Some great memories following your son

Zach Johnson

If I could bottle the desire and work ethic he had from that moment on...I would be richer than Bill Gates today. He is one of the only kids that I know that worked his talent instead of being born with it. I hope you have a career season this year buddy.

PS: thanks for the surprise card letter you sent me.

 

TJ....you just wait till we get home

Go back 8 years

What this pitcher had to go thru when he lost a little league game. This is how he had to ride home in Braves car!!!!!

 

Ahhh...those were the good old days. My kids loved rides and we couldn't afford Disney World, so it was the next best thing.

 

I am almost hesitant to post what will seem like a negative, but I think one of my fondest memories is when at 12, Jim was playing in the State Games in Roanoke Rapids with the, "Rockfish". They had played pretty well, and found themselves in their 3rd game matched up with none other than Stretchy's, "Stretchlon Stars". The BIG BOYS on the block. Jim was chosen to pitch, and I don't think I have ever seen a kid so nervous in my life. We thought he could throw fairly hard for his age, but it won't hard enough. Zack Furl, who is now at Lee County High School, and headed to UNCG, hit a home run off him which I think is still travelling. Jim came out of the game trailing 4-1 in just the first inning. When the inning was over we were down 11-1, and Stretchy was happy. What I am most proud of is how he didn't let the homer affect his outlook. We got in the truck, and he just said, "man ,did you see how far Zack hit that ball"? The next thing was, "I've got to see about playing with those guys. I should have known then that his demeanor was suited for pitching because he handles that stuff a lot better than pop. Went to see Stretchy sometime after that, and had a great time playing for the STARS.

 

Leggett is a Star

The rest of the story is Jim immediately joined the Stars and become one of the Ace's on the staff for the next 4 years. He would always pitch whenever asked and never let the competition scare him. He is a smooth looking pitcher and can baffle guys with the changeup. I was behind the plate last year when he pitched against the Louisburg College team and it was an outstanding performance even though this time he was nervous. Jim has tons of experience in big games and has many more ahead of him. The big question is: Will Pop be hooked up to an oxygen tank OR will he be strapped to a gurney?

 

My son played 4 sports in MS, Soccer, football, wrestling and baseball. He played football, soccer, and baseball in HS. I have watched him struggle AND succeed. Was being looked at by several colleges for soccer and as a kicker. Blew a knee with 3 games left his senior year. Loved baseball but knew he would probably never play at the next level. Two of my proudest moments with him were his 8th grade year in baseball, as he played the final games against the teams in his conference, he would go to the other team at the end of the game, win or lose, and tell them how much he enjoyed competing with them and that he hoped they would play each other in HS. I didn't even realize he was doing this until about the third time he did it and wouldn't have known then if the other team hadn't been talking about how classy he was. The other time was his Jr year, had a very tough soccer match going with Northern Vance. Made several incredible saves. His team ended up winning 1-0, As soon as the ref blew the game over, NV's entire team came and shook his hand. He has been out of HS now for 5 years, lives out of state, but, everytime I see some of the kids he used to play against, they all ask how he's doing. I am so proud of the young man he was and the man he has become.

 

What a great story of a fine young man. Thanks for sharing that

 

Stretchy's stars were indeed big and we were outmatched but never quit. I remember that game well as it was on a Sunday morning and Aubrey McDaniels's Sunday School lesson in the dugout before the game was based on a verse in Proverbs that stated" It is better to live alone in the corner of an attict that to live in a mansion with a quarrelsome women. Remember both Jim and Gavin Mizzelle, now at South Central, threw in that game. However to Stretchy's credit he never went out and picked up the"Mutombo" brothers to play for him.

My son was never the superstar but in his six years of juniot varsity and varsity baseball never missed a practice. My fondest memory was his first and only home run against Halifax Academy his senior year. His last high school at bat was probably the most painful however as he was playing in the state semifinals at Whiteville's Legion Field against Waccamaw Academy and came to bat in the bottom of the 7th with two out ,the bases loaded and we being down 6-5. He hit a line shot down the 1st base line that the 1st baseman made a diving stab and came up with the ball for the final out. Six inches either way and we would have advanced to the state championship game for the 2nd straight year, Alas it was not meant to be and before he got back to the dugout the tears were flowing and I had to go behind the equipment shed myself until I could compose myself.

Now I am looking forward to one day soon having that grandson so I can make the t-ball to high school tour one more time.

 

One more time

me too!! BUT this time I am going to be nice and relaxed.

 

Let's play 2

As I said in an earlier post, my oldest son has graduated, married and lives out of state now. I have a 9 year old dd that is just getting started in softball (last year was the first they had here for her age) she had played Dixie BB for 2 years before that. My 6 year old is in his 2nd year of coach pitch (third season). Of course his first "GF" was the 16 yr old catcher on my HS team, so he became a catcher. Truth is he was little and the coach wanted to protect him a little bit. One batter hit a swinging bunt, he picked it up and with everyone on the field was screaming what to do, he looked at his "GF" and she said 'Throw it to first'. Got the batter out, came running by the fence and asked her ' Did I do good?'. Thought she was going to die laughing, as I did. So for all of you starting on your second trip through, "let's play 2" LOL