So I was sitting there
 

So I was sitting there last night next to a new player on our Sr. Softball team at our game. He had already introduced himself to me as Pat and the scouting report was good. (from our manager). I asked him where he was from, he said San Diego for the last 40 yrs. I asked about where he might have been originally from. He said near Houston. I said me too. He said Clear Lake City. I said me too. He said he went to Clear Lake High and I said me too (for a yr or so as we moved). I said I played in Nasa Area Little League when I lived in Clear Lake. He said me too. He said he had made a Nasa Area Little League team that went all the way to the Texas State Little League Championship. I said me too. I said "Pat Ray?", he said yes, I said Leon Luckey. Holy Crap,. I hadn't seen Pat since 1973 when we stayed a week in Waco, at the Baylor U girls dorms (it was summer), for that championship. Ironically, he was the best batter in the league that year and played center field on the All Star Team. I was the 2nd best batter in the league (my only good yr in baseball :)) and played right field in the All Stars. How unbelievable is that? Our softball league is in Richardson TX (barely north of Dallas). What are the chances?

edited to add....found it to be 1974....I should have known!!


Texas State Tournament
Host - Texas State Little League Headquarters (Waco)
At Lake Air Little League Field
Participating Teams
District 1 Champions Borger
District 4 Champions San Angelo Northern
District 5 Champions Lone Star (Abilene)
District 6 Champions Sheppard Air Force Base (Wichita Falls)
District 7 Champions Arlington West
District 9 Champions Bryan National West
District 11 Champions Northwest (Austin)
District 12 Champions Amelia (Beaumont)
District 13 Champions LaGrange
District 14 Champions NASA Area (Houston)
District 16 Champions Spring Branch American (Houston)
District 17 Champions Pasadena American
District 19 Champions Northside Suburban (San Antonio)
District 21 Champions Eagle Pass
District 24 Champions West Brownsville
District 29 Champions Gregory-Portland

Tournament Results:
Opening Round:

Amelia 14, Borger 5
Eagle Pass 10, Lone Star 7
LaGrange 2, Northside Suburban 1
Spring Branch American 4, San Angelo Northern 0
Arlington West 7, Pasadena American 0
West Brownsville 4, Gregory-Portland 2
NASA Area 3, Bryan National West 2
Austin Northwest 6, Sheppard Air Force Base 2

Quarterfinals:
Amelia 5, Eagle Pass 2
LaGrange 4, Spring Branch American 1
Arlington West 8, West Brownsville 4
Austin Northwest 4, NASA Area 1

Semifinals:
LaGrange 3, Amelia 2 (8 innings)
Austin Northwest 4, Arlington West 0

Consolation result:
Amelia 1, Arlington West 0

Championship Game:
LaGrange 6, Austin Northwest 1 (TITLE)
________________________________________
1974


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Great story, Leon.

Hard to imagine the odds, 43 yrs later and in a different part of the country.

Leon - that's amazing!

It's (almost) never too late to catch up with old friends.


A few weeks ago, we were visited by a cousin and her husband. We had not seen each other in at least 35 years. Great Visit!

I still have a (half)-brother who I have yet to meet (we're talking half a century now). He lives in Hawaii...like I needed an excuse to go there!

Theres also something called 'thefacebook' (which may now be called facebook) where friends of friends of friends show up as a potential 'friend' and you can add them and catch up on the past 40 years but not have to see them in person....

in any event i would buy shares of stock of thefacebook if it ever goes public,

Awesome.

Very cool story, thanks for sharing!

Great story, Leon. Thanks for sharing.

I walk a lot and take public transportation. When I read stories like this it makes me wonder how many people I pass by each day that I knew a long time ago, but just don't recognize.

Donato

VERY cool story, thanks for sharing....

...
 

a donkey walks into a bar, and...

BEAUTIFUL story, Leon! small freaking world!!! - love it!

What a nice story Leon!

It's refreshing to read about things like this, and this is why I have all but stopped watching the " news ".

I want to read about good news and fun things. Your story more than covered that!

Thanks for sharing!!!

Like the story? Me too

Here is a pic that Pat had on his phone....(yes that is hair sticking out on both sides of my cap....it was '74 :))

http://luckeycards.com/team.jpg

Hahah great pi awesome story . Hopefully he is still a cool guy

Great story, small world! Always fun running into old friends

He is cool and I am looking forward to this coming season and playing with him again. He is instantly the best outfielder in our whole Senior league where I play, in Richardson TX. He and I have already had some great combination plays in the field.

Great story Leon. I used to stay at the Nasa Bay Hilton while in Houston for UPS, working at EFD (Ellington Field) from 1993-1997 or so. Found a couple BB card stores down there during that period. Some decent food here and there too.

your coaches look like they meant business! no wonder you guys got so far in the league. :-)

Small world!

Leon , What position do you play ?