Brian and his Kiddo, Rachel Breeden at the beginning of the story about their connection with the Tradition that is Page County High School Softball 🏫.

Brian is more known up in Shenandoah my his beloved moniker, Big Daddy, then by his actual given name. I can attest to that fact because it was probably five years into our relationship before I heard someone address him as Brian.

  Big Daddy began his stay within Lady Panthers Softball program back in 2004 when his only daughter played on the Junior Varsity team. The following four years were spent as Proud Parent and from there it became a little bit of whatever the program needed. The past two seasons have been spent as the lead Assistant Coach.

Whether the need was coaching the younger players, scouting opponents or even building a Pavillion, Big Daddy was often the first to arrive and the last to go home.

Roy Cardin is the Man that we are dedicating this portion of our Book to and Big Daddy will take lead on sharing a truly remarkable story about how Roy gave so much of his life to the youth in and around Shenandoah.

Big Daddy and Rachel were also out in Oklahoma City for Kate Gordon’s big Day versus Oklahoma. There will be stories coming on many. many fronts and the experience will be better because of Big Daddys participation !

In a perfect World 🌎 I would have ended up working in the Golf ⛳ Pro Shop at Massanutten Resort a little later in life. Because if I had been further down life’s path, I would possibly still be there. Minimal amount of money involved but unlimited golf and the biggest perk of all was running the shop alongside Daryl Irvine.

Irvine climbed his way up the Baseball ⚾️ ladder from Grottoes, Virginia to Spotswood High School and finally to being a part of arguably the greatest bullpen in Major League Baseball history.

Lee Smith and Jeff Reardon combined for what seemed like a Million saves back then and Irvine was a set-up arm for the late innings. As impressive as the Baseball side of Irvine was, the Husband and Father side of him was over the top.

Another fun write ✍ will be about things like the feeling one gets when hitting Albert Belle in the rib cage with a heater and the fear connected to it.

There’s simply no way to tell my 50 favorite Baseball stories without including Daryl Irvine !

Tammy Tobler has taken the time to pen 🖊 her thoughts on her Late Husband Jeff and his relationship with the game of Softball. In addition to this, I will include my series of Tributes I wrote that December when we lost Jeff, way to soon.

That brings us to inviting people who were also touched by the connection between Jeff and their child or just Jeff himself to contribute a letter from their heart. When it comes to the list of things connected with Cavalier Park, its not just trees, lights, seating, bricks or scoreboards, its also the people.

Jeff Tobler led with his heart ❤, right until the very end. Both Tammy and I have words to describe how much he meant to soooooo many but there is always room for a few more.

Jeff Tobler : Gone but not Forgotten

https://images.app.goo.gl/jyXLdG3v4dLmGo7EA

The link above should take you to the story that our Friend, Allen Worrell wrote after Kevin DeHaven swapped his cleats and ball cap for a suit and tie when he became the Cavaliers Athletic Director.

The book 📖 being compiled will have three distinct sections. Cavalier Park – Cause and Effect, Page County Softball – Tradition never Graduates 🎓 and 50 Shades of Baseball. While the first two parts are stand alone, the third one is a collection of shorter stories ( 50 all totaled) about my connection to America’s past time.

Baseball ⚾️ is all about passion and Love for the game and the story about Mr DeHaven is a great example. Going from playing throughout High School and then another four seasons divided across two College campuses before taking over the program at Bill Worrell Field.

Baseball is in your Blood, especially for those who experience it at as many different levels as DeHaven has over the years. The question here is after spending a lifetime in, on or around a Diamond 💎, what would lead a Lifer to walk away from the game he loves for a ” Desk Job”?

Life is about opportunity and making the most of it whenever it presents itself. Yes, DeHaven was having a lasting impact on the Carroll County Baseball program but now he is using his skill set to try and have an impact on an entire school 🏫.

The position became available upon the retirement of Darrin Mathews and DeHaven accepting the new position meant Casey Burcham, Steve Combs and Adam Nester each took another step up the ladder.

DeHaven is as home grown as one can be and is flanked by a supportive Bride 👰 and the couple have two children who wear the colors that Kevin protects.

The best part of the story is about how a love for the game and desire to get a College degree led DeHaven on a full circle 🔵 path that benefits a large number of people on The Hill.

We will work together to connect the dots as well as share the memories that mean the most to the Man 👨 that wakes up each day and tries to lead by example.

The desire to complete a collection of something goes all the way back to the Bicentennial when a 13 year old Boy decided to try and gather all 50 7up cans they created as a salute to Uncle Sam.

I’m not sure if anyone else remembers this marketing plan or not but I should add that this chase would have been so much easier if I enjoyed 7up, even a smidgen.

If you managed to find all 50 states and stacked them in the correct manner, the back of the cans formed Uncle Sam ( seen above).

A few years back I was working on a piece (story) that would be of interest to Chris Graham at the Augusta Free Press. I went on a fact finding mission that would include EVERY baseball ⚾️ facility that hosted either Summer League Baseball or Minor League Baseball.

Every time I felt that I found them all, someone would bring another group to my attention. It was a fun Loop to capture this particular Box Set and it will be one of my 50 Baseball stories for the Book 📖..