Taking Names and Keeping Score
Working together
Charlie Anderson
This Saturday when the Thomasville Winter Baseball Clinic gets underway, many of those who have been involved with making it possible will have been at it for eighteen straight years dating back to the very first event in 1990. In that time, it is safe to say that almost 3,000 participants have had the opportunity to come out and learn a great deal about the fundamentals of baseball from some of the best teachers available. Originally the clinic attracted most of its participants from the area included in a 30 mile radius of Thomasville with the greatest number coming from Thomasville and the balance of Clarke County. Since those early beginnings the area from which clinic participants routinely come has expanded now to a 75 mile radius with some coming from as far away as Birmingham, Mobile and Montgomery. A couple of years there have even been small groups that have come from our neighbor states of Georgia, Florida and Mississippi.

Although many of the instructors who have come to Thomasville over the eighteen year period have been here multiple times, it is safe to say that there have been approximately 250 different players and coaches from the professional and college ranks who have willingly shared their knowledge and talent with the young people in this area.

Of that number there have been 35 current or former Major Leaguers and who knows how many others that will some day be in the show that have traveled to Thomasville to give their time and share their expertise. Over that period, instructors have come to Thomasville from all eleven of what we consider to be the southeastern states as well as states outside the sunbelt such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Pennsylvania to name a few. Many of them have developed close friendships with people they have met in this area through the clinic and correspond with them on a regular basis. Quite a few of them, as suggested before, have become so committed to being a part of the clinic that they plan their January schedule around it.

Like any other major event that is successful year after year, the Winter Clinic has benefited from the cooperation and support of many people, organizations and agencies in and around Thomasville. Besides the nucleus of volunteers who spearhead the clinic week activities, there are a large number of others who volunteer their time to host and entertain the instructors during the week and even another group who pitch-in on the day of the clinic to see that things run smoothly.

The financial support for the clinic comes from eight major sponsors and some 35 corporate sponsors who give of their resources so that the cast of the Clinic for those participating can remain the same $10.00 it was back in 1990.

The Thomasville City Schools and the Thomasville Recreation Department have also played an important role in the Clinic's success each year by making the tremendous facilities we have in Thomas-ville available for use, so that rain or shine - cold or warm the clinic can go on.

It all boils down to one thing when all is said and done, the success of the Thomasville Winter Clinic, like that of many other special events which have been held in Thomasville over the years, is the direct result of many people chipping in and doing their part. As such, it should make anyone who lives in Thomasville proud to know that their hometown is a place where providing opportunities for young people is a priority and working together to accomplish big things is possible.

Until next time..........................be safe!

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