For most of us, parents are the most influential people in our lives.
But along the way, we often encounter supplemental support, someone who takes an interest and becomes a key figure in the process of development, long term or short term.
For me, I’d say that person was Arnold Burgher.
If the name Arnold Burgher makes you smile or laugh, well, that’s fitting, because Arnold was a funny man.
In the summer of 1974, I played for the Midland Indusmin Bantams in the York-Simcoe Baseball Association. Arnold Burgher was the Manager.
Arnold was different; he was the first minor baseball manager I ever had who wore the full team uniform on the field, granted, with a pack of smokes tucked on the inside.
Still, since he didn’t have a son on the team, he really didn’t care who you parents were, what your parents thought, how big you were or what your marks were, he cared about the team and by extension, cared about the players.
His nickname for almost everyone on the team was ” ugly. ” And we loved it.
I distinctly remember calls at home that went, ” Hello, Ugly, we have a practice tomorrow at 4 pm. See you there. “
All Arnold Burgher wanted was your best effort, along with the desire to compete & win, and as such, he took a pretty motley group of 13 and 14 years old from Midland through a terrific summer.
We didn’t win any baseball championships, but that summer we were trusted, listened to, praised highly when deserved, and generally weren’t treated like kids, when in fact, we were kids.
And if we did act childish or juvenile, the incident came to a very quick halt.
I heard last week from friends in Midland that Arnold Burgher passed away.
Naturally I was sad, unsure of when I last spoke to him.
Still. the mention of Arnold Burgher’s name made me smile and remember a great time in Minor Sports, and in life, 38 years ago.
I’m Fred Wallace