Some Kind Words

(#107)

Thanks for some of the kinds words about Diary of a Mad Baseball Coach! Looking forward to many more. Subscribe here: https://form.jotform.com/220167141659051

Love reading these old stories! Not only a tough, awesome baseball coach, but writing talent too! What other tricks up your sleeve??

Teresa Jackson Pope

Enjoying these amazing stories! Great job Coach!

George McQuitter

Coach, thanks for all the kind words. You are right about one thing, Josh had our # that year. He threw his split at least 90 out of 120 pitches. It was a great series. Clinton didn’t beat us much but if I had to lose, I guess I would rather lose to Josh. One reason is that he player the game right way. He is made of the right stuff for sure. Thanks again for bringing me into your great stories. I remember all of them and I am very proud to be your friend. I am also grateful to be a small part of your coaching career.

Jeff McClaskey

What a great article! You are a gifted story teller. You praised both Coach McClaskey and a great player and pitcher your son. Both great examples of baseball and team sports in the day. I never played for you but wish I had the opportunity. You are a great man and coach. I know that from my best friend coach McClaskey. Thank you for the article.

Chase Callaway

Coach, I’m glad I wasn’t there that year. I’m sure it got ugly but I can hear Ms, Harrell saying that, hahaha. We had our share of long bus rides, not only if we lost but if we didn’t win by 7-8 runs, it was a long ride home. 

Ricky Chisolm

I’ve always wondered why a coach (former catcher) would teach his players how to pop up slide on a concrete gym floor.  Now we know the rest of the story. LOL. Rick Clarke to be honest, I and many others never knew how to slide until that day. P.S.-The gym floor was slick and for sure softer than some of the fields we played on in the early days.

Rob Harrell

Thought that urinal was an urban myth!

Randy Becnel

I wouldn’t trade it for anything, well maybe to have the ability to raise my right arm high enough to brush my teeth!

Mark Anders

Thanks for not mentioning my name and protecting the guilty (seriously). For the record, I was in position (2 man crew in those days) but the 1st baseman moved into cutoff position directly in my view at the last second as the ball hit the ground. I know I thanked you for your unimaginable intervention but I could never thank you enough for what you did. Not sure I’ve ever felt as lonely as I did when I realized the coin landed on heads instead of tails and I was the only 1 in the park that didn’t see it. Good times.  I think that incident could be proven to be the root cause of what happened to me last week. I still have nightmares about Jim.

Scott Garner

The team back in those days were very ambitious and loved to play the game. But more than that they loved to play the game for you.

Glenn Sikes

I played for Prep and for the Bakers legion team. In the summer of 79 after my junior year, we had the bases loaded and Nick picked me off of second base. Just to prove it was a fluke, two innings later, with the bases loaded again, he picked me off again at second base; however the shortstop muffed the throw and I escaped eternal humiliation.

Mike Betts

That was a great story! I was a senior outfielder on that Brandon Academy team in 1977. Brings back great memories. Thanks for sharing that!

Steve Gardner

I just found this today. Really enjoyed reading the stories again from the old days. Hope you and you family are well. Look forward to more posts. Hope to see you sometime. Thanks for the memories and for all you did to help me grow up, learn to work, and all the fun times. God bless you!!

Charlie Mason