Take me out to the ballgame!

In the summertime, I really miss the fun of baseball.  Of watching Bill play ball.  Being with friends (who become like your family) at the park.  Trying to get his uniform sparkling clean for the next game.  I look back and think of those as "the good ole days".  I really LOVED going to all of Bill's games. (and many, many practices)  He was such a natural at all the sports that he played....football and baseball. He played basketball when he was younger and was good, but didn't really care for it.  When he was a junior he had a really good game in football against Greenville Academy.  The Monday after the game I ask Bill about his stats and he quickly told me football was a team sport and it didn't matter what his stats were.  (I think he rushed for over 200 yards that game and had several tackles...he played offense and defense.) And when he said that, it made me even more proud than the awesome game he played! June 30, 1998 Bill was playing in a tournament game in Highland Home.  He had been in his former Dixie Youth's coaches wedding that day.  It was in Butler, Alabama and Jon and Shelly literally said, "I do" and Bill and Mickey walked out of the church and headed to the game.  In the church parking lot he put his ball cap on with his tux and headed to Highland Home.  The girls and I made it just in time for the game and it was a game of a lifetime for Bill (and his proud mama).  The 14 year old Dixie Boys were playing Luverne and Bill was 4 for 4 in the game.  At this point in the tournament Bill was batting 1000.  In the 5th inning, Bill had a single, double and a triple under his belt. Bill came up to bat with the bases loaded.  Debbie Kelley was sitting right behind me and I will never forget her saying, "wouldn't a homerun be nice?"  (Bill was more of a base hitter rather than a HR hitter, although he did have a few HRs to his name)  Bill hit a GRAND SLAM which capped off his second straight perfect day at the plate.  How many baseball players, even pro, can say they have hit for the cycle?  Well....BILL HUGHES can! And speaking of his few homeruns, one came in a tournament at Troy University where he hit one over at the Troy University baseball field.  I have to brag because you know what???? You will probably never hear this story from Bill. 

He made the paper....which was not uncommon when he was playing sports! I have lots of articles cut out!