Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : How does one lead into a decade of non-stop FUN with Chris and Crystal Graham ? Maybe go with that day in Annapolis, Maryland, where freezing to death was in play.

We captured this odd looking selfie with Chris Graham, Linda Carter, Chris Carter, myself, and some grandchildren on the verge of becoming frozen.

To set the stage for this moment, Linda and I had flown from Orcas Island to Detroit, Michigan, for the Duke University Bowl game against Northern Illinois. Spoiler – Duke won the Motor City Bowl, but it was -1Β° outside that night. But that game was played indoors !!!!!!!

Instead of flying back out, we headed to Annapolis for the Military Bowl between Virginia and Navy. Our son, also Chris, made the drive up with two of our grandchildren so we could see them before going back West.

Chris Graham was there but up in the Press Box, where the windows were freezing over. Virginia returned the opening kickoff for like a 100-yard TD before Navy ran off 49 unanswered points.

We all spent the entire halftime break trying hard to meet up, even if for just a brief moment, and that only happened because both Graham and I were determined to get together after 10 minutes of trying.

This next photo is from the hotel room that we rented in hopes of thawing out after the game. The other Chris went back upstairs and shivered his way to a game story, a tough write that day for two reasons. First, the score and second, getting your fingers to work correctly in those conditions.

There will be plenty of sightings about the Grahams throughout this book as we teamed up a number of times over the years. I’m not sure how the Ice Bowl selfie captured the lead, maybe because of the amount of determination it took to create it !

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : We have our cover, dedication page, and table of contents locked πŸ”’ and loaded for the powers to be!!! Book 6 is nearing the finish line…

Proudly presents
Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : 50 years of stories from ball Diamonds.

The dedication page : While many of the main characters in this book have since passed away, we would like to pay tribute to John Culp, Roy Cardin, Jeff Tobler, and anyone else who was a part of the journey who is no longer with us.

Roy Cardin of Shenandoah, Jeff Tobler of Carroll County, and John Culp of West Virginia were three terrific examples of people who lived larger than life while on earth and will be remembered well into the future.

I hope that we did their memories proud through the words in the pages that follow!

Introduction :

Chapter 1 – In the Beginning

Chapter 2 – The Long and Winding Road

Chapter 3 – Life in the 1980s

Chapter 4 – The 1990s

Chapter 5 – Turning the Page while out West

Chapter 6 – Who’s the Boss and the Four Corners of Carolina.

Chapter 7 – WVU-T, VBL and The Valley

Chapter 8 – Shenandoah, Virginia, provides the beginning to the end.

Afterword – Wrapping Up

Notes to John & Nancy – Chapters 7 and 8 will have the bulk of the load, but the effort was never about balance.

A total of 50 links have been pushed forward in two posts, and please include ALL stories that lead with Diamonds πŸ’Ž in the past 30 days.

What is left – writing for chapter 7 and the inclusion of offers to a handful of people who I have offered what I call companion pieces to.

Chris Graham

Allen Worrell

Chuck McGill

Greg Talley

Mr Thompson

Chris Dodson

Thank you to Brad Nester, Wayne Carter, Craig Worrell, Ryan McCafferty, Amy Gaskins, and Cheyenne Strickland for their efforts up to this point. It meant a great deal !

The flight ✈️ out to British Columbia is booked for November 5th, and the cutoff for this part is October 25th.

The process being used here is a new one as it allows the reader to see the story get told. Minus the editing, the entire book will have been made available on our site, free for the taking!

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : It’s moving day for 33 more stories that are going to be in the book ! This will take a minute or five, but this is getting the info to the editor and publisher…

Here we go…

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : 50 Shades 😎 of Baseball ⚾️ includes Mr Cody Reece, a Cavalier who dabbles in both Baseball and Hoops

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Bill & Linda Gallimore took the time to share their thoughts on the run from 2013- 2015

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : In a word, Alan Knight is fanatical about the level of commitment involved with his Softball program.

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : The first of two celebrations as the Lady Cavaliers claim the Conference 24 Championship !

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : The transition from being a Father of Sons and a Coach of young Men to leading the Lady Cavaliers Softball program.

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend ! In the beginning of our relationship with Rick Nester

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : 50 Shades of Baseball ⚾️ includes a fun year with Mr Daryl Irvine of the Boston Red Sox by way of Spotswood High School

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Welcome to the Show, Mr Alvin Davidson !!!

Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend : Page County Softball over the years included three State titles and a handful of really close calls.

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend :  Let’s take a look inside the lines with the New River Community College Muskies and the Carroll County High School 🏫 pipeline that leads up to Dublin

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend :   Casey Burcham is Carroll Countys answer to Virginia Techs Mike Young !

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend :   Mother’s Day weekend Part 3 of 3 will center around Team Mom, Lynn Burcham, and the pipeline that has been built at Bill Worrell Field ! βž•οΈ other Moms within the program!!

Diamonds πŸ’Žare a Girls Best Friend :    The Legend of The Man who I feel blessed to know and wish I could spend more time ⏲️ with!

Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend :   Middle School Softball 🏫 earns a road Win πŸ† and pick up a few firsts along the way ! 11-1 is your final score from Independence.

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Marion Harris checks in with his Softball Nuggets from 2015 !

πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend :The list of the players and coaches from the Carroll County High side of Saturday June 13, 2015

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Carroll County as State Champs was 45 years in the making ! Year 3 of the Rick Nester experience…

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Cheyenne Strickland and Kenny Easley…

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Panther Palooza 2011 – Got Fence ?

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Panther for a Day :Mr. Cody Cliffton offers a touching recap of the Palooza

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend Soooooo many stories to tell that I don’t know where to start… (1) FG Contest

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend :Let’s Build a Fence !

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Happy 35th Birthday πŸŽ‚to my favorite partner on so, so many Diamond related projects!

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Austin Keith has been a Busy, Busy Man πŸ‘¨ over at Cavalier Park and he has had some Top Shelf Assistants !!!

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Alicia Campbell of Page County High School sure could play Softball and her Father πŸ‘¨, Arthur has a place in the OneofUs.Care Hall of Fame !

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Three Days, Two Nights = 1 spectacular Business Trip for the Lady Cavaliers Softball program !

April 28, 2024 is a date in the time-line of Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend as Head Coach Alan Knight enters the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame !

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : When your Faith and Baseball ⚾️ cross paths… Following Timmy Tebow in his pursuit of playing Major League Baseball for the New York Mets.

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend – How does one measure the value of a role model ?

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : 50 Shades 😎 of Baseball – A life lesson presented by the Father of the Waynesboro Generals closer during their 2007 Championship run.

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : In regards to playing at Fluvana, the 3rd time was the charm for Rick Nester and his Lady Cavaliers !

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend : Page County Softball is a Family πŸ‘ͺ Thing and there’s no better example than Mr. Ralph Viafora.

Diamonds πŸ’Ž are a Girls Best Friend :  While both Alan Knight and Rick Nester had a great day on Saturday, June 13th, the Nester family πŸ‘ͺ had another reason for remembering that day !