The spiritually secure hit harder than heathens

Sunday morning coming down - On a Sunday morning in Lewes 50 years ago, the Fred house front-door knocker banged like the beginning of a Dracula movie. It was Donald Robinson and Randy Johnson with aluminum bats and two bags of softballs. They needed a pitcher athletic enough to throw strikes. Randy called me "Friendly Dave” after a newspaper story about the Cape track team. We went to the softball field next Sussex Drive leading to Highland Acres. It was old school with a backstop made of scraps of lumber and chicken wire. If you’ve ever watched major league battling practice or home run derby, it was nothing like that. I threw strikes to Donald, a monster built like an NFL outside linebacker. Donald, like Randy, had a joyful personality. Those guys were fun to be around. Randy played center field. In retrospect, he should have been the John Fogarty video, “Look at me. I can be Centerfield.” He ran down sinking liners, balls over his head, cut off gap shots and threw the ball on one bounce to the backstop. I thought, “I am so lucky to have come to this magical place and have friends like Donald and Randy,” and then I learned a lesson they already knew but failed to warn me. Donald sent one of my pitches 400 mph off the bat directly at my face. I got the glove up, which was ripped from my hand with the ball embedded. Randy discussed whether it was an out. They were both laughing. I said, “Sunday morning, you put your boy ‘Friendly Dave’ in harm's way. You must have thought I’m the dumbest or bravest Philly boy you ever met.” We went back to my house to watch the Eagles game featuring Claude Humphrey with a graying afro playing defensive end. They started calling me Claude Humphrey. Susan and the kids loved it when those guys hung around and watched Eagles games. Sports should bring joy, not anxiety. A lesson learned – never pitch batting practice without a protective net.

Journey on: "Gonna take a sentimental journey. Gonna set my heart at ease. Gonna take a sentimental journey. To renew old memories." – Doris Day, 1965. It was 1982 at the Dover Relays. The Cape 4-by-800 relay team of Darren Purcell, James Johnson, Hank Stack and Danny Harmon set a school record of 7:59.6. I was their coach. The record stood for 43 years until last May when it was broken by Andrew Radka, Jamar Beasley, Jason Baker and Cardin Benjamin with a time of 7:59.5. I was there to capture the moment, and afterwards, the runners invited me to be in a photo. The year in review became a career in review for me. Last month, I had Cape legends Henry White (1974) and Lance White (1978) visit the high school. The occasion was Henry’s 70th birthday. Tour guides were current student-athletes Liam Ramsey, Jason Baker and Navin Duffy. The young guys were excited, interested and honored to show off their school and connect with the past. Athletic over time fits the definition of the eternal present.  The community connections are everything; those who don't get that are lost Frisbees in the tall phragmites.

Pop Tart Bowl - Cape’s Ryan Whibley, Class of 1999, was nicknamed Pop Tart by me because his name appeared in an official classroom observation with the sentence, “Student Ryan Whibley ate a Pop Tart during class (against school rules) and teacher didn’t say anything.” I accused Whibs of jeopardizing my career and potentially destroying my family. I remember another student – it may have been the mad stork Tommy Sheehan – who joked, “Way to go, Whibley, now they may get rid of Fredman and stick us with a real teacher.” Brigham Young head football coach Kalani Sitake, after the Cougars defeated the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop Tart Bowl, ate a Pop Tart in two bites then said, “I have seven pounds to gain before the start of the resolution season.” Thousands of retired footballers immediately plunged Pop Tarts into the toaster.

Spiritually Secure - I’ve found faith-based football players rock the hardest, from Mormons to born-agains to the FCAs. Those cats will separate you from your helmet before handing it to you in a “go in peace” moment of compassion. “Heathens hit harder” should be the rule, except they by definition don’t believe in the mission or go on missions. “Man is a rational animal” is what we learned in college, except on the football field, there is nothing rational about it. 

Snippets - The celebration of life service for Randy Johnson will be at 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 18, at Caravel Academy. I spotted a new building east of Champions Stadium on a drive around the Cape campus. The primary use will be field hockey and girls’ lacrosse; it provides storage and bathrooms. What’s in your closet? Go on now, git!