NEWSLINE STORY

published May-June 2016

Weekend at Jerry’s

by Bill Marvin, 5th Vice President and Regional Director and Court Sanctioning Director

Pitchers who attend the World Tournament noticed a change in pitching conditions beginning in 2008.  In York, Pennsylvania, we began using boxes built by Jerry LaBrosse and other members of the NHPA.  Since that time, these courts have been transported from site to site and used at each subsequent location.  As expected, over time some of them have been damaged in one way or another and have needed to be replaced.  With this in mind, Jerry and I decided to take on this project. So one weekend in March, I drove to his place in Minnesota.  Thus began my weekend at Jerry’s.

When I arrived Friday evening, the components were already in place, having been cut, fabricated and ready for assembly.  Each box requires six 2X4s, a piece of ¼ inch plywood, two angle irons, a piece of steel stock, eight carriage bolts, a piece of 3/8 inch belting, one 1-inch metal stake 15 inches long, various screws, bolts and a splash of black paint.  Jerry had all the tools needed (saws, drill press, router, etc.) to make it all possible, and a spacious barn that also has 3 courts that are used twice a week for league play, a true multi-purpose facility.

The process is time consuming and the steps must be followed in a strict order.  While I cannot put a time required for assembly per box, it took Jerry and I from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon to assemble 20 boxes.  The entire process, however, takes much longer.  Cutting the wood, fabricating the angle irons and metal bar that holds the stake, building the stakes, and other processes were done ahead of time.  Some components must be interchangeable (stakes, back boards, front bumpers) not only with the courts we made, but with the originals.  The NHPA has over 120 boxes that can be assembled, and it would be impossible to try to match up the same stake or back board each year, thus the need for them to be the same.

One component that cannot be measured in monetary terms is the TLC that went into each and every one.  As I was putting them together, I recalled all the memories from the 24 World Tournaments that I have been fortunate enough to attend.  When our kids were growing up, we were able to make the Tournament part of our vacation each year.  My wife, kids and grandkids have all pitched in the World, plus we have seen a lot of this great country, making lifelong friends along the way.

They are more than just horseshoe boxes…much more.