I don't think I knew Richard. But if his brother was a few years younger, I'm sure his younger brother crossed paths with one my brothers at some point.
I think it was most likely your younger cousin who was teammates with my brother. If I remember correctly, your cousin really hurt his ankle sliding into a base during the season.
Dave was a riot. He and the manager (Ron Holmes) were fantastic coaches (My middle brother played for them too - he said they were the best coaches he ever had, and he ended up playing a little college basketball). Dave lived, breathed baseball. Very competitive. I remember once he got kicked out of a game for arguing a call. I'm playing first base and I peer over and Dave's watching intently, yelling, pacing in the Sunset Park parking lot like Earl Weaver in game 7 of the WS.
People would comment that because there were so many transplants, Vegas didn't have a good a sense of community. I haven't lived in Vegas in a long time, but I always thought nothing brought Vegas closer together 30 - 40 years ago thank UNLV basketball and the little leagues. I have no idea how they're run today, but the baseball leagues in Vegas back in the late 70s/80s were really well run - much better than anywhere else I've ever lived. I have a lot of great memories and spent tons of time playing baseball, hanging out with teammates, going to baseball barbecues at Sunset Park. Winning the Paradise Valley championship when I was 11 years old was one of the highlights of my childhood - lol.
It's different. Less organized, less intense.
As you know, we all lived and breathed sports and we really had a good time competing. Sunset was always jam packed with people because every participated. My dad was president of PVLL for a few years and my mom was on the board as well and everyone had fun, but it was all taken seriously. With them being on the board, if I didn't have a game or a practice, it was get your homework done, headto Sunset Park, watch ball, play pickle/tag up, pseudo fish carp from that lake, catch the bullfrogs (tons of them in the 70's), sheepishly talk with girl, drink suicide sodas from the shack, I remember when they got a microwave and we all loved the crappy pizza and pretzels ... All Stars was a lot of fun too. (at At first, tryouts were stressful, all the coaches judging you in your three digit number and the field packed watching you with 10 swings, 10 fly balls, 10 grounders and rounding the bases and sliding ... But we really were all one. Strong unity. I certainly felt that way about the Rebels, too ... it's not that anymore.
For a stretch, PVLL had the largest little league in the country (by numbers). Alot of good ballplayers. Near the time I finished little league, Green Valley was formed and splintered PVLL.
I swear, I wish every single child could feel that type of unity and camaraderie in some form, whether it be sports, music, scouts ... it really doesn't matter what it is as long as there is the opportunity to bond and have purpose, enthusiasm, direction, goals. Those friendships last a lifetime and I feel they can be absolutely critical to the person you become.
I was lucky, you were lucky ... I'll never take that stuff for granted, always cherished. Still makes me smile when I think back ...
You probably played baseball with my cousin Anthony ... he played at Valley as well ... and in PVLL, lanky lefty. Good players as well. Great kid too. He's a fireman now for the city, he may be working as a paramedic as well, not sure, I know he was thinking about it a couple years ago. Love him, great cousin.
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