Before anyone points out that when Reggie Jackson became Mr. October, he was wearing Yankee pinstripes, know that he was our right fielder out in the Bay. So, if I’m going to borrow a pic 📸 for this story, it’s going to be this one.

The one of young Mr Reece is one that I took myself the night our Cavaliers were playing at Abingdon. Side note 📝, loved the threads !

Reggie already had the three rings 💍 we won as Oakland, but these three swings that a 14 year old boy witnessed is what led to Reggie going from Reggie Jackson to Mr. October ! It also led to this unheard-of marketing campaign.

How talented of a baseball ⚾️ player do you have to be to hit three 💣💣💣 in a very small amount of swings playing on the Big Stage ?

It was Donna Nester who sent the messages to me from Magna Vista after Bam – Bam left the yard with in back to back at bats ! That day, our Cavaliers won the 4 vs. 5 match-up that send us packing for the trip to Abingdon.

Reece stood at the plate, in the photo above, and with our season certainly on the brink, did the unthinkable. Mr. Post-season was born when our sophomore launched a third 2-run bomb 💣 in the window 🪟 of four post-season at-bats.

While it was bitter sweet to see 👀 Reggie Jackson climb to stardom after he left our team, it was extra sweet the second time around. Why, because I didn’t know Reggie’s Big Brother

Remember, my heart ❤️ is in Marketing and this one writes ✍️ itself !

Connor Reece Night 🌙 at Bill Worrell Field, where the purchase of a game ticket 🎟 gets you a free bag of Reeces pieces…..

Today is a true genuine smorgasbord for a serious sports writer !

A few miles from where I’m typing this out, the Carolina Hurricanes 🌀 are set to host Las Vegas in game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals !

The World Cup is set to kickoff at various sites across North America and its opening day !

The New York Knicks just completed the greatest NBA Finals comeback in league history, coming back from 29 points in the second half against San Antonio.

Kelsey Plum led LA with 19 points and 11 assists in their road victory last night in Seattle.

Carolina professional softball improved to 2-0 last night in Durham.

So, what is the lead story for us today ?

That would be Mrs DeHaven responding to a Softball capsule I penned in the honor of Craig Worrell !

” Craig has always loved sports. Even though he graduated from CCHS, fair reporting when he covered Twin County sports. Ladies and men. He never showed favoritism. He wrote some of the funniest articles during his time and some serious articles. A very special man and a wonderful wife that has stood behind him. I miss his articles and Alan Worrell’s. Both great writers. Now you are working like a dog covering sports and working with CC Special Olympics. When do you ever rest?”

First of all, thank you for the kind words in my direction, but more importantly, joining me in my appreciation for Craig !

These two photos 📸 were created by the duo of Velvet Leonard and Craig Worrell. Two of the most diehard Cavalier faithful you will ever find !

It’s easy to live in a ” What have you done for me lately world 🌎” but every now and then, it’s okay to slow 🐌 the pace down or as they say, stop and smell the roses 🌹. Let your glass be half full !

Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.

Thank you, Mrs DeHaven !

Have yourself a Blessed Day 🙌

We have a number of folks involved with the Lady Cavaliers Softball program that would be just as happy, if not more happy, to be cheering on a son at Bill Worrell Field across the Boulevard.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but know that you will still find Travis Leath and me at a softball game !

So, when Travis mentioned that he had tickets 🎟 to three games in Durham next month, I immediately thought about the number of times he went to a ball diamond 💎 for no other reason than to scout a future opponent for CCHS. Yes, here’s an opportunity to return the favor for the Man who happily shared his Kiddo ( Emma ) with us across her four years on The Hill.

Full disclosure, I could have mailed this one in because I have been watching softball at the park for the past nine years because it is the home park for Duke University Women’s Softball. We have only been playing the sport for nine years now.

Athletes Unlimited Softball League just expanded, going from having teams playing on one neutral field to having a handful of teams spread across the United States. I am pleasantly surprised that Duke University and the city of Durham made the cut ✂️ on such a short list.

The stadium is located on the East Campus, a few miles from Cameron Indoor and Wallace Wade 🏈🏈🏈. Every other sport except softball and Field hockey 🏑 play in a very tight area on the main campus. Logistics of the deal on the land is a part of the story that doesn’t fit here.

Love ❤️ the fact that marketing went with a regional name – Carolina Blaze! UNC and NC State are just a few miles from our campus, and while you are buying a ticket 🎟 from Duke, it helps that it is Carolina.

If your visit is designed to include Cameron Indoor and The Chapel, allow plenty of time ⏲️ to make the short drive 🚗 over.

Let’s talk 👄 tickets 🎟 and seats. The park has a very limited number of permanent seats 💺 and they sell for $32.00 each

Everyone else pays $22.00, and you are welcome to bring your own chair 💺 to sit in or just a blanket to plop down on.

Bringing it full circle 🔵, Travis Leath and I are cut ✂️ from the same cloth. It’s not about us. It’s about making a difference in the lives of others and we use our knowledge of the sport to do it !

Brother, enjoy my second favorite home softball park and know that us softball junkies need to stick together ❤️

PS – this Karlyn Pickens kid in the circle 🔵, she’s legit ! There is my scouting report…

Portland hit a 2-run bomb 💣 in the top of the third that quite possibly is still rolling !

Travis Osborne wants to go all Damdy Don Meredith, singing, ” Turn out the Lights” !

11-2 is your final score !

Temp remained the same, even after the sun 🌞 went down.

Above you see 👀 three of the last four efforts by Craig Worrell that are meant to capture just what it means to wear the colors of a Carroll County High School Lady Cavalier Softball jersey.

Craig does the same thing for our baseball ⚾️ program, and the lifelong resident of Carroll County is as respected as a person can be. His decades of providing positive coverage for so many people landed him in the Carroll County High School Hall of Fame !

Thank you to Mr Craig Worrell for his dedication to our program !

Yes, Natalie Burress is Daddys Girl 👧 but don’t think for a second that Mom isn’t a serious player in this equation !

Myranda was having trouble finding a way to just send in one or two pics of Natalie, so we have eight ! That is the beautiful thing about having an advertising free blog, there’s no need to limit your content due to having to please others.

Natalie loves ❤️ her sport and wants to be coached up, which is what we call a ” dream.”

Her role next season will have to move up a notch because it will be her turn to lead in addition to playing her part. We are going from a Senior Class of 6 to a much smaller number, and leadership will be a KEY 🔑 ingredient in 2026-2027

I will be creating these capsules until I have exhausted my options. If you are reading this and haven’t seen one for your favorite Lady Cavalier, just send me a picture or two. Or in the case of Myranda Burress, maybe 8.

Always smiling 😃!!!