TEXAS ALUMNI HIGH SCHOOL
BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 10/24/2020

It is the virus season, it is baseball season, which season is it, 2020 will be a year to remember, we will remember it with an asterisk, it has by far not been what we would like to see as a perfect season. It has been hell since January, crazy, full of can’t do’s, do nots and don’t do’s.
 

The high school season was barely into gear when all the stops were put to it, the college baseball season was about a third of the way when they were give the stop sign. Major League Baseball reduce their season to about one third and just started the World Series. Where does that leave baseball as a whole? You can safely say up that it is more than a mess. High school seniors won’t have the season to prove their abilities for scholarships. College ballplayers will not have their season to prove their worth to be drafted by MLB. MLB won’t have that total influx of draftees as some will stay in school for another year to help their ability to be drafted higher thereby weakening the steady influx of talented ballplayers to keep MLB thriving. This is a  mess to say the least. 2021 has got to be better, we could not stand a repeat!!!

The World Series with the Dodgers and Rays has been a pretty good mixture of pitching and hitting at the right time. Home runs galore, it’s awful hard on those relievers to keep a lead. The Dodgers and Rays are tied up at 2-2 at the time of this writing. Come back games for both teams. Turning into a good Series.
 

Here is the kicker……..MLB has the series scheduled in Arlington, Texas, you don’t think all those players are kind of happy to be playing in a 70’s climate instead of some that have been played in 40 degree bone chattering winds blowing through the stadium! Thank God for Texas Climate!!!! One more thing, those ball players were complaining about playing seven games in a row, they don’t play in tournaments like we do where we play six games in one day and still have to have pitching for the next day. We have all been there
and that was a hoot to boot!!

Ok, here are a couple of things we need to get across to you to help in understanding.

The membership cards that we have printed are currently being finalized and we should begin getting them out to you next week. Our printer, ex-ballplayer Richie Wright had to go with a reduced work force due to the corona virus and we were put on hold due to the reduction in work force. His company, Wright Publishing provides all our paper, computer work and expertise in getting our membership cards and tickets for the Retired Coaches Association. So that is the reason for the delay, they are coming. The virtual clinic will begin on 04 November, all of our membership has had their e-mail addresses sent to Rex Sanders so that you will be able to attend any or all the clinic should you decide to tune in. Information will be sent to you on how to get tuned in.

As far as today goes we will have the annual clinic in January, it will be the 50th clinic for the Main Association and the 7th for the Alumni Association. I guess you could say it will be the Golden Anniversary for the association, we might have to some Yellow Roses lying about during the time we are in Waco!!!! Anyway it’s been 50 years since the association began, many good coaches put in a lot of time and sweat to get the organization going. It has evolved into the largest clinic in the United States, leading California and Florida along the way. A TIP OF THE HAT TO ALL OF YOU RETIRED COACHES FOR SURE AND TO THE MEMBERS OF THE MAIN ASSOCIATION AS WELL!!!!

The clinic will be held the second week in January. The 14th, 15th, and 16th of January 2021 at the Hilton Hotel. The retired coaches have made the Hampton Inn North their clinic headquarters for the second year. If you go to the clinic and need a room, call the Hampton Inn North in Waco – 254.412.1999 and tell them you are a member of the Alumni Association and you will be given a senior discount for the room. They have breakfast there for free, a ton of coffee if you’re so inclined and it is right next door to the Cracker Barrel if  ou want to do breakfast, lunch or dinner there.

Remember to send in your registration forms to Chip, he has been biting at the bit for those membership  ards to get in, the turnaround will be quick, a registration form is attached to this letter for your use. The dues are still just $20, which allows you into the area where all the booths are located at the clinic, provides you a ticket for the noon luncheon, and also provides you with a ticket to the Hall of Fame Banquet and also provides you access to all the speakers at the clinic and our newsletters. Still a good deal for just $20.

We will award two $1000 scholarships at this year’s banquet, one scholarship will be given in the name of Coach John Carpenter and Family and the second scholarship will be given in the name of Coach Andy Malone and Family. This will make a total of $14,000 that the Alumni coaches have donated to graduating seniors since our inception in 2013.

The featured speaker for the Hall of Fame Banquet will be a home grown individual by the name of Nolan Ryan, born in Refugio, Texas and raised in Alvin, Texas. It will be a treat for all to hear him speak in pure Texan!
 

New Hall of Fame Members are the following:

• Rodney Gardner – Andrews High School

• Gene Kasprzyk – Sinton High School

• Nolan Ryan – Alvin High School, Over a record 27-year career, Ryan pitched for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999

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These three men will be the inductees in to the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame for the 50th year of the association. Congrats to all three coaches, a job well done after very distinguished careers in baseball and representing the State of Texas!

We will have a panel of six coaches from 1A, 2A, 3A head coaches that will have won various state baseball championships, this panel will be led by one of our Alumni Coaches, Coach David Mayfield. We are looking to reach out to the 1A, 2A, and 3A assistant coaches for guidance in organization of practice,  management of a program, management of games and how to build a small school program. This will be a very interesting/learning program.

Corona, Corona please leave us alone! Give us a chance to meet and exchange baseball philosophies and experiences – Amen

Hope that you will be able to attend the convention we will be in our normal spot by the cafeteria in the upper area of the convention center. Give me a call if you have any suggestions or problems

972.754.5941 or e-mail me - halsey2@tx.rr.com. Take care and see you in Waco!– Joe Ray Halsey -

Joe Ray

Joe Ray Halsey

President – Texas Alumni High School Baseball Coaches Association