News Archive

Dear Buckhead Nation,

It's time to play ball! Opening Day was Saturday and ....... Hopefully, you've all received news and information regarding Buckhead Baseball's exciting annual fundraiser with Children's Healthcare. Our kids can help other kids by giving back and have some baseball fun at the same time!

We hope you will all participate in helping your player(s) sell at least 10 tickets each to the Spring Classic - the annual matchup between the UGA Bulldogs and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at:

Turner Field on April 24th!

Proceeds for each $10 ticket sale will benefit both Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and Buckhead Baseball. Last year we raised over $10,000 for Children's Healthcare and $10,000 for Buckhead Baseball!

All tickets must be sold and order forms submitted per the directions on the form NO LATER THAN APRIL 15th. Check out the website for more details and stay tuned for an amazing lineup of prizes for our top sellers! From last year's big winners:

Team and individual pictures will be taken on Saturday, March 24^th. The rain date is Sunday, March 25th. See attached schedules for your team’s picture time. **Sunday March 25 is NOT a make-up date—pictures will only be taken that day in the event of rain on Saturday.

The Buckhead picture package offers a variety of options for individual and team pictures. Your Team Parent will give you an order form during the week before Picture Day. Any items listed on the picture order form are available for ordering. ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED AND PAID FOR ON PICTURE DAY!!

NOTE: Call the Buckhead Baseball “Hotline” (404-231-2143) for updated information if there is inclement weather on Saturday, March 24^th. See also the Make-up Schedule for Sunday, March 25—AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A RETAKE DAY, but only a make-up day in case of rain on the 24^th.

Webmaster: It has been one my greatest pleasures to be a board member and the webmaster of Buckhead Baseball for these many years. While my son has graduated from Buckhead, I still enjoy being the voice of Buckhead to the organization and the outside world. At the end of the 2007 Spring season I think it will be time to pass on my role to a person or persons who will carry on. I am not a Techno person or an artist but the web site really does not require heavy technology skills. Anyone who can use Word, PowerPoint, Excel and likes photography can perform this function. I would be glad to assist anyone who thinks they may wish to be the Voice of Buckhead in taking on this responsibility. Please let me know if you think you would be interested.

If you think you might want to volunteer for this position, please contact me using the contact page or email the webmaster using the link on the bottom left of the Homepage of the Buckhead Web Site.

Opening Day Ceremonies for the 2007 season will be held on MARCH 17^th at 9:30 a.m. ALL players should arrive at Frankie Allen dressed in FULL UNIFORM by 9:00 A.M. Parking can be tricky so you might want to suggest that parents carpool and/or park in off-site lots and on back streets. Lookout Place runs parallel to the west side of the park and can be accessed from Pharr Road. There is a clearly marked pathway on Lookout Place which leads down a hill and into the park across from the Majors’ field.

ALL TEE-BALL TEAM MOMS: Please assign a parent to help organize your players on the morning of Opening Day, and make sure he/she understands the duties outlined below. Have this volunteer arrive by 8:45 so that he or she can find her players and have them line up in the appropriate area on or near the AAA field before the parade begins. The chaos level on this morning is high and we believe things will go more smoothly if at least one parent for every team knows EXACTLY what their players and coaches should do.

Each tee-ball team mom or Opening Day volunteer will need to bring a DOZEN BALLOONS in your team colors to the AAA (UPPER) FIELD AREA BY 8:45 A.M.

You will find a placard with your team name either on the AAA Field, or near the sidewalk outside the field, where you should stand with your balloons and ask your team to congregate.

PLEASE ASK THAT ONLY PLAYERS AND COACHES MARCH IN THE PARADE. THE PARADE ROUTE IS NARROW AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCOMMODATE STROLLERS OR YOUNGER SIBLINGS TRYING TO MARCH IN THE PARADE.

!!!!!!!AGAIN: ONLY PLAYERS, COACHES, AND ONE VOLUNTEER WILL BE ALLOWED TO MARCH IN THE PARADE AND GATHER ON THE MAJORS FIELD !!!!!!!!!!!

LINE-UP INSTRUCTIONS for ALL OTHER LEAGUES—ROOKIE, A, AA, AAA, AND MAJORS:

TEAM MOMS should designate a meeting place for players and coaches to gather. At 9:00, please lead your team onto the Majors field and find an area in the outfield to stand. DO NOT STAND IN THE INFIELD. Infield is reserved for tee ball teams parading in. See attached map for line-up areas.

Between 9:15 and 9:30, the parade will begin and tee-ball players will follow their team balloon bearer down the sidewalk, past the playground, and down the steps to the Majors’ field. NEW THIS YEAR: PLEASE TURN LEFT AT THE BASE OF THE STEPS AND PROCEED PAST THE CONCESSIONS AREA AND ENTER THE FIELD AT THE LEFT FIELD GATE. You should then walk down the third base line, past teams from other leagues, all the way to the infield where you will circle as far as possible around towards first base. WE MUST FIT OVER 800 PLAYERS PLUS COACHES ON THE FIELD SO PLEASE MOVE TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE FIELD AND SCRUNCH UP!!!!!!

SEE PARADE ROUTE MAP. Volunteers will also be posted along the parade route to help guide you and your players.

CEREMONIES WILL BE BRIEF THIS YEAR. Players should stand during the National Anthem and then may be seated for announcements and All-Star recognitions. Once the first pitch is thrown, it’s time to PLAY BALL!!!

It is Tuesday, Feb. 20th from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. The team moms need to drop by during this time to pick up their information folders and team uniforms. The meeting will be in the Board Room next to the concession stand at Frankie Allen Park.

Parent Workshop: Monday January 22nd , 7:00 – 9:00 pm at Northside United Methodist Church.

Board Member Leadership Workshop: Sunday January 28th 7:00 – 9:00 pm at Pace Academy.

Andrew George who played for the Majors As this season has been selected as the best sportsman at Buckhead Baseball this year. Each year the Majors coaches nominate a player from their team who they think best exemplifies the characteristics of good sportsmanship. The umpires who officiated the season vote on these nominations and choose the best sportsman in the league. This year Andrew George was selected. Congratulations to Andrew who is not only an outstanding baseball player but a great sportsman too!

The Georgia Legislature has honored the 2005 12 year old Georgia State Champions from Buckhead Baseball. Representatives Edward Lindsey of the 54th, Joe Wilkinson of the 52nd, "Able" Mable Thomas of the 55th, and Mike Jacobs of the 80th districts introduced House Resolution 1625 which was adopted on March 1st, 2006. Many thanks to our representatives for acknowledging our 2005 Buckhead All Stars.

Thanks to the hard work and generous support of many of our Buckhead Baseball children and families, we sold over 2600 tickets and were able to raise over $22,000 in our first Spring Classic fundraiser! Half of these funds will support Buckhead Baseball (including our brand new indoor batting cages which are ready and open for use!) and half of these funds will help the children of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. What a winning combination!

GRAND PRIZE
Congratulations to Everett Joiner, Majors White Sox! Everett will be the batboy for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at the Spring Classic!

Congratulations to Thomas Joiner, Tee Ball Royals! Thomas has won a framed jersey signed by Atlanta Braves pitcher, John Smoltz!

The team in each league who sold the most tickets gets to experience being on the field at Turner Field before the big game on Wednesday night! Congratulations and thank you to all! Managers and coaches, stay tuned for detailed instructions.

The player in each league who sold the most tickets will get a baseball autographed by Atlanta Braves players! Congratulations to....

A TIE! Max Motley of the Tee Ball Blue Jays and Carter Frooman of the Tee Ball Red Sox each sold 45 tickets! Go tee ballers!

Thank you to everyone who gave their support to this great new fundraiser! We'll see you at Turner Field on Wednesday night!

Buckhead Baseball teamed with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to do their part to help the community. Be a part of the great rivalry between the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech when their respective baseball teams square off at Turner Field on May, 10th @ 7:00PM. Prior to this great collegiate game, two outstanding high school teams, Wesleyan and Greater Atlanta Christian will play at 4:00PM.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: All "packages" of 12 tickets for $100 have now been mailed to the address provided by the buyer. All purchases of individual tickets will be available in the buyer's name at WILL CALL on Wednesday, May 10th.

Thanks to Susan Watson for heading up this effort and making it a great success for Children's Healthcare and Buckhead Baseball!

On Monday, May 22^nd, The Northside Athletes Foundation is sponsoring a lecture by UGA coach Mark Richt on character development through sports. NYO will have preferred reserved seating for 150 for this event, which will begin at 7:00pm at Holy Innocents School. From 5:00 until 6:30pm, NYO will also have a reception at the Dowis Building and will have soft drinks, beer, wine, chicken wings and chicken fingers. Everyone getting tickets through NYO is invited to the reception and then to enjoy the reserved seating and a wonderful presentation on a topic that is critically important to all of us. The tickets are $20 each. This is a fundraising event for the Northside Athletes Foundation. It is a great way for NYO to support NAF, hear a timely message and to enjoy great fellowship with NYO friends.

Plan to order several tickets and bring your assistant coaches; sons or daughters; friends; or, especially, bring some young guys that you would like to recruit to coach at NYO. We need to find more young guys in the business community that would enjoy getting involved. It would be great to get a large influx of NYO alums to work along side the “Dad” coaches..

To order tickets, mail a check payable to NYO for $20 for each ticket you want, to NYO, P O Box 420486, Atlanta 30342. Be sure to include your return mailing address. The tickets and a reminder notice with all the details for the evening will be mailed to you. You can also purchase tickets at the NYO office.

Fun Starts at 7:30PM with music, set-up, previews, and pictures from the crowd.

Buckhead Baseball Picture pickups will be Saturday, April 29th from 9 am until 3 pm. They will be in the Pavillion overlooking the Majors Field. Please arrange to pick up your pictures then or have someone else do it for you. Pictures must be picked up at this time.

Make-up pictures are from 4-6 on Saturday, May 6th. Individual and team pictures can be taken or retaken at this time. Just have your team or individual(s) go to the area around the AAA Field (Upper Field). Any questions, please email Margaret Stickney at

Last year, hundreds of thousands of families along the Gulf Coast of the United States were devastated by hurricanes. Some Little League programs there are still struggling. Little League International, in conjunction with Pitch in for Baseball, is asking for help from local Little Leagues.

Though baseball was invented in the U.S., baseball is embraced by many countries. Young players in the Pacific Rim and Latin America play the game with as much joy and success as kids in North America. Everywhere baseball is played, it becomes an important part of the culture and teaches kids many important lessons, like teamwork and sportsmanship. It also gives kids the chance to be active, get fit and have fun.

That's Pitch In For Baseball's Mission: to help kids and make friends all over the world by sharing the great game of baseball. We collect and give baseball equipment and other assistance to young people in underserved communities around the globe.

Buckhead Baseball teams with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta to do their part to help the community. The Buckhead Nation is going to help sell tickets to this exciting event! Be a part of the great rivalry between the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech when their respective baseball teams square off at Turner Field on May, 10th @ 7:00PM.

The tickets cost $10 each and are all general admission. For every ticket you sell, $5 will help raise money to treat children with brain tumors. And the other $5 will help Buckhead Baseball have great facilities so that as many kids as possible can have fun playing baseball like you. Click on the order form link and print as many forms as you like. See prize information below.

Prior to this great collegiate game, two outstanding high school teams, Wesleyan and Greater Atlanta Christian will play at 4:00PM.

The Chairman of the event, Atlanta Braves pitcher John Smoltz, helps these children all year long and he wants you to help them too.

PRIZES! PRIZES! PRIZES! We hope you will each sell at least 10 tickets to your family and friends. If you do, you will help raise $40,000 for Children’s Healthcare and $40,000 for Buckhead Baseball! And we have some awesome PRIZES for everyone who helps. Would you like to have a jersey signed by John Smoltz or a baseball signed by Jeff Francoeur? Would you like to be a batboy for the Bulldogs or the Yellow Jackets? Would you like to go with your team onto Turner Field before the big game? Everyone who sells at least 10 tickets will get a special t-shirt but if you and your team sell the most tickets, we’ve got some of these other great prizes for you! You’ll be hearing more about this soon!

If you want to try to win a prize, you MUST write your name, team and league somewhere near the bottom of the order form.

Just use the order forms to sell tickets. Your parents can help you collect these forms and give them back to your team mom by April 15th. If you want to try to win a prize, you MUST write your name, team and league somewhere near the bottom of the order form.

The summer thunderstorm season has reached Buckhead early. This weekend and next week look especially ominous for afternoon and evening thunderstorms. We will do everything possible to keep the game schedules stable, while at the same time keeping the players safe. Please be prepared for rain-out games to be rescheduled quickly. For most leagues, Sundays & Friday are planned as rain-out days and for the older leagues, the 7:30 timeslots will be used as well. We will slot the games in order of the rain-outs as much as possible. We will not be able to accommodate special requests for everyone, but will be mindful to make accommodations for issues that may create a competitive disadvantage for a team.

If Saturday gets rained-out: AAA , AA, A, and R games will be rescheduled to Sunday. Some Majors games will be scheduled for Sunday as well. Please check the website and hotline for latest game schedules!!

We will continue to try and keep our commitment to ending the season by Memorial Day, but if we get significant additional rain, we may be forced to extend the season and tournament past Memorial Day. We ask for your understanding and cooperation.

Opening Day Ceremonies for the 2006 season will be held on March 18th at 9:30AM. All players in ALL leagues should arrive at Frankie Allen dressed in full uniform by 9:00AM. Parking can be tricky so you might want carpool and/or park off site in lots or back streets. Lookout Place runs parallel two the west side of the park and can be accessed from Pharr Road. There is a clearly marked pathway on Lookout Place which leads down a hill and into the park across from the Majors field.

It would be very helpful if every team mom could assign a parent to help organize players on the morning of Opening Day. Please have this volunteer arrive by 8:45AM sharp. so that he or she can find her players and have them line up in the appropriate area before the parade begins. The chaos level on this morning is high and we believe things will go smoothly if at least one parent from every team knows exactly what their players and coaches should do.

This year we are trying something new. In order to relieve some of the congestion that inevitably occurs around the concession stand area, all TEE BALL TEAMS (5 and 6 year olds) should congregate on the AAA FIELD! The AAA (Upper) FIELD is located beside the UPPER PARKING LOT. Placards will indicate where specific teams should gather. The OPENING DAY volunteer should also provide a DOZEN BALLOONS for her team in their team colors and bring the balloons to the line-up location.

Between 9:15 and 9:30AM, the parade will begin and players will follow their team balloon bearer as well as the BRAVES HEAVY HITTER pep band down the sidewalk, past the old playground area, and down the steps to the Majors field. Majors players will form a tunnel for the tee ballers to pass through along the steps and sidewalks to the entrance to the Majors field on the THIRD BASE SIDE! Tee ballers should move SLOWLY down the steps for safety reasons.

Majors players and coaches will line up along the steps and beside the sidewalks between the steps and the third base entrance to the field. Placards will indicate Majors lineup locations as well. Remind your players to clap and cheer for the tee ballers as they pass by. Once all tee ballers have entered the field, Majors players should file in behind them and PROCEED TO THE FAR OUTFIELD AND LINE UP BEHIND THE AAA PLAYERS already on the field.

Opening Day volunteers designate a meeting spot for their coaches and players on the Majors field. Rookie team should line up in the half-circle in the dirt at the back of the infield with the A leaguers lining up behind them, AA behind them, and finally AAA teams will fill out the outfield. There will be NO placards for these teams unless team moms create their own. PLAYERS SHOULD STAND DURING THE TEE BALL PARADE but may be allowed to sit during opening day ceremonies with the exception of the NATIONAL ANTHEM and LITTLE LEAGUE PLEDGE.

QUESTIONS? PLEASE DIRECT ALL QUESTIONS ABOUT OPENING DAY TO THE OPENING DAY COORDINATORS

The Board of Buckhead Baseball was asked to consider a proposal to write a local rule making league age restrictions to the all star team participation for the 11 and 12 year old Majors all star team. Currently, Little League International rules allow league age 11 year olds and 12 year olds to participate on a Little League Majors all star baseball team. This is the team that may play on to the World Series. As we know, there is an additional 11 year old all star team that is restricted to league age 11 year olds and plays to the state level. Historically at Buckhead, it has been a rare event that a league age 11 year old has played on the World Series eligible team fielded by Buckhead Baseball but league age 11 year olds are eligible under Buckhead Baseball Rules.

The proposed local rule stated that league age 11 year olds would play on the 11 year old only all star team and that only league age 12 year olds would play on the Majors all star team. This local rule would have excluded 11 year olds from the Majors all star team that could play to the World Series level. A local rule of this type was found to be "legal" and allowed by Little League International.

This rule proposal fueled a great deal of discussion on both sides of the debate. A formal vote of the Buckhead Baseball Board of Directors was taken and a majority agreed that the local rule proposal should be defeated. In summary, Buckhead Baseball will continue to follow the rules of Little League International and allow league age 11 and 12 year olds to play on the World Series Eligible Majors All Star Team and that we would continue to allow the Majors coaches to decide who participates on the Majors all star team as we have in the past.

In other words, there will be no change in our method of all star team selection or all star team participation for any age group.

T-ball managers are not having their manager meeting until Monday, Feb.13th. This means that T-ball team members will not be calling their teams until next week. Notifications for T-ball should be completed by Friday, February 17th.

The Annual Meeting of Members of Buckhead Baseball, Inc. will be held on Monday, November 28, 2005, at 5:30 P.M. at the offices of King & Spalding, 191 Peachtree St., 50th Floor. The purpose of the meeting will be for the Members to: (1) elect the directors for the Buckhead Baseball Board of Directors for 2006; and (2) amend the Constitution of Buckhead Baseball, Inc. Little League in order to move the Annual Meeting of the Members from following the end of the Fall season to prior to the commencement of the Fall season.

Please note that we are proposing that the Annual Meeting (beginning in 2006) be moved to prior to the Fall season so that we can elect our new Board prior to the commencement of the Fall season. We believe that this move will help the league because the new Board members will be able to use Fall ball as a “trial run” for their responsibilities prior to the Spring season.

In addition to the foregoing matters, the Membership will receive a report from the outgoing Board of Directors on the “State of the League” and other matters. A meeting of the newly elected Board of Directors will immediately follow the Annual Meeting.

Members may participate in the Annual Meeting in person or by absentee ballot. To request an absentee ballot, please e-mail Ray Baltz at rbaltz@kslaw.com. To be counted at the election, your absentee ballot must be completed and e-mailed or otherwise delivered by the day before the meeting to Ray Baltz, King & Spalding, 191 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30303.

2005 truly was another great year for Buckhead Baseball. We continue to try and improve upon the solid foundation built by those who came before us, and also look for ways to enhance the quality of the Buckhead Baseball experience for all our families.

We appreciate your interest and support of Buckhead Baseball, and look forward to your participation at the Annual Meeting.

As many of you know, the board of Buckhead Baseball has been working very hard to determine the best solution to the age change that was mandated by Little League Baseball in cooperation with USA Baseball. After much discussion and with good faith efforts by all concerned, the issue was submitted to vote by the entire board last evening.

OPTION 1: Effective with the Spring 2006 season, all players will play in the league designated by the player's birth date based on the change implemented by Little League. As in past years, at the request of parents and as approved by league commissioners, children may play in a lower division if the child cannot physically compete with his or her age group.

Simply, every child will play in the league as determined by their NEW age date. As we know due to the Little League age change there will be some limitation in the number of major’s slots because of returning 12s. By implementing this option we maximize the slots for those players reaching the NEW 11 and 12 year old league age designation. In recent history, Buckhead has only allowed league age 11s and 12s to try out for Majors. This policy will continue under Option 1. For example, a ten year old last year with a May, June or July birthday will be a ten year old again this year and play in AAA. This policy will be reflected through all leagues at Buckhead Baseball.

The board understands and has carefully considered that this age change determination issue has been a hardship to some and a godsend to others. In reaching this decision they have tried to be fair and consistent. We know that the Buckhead Nation will make the adjustment and go on playing great baseball.

NYO sign-up begins for Pony on November 5th. This applies for both returning, as well as new, players. All registration is online. Furthermore, former Buckhead players ARE NOT required to take a birth certificate by the NYO office.

Things to expect this next year: Big barrel bats, longer bases, deeper fences, and a mound further from the plate.

Try-outs and practices should occur in similar fashion with Buckhead. Try-outs will be in late January and practices will begin the 1st week of February. Games will begin in mid-March. There will be some 3-game weeks and all play will be concluded by or before Memorial Weekend. The regular season will have 16 games plus a double elimination tournament. Also included will be a pre-season shoot-out, with more details to follow. Our kids will have 4 events per week prior to the season and 3 events once the season begins.

Again, let me encourage each of you to sign-up this weekend. We are excited with our new partnership with NYO and look forward to a great season.

After good discussions and meetings, we have decided to join forces with NYO and their restructured Pony Program for 13 and 14 year olds. With an unprecedented 120-140 players expected to register for PONY, NYO has opted to expand the program from 8 to 10 teams, or more if necessary. Each division will have 5 teams and play inter-division games including a double elimination playoff format in mid May.

The two divisions will have different competitive characteristics. The National Division will be geared toward players who are still developing their talent and prefer a very competitive, but less intense, baseball experience. The American Division will feature a highly intensive experience with the inter-division competition similar to the select travel teams around Georgia. The kids will have the opportunity to play the highest level of baseball without having to actually travel during the spring. The PONY league will also continue to offer a summer all-star travel program.

Both divisions will be made up of a mixture of 13 and 14 year olds, have similar quality uniforms, similar practice and game schedules, and play on 80 foot bases and a 54 foot pitcher’s mound on the recently renovated Garr Field and on the AA Buckhead Field.

The league intends to enhance your kids’ baseball fundamentals with consistent instruction. Also, we want to teach the value of playing together as a team. Joining the two programs adds increased field space for practice and games, quality coaching, and local play. We look forward to our alliance with NYO and a fun top-quality baseball experience for all our kids.

For further information, click on the NYO link below and scroll to the bottom of the home page.

The Buckhead Nation collects $1529.68. A matching donation is being given by Omidyar Network. Thank you to Omidyar Network! Buckhead Baseball will be giving $3059.36 to the American Red Cross.

The 11 and 12 year old Georgia State Champion teams will be at Frankie Allen Park this Sunday, September 11th from 12:00 until 6:00 to collect donations for our neighbors in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. All donations will be given to the Red Cross. As you come for your first Fall Ball game, look for our boys in red and our table near the statue - we appreciate your generous support.

If you cannot be at the park on Sunday for the Fall Ball Opening Day, click on the Red Cross Link below and give online.

Attention all graduating 2005 Buckhead Baseball 12 year olds! Buckhead Baseball will begin organizing 2 travel/tournament teams this October 2005 for all interested rising 13 year old players. The teams will be selected based on tryout performance. Initial tryout invitations will be limited to rising 13 year olds and repeating 13 year olds (due to the new birth date age change) that played in the Buckhead Baseball program.

If you are the parent of a child eligible to play majors in the spring of 2006 (Rising 11YOs and 12YOs) and Your Child Did Not Play In Majors In the Spring of 2005, you should attend this informational meeting. Attendance is strongly recommended.

Please Note: This important meeting will be held in the Majors stands at Frankie Allen Park on September 11th, 2005 at 12:30PM prior to the first game of Fall Ball.

The meeting will be conducted by: Jay Jowers (President 2004-5, Board of Directors), Gene Warren (President 2005-6, Board of Directors), Donal Ratigan (AAA Commissioner 2004-5, Board of Directors), Bill Smith (Sponsor Coordinator, Board of Directors).

Pictured here is Duncan McColl receiving the Frankie Allen Award presented by Terry Jerden, May 18th, 2005 on the Majors Field.

Duncan started at Buckhead Baseball in first year with the T-Ball Phillies and was on the AA and AAA All-Star teams. He is a rising seventh grader at The Westminster Schools. He plays catcher, third base and occasionally pitches.

Buckhead Baseball is the beneficiary of a charity golf tournament in memory of Mr. George Small.

Mr. Small was one of the original committed volunteers of our program. In fact, he is the person who personally had the grass put in on the majors field for our First State Tournament. His sons played at Buckhead and all went on to play college baseball at South Carolina. His son, Hank, had a stellar career at South Carolina and played in the Big Leagues. He set the USC record for home runs, played in the College World Series and was a two-time All American. Professionally, he played for the Braves organization after being a 4th round draft selection. He hit .300+ routinely for the Richmond Braves with power. He played in the major leagues with the Atlanta Braves in 1978.

Each year his family has a charity golf tournament with Buckhead being one of beneficiaries. We have received a much appreciated donation of $2000.

The Buckhead Baseball Family would like to extend our thanks to the George Small Family for their support of our program.

I had a great email from Team Mom, Heather Metzger, of the AA Storm. She passed along an organization dedicated to helping children with cancer. The organization, Coaching For The Cure (web link), is affiliated with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. They have sponsors such as Bellsouth Foundation and are directly linked from the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta website. Money donated to the program directly benefits the AFLAC Children's Cancer Center at Children's Healthcare here in Atlanta. The donations usually collected for a coach's gift are given to the "Coaching for the Cure" and the coach(es) receives a t-shirt and a certificate saying he/she "coached for the cure" this season. Team moms considering this option can go to the website and read more about it.

Bill Melvin has announced that he will hold baseball camps again this summer. Check out the Baseball Camps, Lessons section off the home page for dates and cost. Sign up materials will be posted on the site as soon as they are available. Mark your calendars and hold the dates for your child. The players always have a great time at these informative, fun, and low key summer diversions. Bill is well known at Buckhead and has an excellent reputation for holding super summer baseball camps for our children.