Day: July 20, 2025

Diamonds 💎 are a Girls Best Friend : 18 years and counting alongside Lawrence ” Big Picture ” Nesselrodt

Rebecca and I had been working together on a special project for the Valley Baseball ⚾️ League roughly 20 years ago, when I first met Lawrence Nesselrodt and attached the moniker, Big Picture to his name.

We created a passport with a logo to be stamped at each of the 11 VBL parks ( credit for our actual Logo goes to our older daughter, Sabrena Carter Deal). The idea 💡 was to encourage fans of a team to find a way to visit all 11 parks during the 60 day season. The league back then had some runners if you will, Covington to the West and Haymarket to the North as examples.

We asked the owners of the teams to honor 🎖 their fans as they completed the Loop by allowing them to return to their home field and throw out a first pitch before a game. We also had a friend create Air Brushed windbreakers with their teams logos on it.

Rebecca and I applied our Math Skills to figure out a way to complete the Loop in the minimum period that it could happen. We both returned to Luray, tossed out our first pitches and then switched over to traveling back to other parks to help others celebrate their victory lap.

The first two people to complete the Loop after us was two fans of the Waynesboro Generals. Both ladies were Big Fans of their team and despite minimal incomes, they criss-crossed the Valley and it was time to celebrate with them.

The Generals were led by an intense looking Man, named Lawrence Nesselrodt. I will admit to being nervous about having to approach him about what was going to take place. Ness absolutely blew me away with his response to my request.

In a blink of an eye 👁, Skipper barked out to his entire roster and had his 25 players form a reception line. Every player took the time to say Thank You to the pair of dedicated fans. It’s a moment that I will never forget!

Sometimes people don’t have the ability to see the Big Picture, in this case Summer Baseball is paid for and driven by the fans and local businesses. It was the only time that fans who completed the Loop were treated in that manner.

Before leaving Kate Collins Field that day, I made the comment out loud that I would jump at the opportunity to work with Ness again and the story takes off from there…..

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

Every year, roughly 120 Division One Softball players are blessed with the opportunity to play the game they love 💘 at the highest level possible. Oklahoma City is the long time host to the College World Series of Softball and each season eight deserving teams earn the right to play in front of 10,000+ fans.

When Kate Gordon signed with James Madison University apon graduating from Page County High School, folks questioned why someone with her skill set would choose to play at a university without a true pedigree. That very question was asked by a reporter on her signing day?

Fast Forward to Kate’s Senior season and the Dukes were heading to Knoxville, Tennessee for the Regional tournament. When JMU advanced to the Super Regional to face the Missouri Tigers 🐅, the team was on the cusp of becoming one of just a handful of teams to earn a trip to the promise land without a seed by their name.

  After a edge of your seat 💺 Best 2 out of 3 victory in Columbia, JMU advanced to the CWS for the first time in School history! The only downside was they would open against the Dynasty of Oklahoma University. This version of the Boomer Sooners might have been their most dominant season as it was a shock if they actually played a full seven innings to win a game.

Gordon won the game in extra innings with a Home Run that made two things possible. It gave me the most read story that I have ever written ( with some help from Chris Graham and his Agusta Free Press) and the second thing was it lead Sports Center that night.

  There will be pages and pages about that day on OKC, no questions about that but today its about two people that weren’t in Oklahoma that day. Head Coach Alan Knight and little Sister Maddie Gordon. Page County High School was set to play their final regular season game at Stonewall Jackson High School around the same time but a victory would have been secured without Coach and team leader as the Generals were far from competitive at the time.

  Not wanting to do anything that would be a distraction to his current team and its bid to give the School its fourth State Championship, both stayed at home.

I have no idea how many High School Softball teams there are every year in the World. I do know that 120 players from that group get to play in OKC each season and most coaches will not ever have the opportunity to watch one of their players perform on that stage.

Aaron Sorkin began his writing ✍ career with the Classic, A Few Good Men and it included a line from Demi Moore to Tom Cruise that fits this situation in a spot on manner. ” They’re fanatical about being Marines”

Some folks Coach High School Softball while others run a program. Then you have a third category for people like Coach Knight – Fanatical…

Diamonds 💎 are a Girls Best Friend : Fun at the Ball Park / Field

Orbit is a fan friendly Mascot !

Baseball and Softball are both played at so many levels, from Tee Ball to the Majors. This also means that the cost of admission has a wide range, going from free to $100.00.

One thing about Major League Baseball is the stand on the ability of the game to stand on its own. This means that they offer very little in the way of bonus entertainment. For that reason alone, its where my love for Minor League Baseball comes from, they are trying hard to draw fans to their venue.

Friday and Saturday night 🌙 were spent in Albuquerque, New Mexico with the AAA ball club of the Colorado Rockies. The team name is even fun as they are the Isotopes and Orbit is their Mascot.

One thing that they have that will never apply to College or High School is the small scale amusement park that sits beyond the centerfield fence.

Las Vegas has a swimming 🏊‍♂️ pool in centerfield and Norfolk has a full blown restaurant with great views of the entire stadium. Again, things that won’t apply at the lower levels.

Something that could apply at say, Bill Worrell Field is the siren 🚨 that sounds every time the home team clears the fences with a Bomb 💣.

The Mascot aspect is a favorite of mine but that depends solely on the person wearing the costume.

Isaiah Easter made it work at Cavalier Park back in 2023!!!

 

Natalie Burress was also a great fit back in 2024

Atmosphere is King 🤴in the world of sports, especially at the High School level once you get beyond Football. Football 🏈 is a once a week Social Event that look forward to attending. Everyone else is trying hard to give folks a reason to pay $7.00 to watch a ball game / event.

Loving parents and family members will attend as often as possible so the focus is on getting others to have a reason to attend. Free Parking is a ➕, friendly Concession Stand staff and food is another. Great atmosphere does wonders.

The flight ✈️ to Denver is ready to depart so I  will pick this back up after landing.