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Name: Travellin' Man
E-Mail:
Subject: Buddy Ward
Date: Thursday, August 27, 2015
Time: 9:33:34 PM
Remote Address: 193.200.150.82
Message ID: 297292
Parent ID: 297286
Thread ID: 297269
>I'm sorry for your loss-sounds like you knew Buddy well<
He was my JV Baseball Head Coach, a father figure, and a friend all in one. We went 17-0 for him. The kind of enthusiastic coach you gave your best for because you did not want to let him down. He nicknamed me "Bad Seed" with a chuckle because I got into a fight with a bully at school. During that season he would get on the intercom in the office and tell the entire high school about our latest win. "TM went 2 for 4 and scored twice. Wells pitched 6 scoreless innings in the 5 to 1 victory." That sort of thing. I mean who does that? And for the JV team not the Varsity! This guy was ON your side and you knew it. And we loved him for it. The majority of coaches at that school were hard ass negative types.
Unlike his son, Buddy was of slight build. About 5' 9" and 140 lbs. But from the pictures of Adam I see he had his fathers eyes and smile. When I played varsity and Buddy was the Assistant coach we had an Away game against Allegheny High School. We were way out in the sticks near West Virginia. Those rednecks had a tradition of great baseball teams. That day Buddy was a part of a scene I will never forget. The opposing team had a cocky muscular dude about 210 lbs. He came to the plate with 2 outs in the last inning with his team behind in the score. He was their last chance. Well our pitcher struck him out swinging, and because the guy had been so mouthy our Catcher, Mike, showed him the ball. As if to say, "Here it is! Is this what you were looking for". That big redneck saw RED! He had murder in his eyes! He brought his bat back wildly and I was certain he was going to connect with Mike's head! Mike had taken his mask off too. Out of nowhere Buddy Ward is between them like a flash, screaming "NOOOOOO!!!!! He says, "Give me the bat son. It's Ok." And the guy eventually calms down and gives Buddy his bat.
That's the kind of man Buddy Ward was when I knew him well. He could have been killed if the redneck had swung that bat. Yet his courage to protect a teen might have saved Mike's life. I honestly think the redneck would have swung if Buddy had not been there so incredibly fast.
I recall Buddy and I playing each other in a tennis match one day. I don't recall who challenged who for that friendly match but he smoked me something like 6-1. 6-1. I thought I was good at Tennis until that day. But Buddy was catlike quick and he understood the strategies of the game where I did not. Yet, he complimented my game. He was always a class act.
A Guidance Counsellor and coach who gave a damn, and always went the extra mile for his students.
And now he has lost his son in the most sudden and senseless way imaginable. No parent deserves to lose a son or daughter in that manner. And certainly not a caring, quality human being like Buddy Ward.
It's my understanding Buddy is retired now. In a month or two I may have to write him a letter to remind him what he has meant to so many like me. Give back to him some of the encouragement he gave to me and so many others.
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