suck it up. I was pretty upset they didn’t throw me, because I was ready.”

Soon after, Arnold signed to play at Arizona State and was drafted by the Astros.

With the Vietnam War going on, however, he told Houston he couldn’t drop out of school to go to spring training.

“I would have been gone,” he said. “They had the (military) draft back then and I would have been over there.”

He went back to school and ended up getting a Master’s degree while serving as an assistant coach at Arizona State in 1972, opening the door for a coaching career that continues today at Polk (Fla.) Community College in Winter Haven, Fla.

“Last year, I felt I was running out of gas with the Yankees,” said Arnold, who worked as a crosschecker.

He provided second opinions on some of the top prospects in the country.

“I have all of my family close to me now in Lakeland,” Arnold said.

He and his wife of 39 years, Beverly, became grandparents for the first time 17 months ago when 35-year-old son Joey and his wife delivered Abigail Jean. Another grandchild is due in November.

Arnold’s 39-year-old daughter Jill works as a dental hygenist.

“I am as happy as I have ever been,” Arnold said.

“I have my family around me now. I am back to teaching and coaching, getting kids to the next level.

“I am really looking forward to getting back there to Grand Junction. Getting picked as one of the top players for this (anniversary) team, it’s quite an honor. I know once we get there, we aren’t stopping. My wife and I are going to Alaska for our first vacation in 15 years.”

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Joe Spencer can be reached via e-mail at jspencer@gjds.com.