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Showing posts from April 18, 2021

First Visit to the Home that Joe Goddard Built

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Malamisura's and Bowen Field - It's a Family Thing

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 Bluefield (VA) - One of the first things you will notice when you walk in to historic Bowen Field in Bluefield is a plaque hanging on the wall to the right honoring a lifetime of dedication from Patsy Malamisura. The current General Manager of the facility might pay just a bit more attention to the Memorial each day when he comes to work nowadays.              Patrick is Patsy's son and to say he grew up in and around Bowen Field would be an understatement. Known to all that do business at the ballpark as Rocky, the younger Malamisura stepped up to his current title in early 2017.                From shagging foul balls for a quarter apiece in the early days while his Father ran the baseball operations to returning to the top spot after retiring from his career at his day job, Rocky is known far and wide for his efforts in keeping baseball a huge part in this little corner of the State of Virginia.                There's seldom a dull moment in the constant juggling of the var

8 Years in between Posts ? It's safe to say that a great deal of life has happened !

 Ground Hog Mountain, Virginia -                     I had to smile when I noticed that 8 years had transpired in between my final post in 2013 and the two latest ones from this week. After spending an amazing decade plus in the Northern part of God's own Valley I ended up off the Coast of Washington state in the San Juan Islands. There were a number of reasons that took me as far away from the Valley as one can go without actually leaving the Country but once Life allowed me to return we came back to the Old Dominion at the start of 2021.                   A few things that have changed include the location of the family as following the passing of my beloved parents I wanted to return to their roots. Both of my parents grew up off different parts of US-58 that runs across the bottom of the state. Dad spent his early life in a spot near Buggs Island Lake, just outside of Clarksville while my Mom was raised at the other end of the 500 mile long highway near the Cumberland Gap. Harr

Remember that time when an Empty Chair cost me a rare chance to visit with Bo Trumbo and Allen Fisher?

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 Bluefield (VA) -                  While watching the game of baseball has always been somewhat enjoyable to me I will admit to getting to swap stories about the great game of baseball is where true enjoyment come from. Getting to sit with the right person or people for a nine inning contest brings un-chartable joy to any afternoon or evening.                  When I arrived at Bowen Field in beautiful Bluefield , Virginia I was looking forward to bumping into Allen Fisher after having shared a couple of days of baseball chatter with on Saturday and Sunday up in Princeton when the great folks up there allowed our Wandering Golden Bears to take camp there for our series with visiting Indiana University - Southeast. It didn't take long for the stories to start flowing in the press box early on Saturday and they quickly spilled over into the action on Sunday. It's very seldom that I have trouble matching stories about the game with any individual that I cross paths with but Fisher

Life on the Road with Lawrence Nesselrodt and the West Virginia Tech Golden Bears

            After an unscheduled 15 day layoff due to Covid safety protocols (April 2nd-17th) the Golden Bears returned to the baseball diamond over the weekend by hosting #20(NAIA) Indiana- Southeast in Princeton, West Virginia. While the team came up on the short end of the scoreboard in all 3 contests against the visiting Grenadiers, getting back to playing the game they all Love proved to be a victory in its self.          The 2021 schedule has been interrupted now on multiple occasions but nothing threatens to slow down the enthusiasm of Skipper Lawrence Nesselrodt. Ness will quickly tell anyone listening that "It's a Great Day for Golden Bear baseball."         After returning up I-77 to their Beckley campus late Sunday night the Golden Bears will return to class today before taking to the road Tuesday morning for a non-conference twin bill at scenic Bluefield College (VA). Bowen Field will be the sight for a Golden Bears game for the third time this season but this