A Moment Dedicated to Ed Short
The coaches of both the Waynesboro Generals and the Luray Wranglers headed over to the mound to shake Ed's hand. What an honor to be in his presence!
To say that this has been an emotional summer would be quite the understatement but I had been successful in keeping myself in check, that was until about 7:50 PM last night. I had just finished introducing the Southern Division Champs (Waynesboro) and the Northern Division Champs (Luray) one player at a time- MLB All Star style and then it was time to have someone toss out a first pitch. I had been given the script earlier in the day and thought I was ready to get through reading it without a hitch but I only made it about 80% of the way. It took Ms. Barbara Black to tell me I could get through it for me to be able to finish. The birthday girl (Rebecca) took the time to re-type the intro so we could share it with each of you.
It really put some things in perspective for me on just how trivial some things I let trouble me in day to day life! A final Tip of the ATV-60 Cap to Mr. Ed Short...
Ed Short was a member of the Page County League and Massanutten League, 
which predated the Valley League, as a shortstop and center fielder in the 1930's and 1940's, playing before and after WWII.
Ed was drafted into the army in 1941 and served our country in Europe and participated in the largest and most important invasion in history. Ed was part of the Normandy invasion on D-Day, storming Omaha beach with his fellow soldiers. (If you saw "Saving Private Ryan," Ed lived it.) Ed fought through France and Belgium, and was wounded twice during what was known as the Battle of the Bulge, the final time three miles from the Rhine River. Ed has metals for rifle and machine gun expertise, was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Silver Star the Distinguished Service Metal the Good Conduct metal, the European Theatre Operation metal and the Battle of the Bulge metal. Ed returned to Luray in time for Christmas 1945, after being gone for 4 years, and now seeing his wife for 3 years.
Today was Ed's birthday. He turned 91.
That was the speech read aloud today before Ed Short threw out his first pitch. It was an honor to be in his presence and to capture his essence on camera.
which predated the Valley League, as a shortstop and center fielder in the 1930's and 1940's, playing before and after WWII.Ed was drafted into the army in 1941 and served our country in Europe and participated in the largest and most important invasion in history. Ed was part of the Normandy invasion on D-Day, storming Omaha beach with his fellow soldiers. (If you saw "Saving Private Ryan," Ed lived it.) Ed fought through France and Belgium, and was wounded twice during what was known as the Battle of the Bulge, the final time three miles from the Rhine River. Ed has metals for rifle and machine gun expertise, was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Silver Star the Distinguished Service Metal the Good Conduct metal, the European Theatre Operation metal and the Battle of the Bulge metal. Ed returned to Luray in time for Christmas 1945, after being gone for 4 years, and now seeing his wife for 3 years.
Today was Ed's birthday. He turned 91. That was the speech read aloud today before Ed Short threw out his first pitch. It was an honor to be in his presence and to capture his essence on camera.
