April 17, 2008
Gambrills Author’s Book Covers All Bases
By: Dave Broughton
It would be difficult to find someone who loves baseball more than Jeff Potter.
While most fans of the game begin to perk up this time of year, Potter has baseball on his mind year round.
Like most supporters of the game, Potter loves to sit and chat about baseball. But this year the Gambrills resident took his passion a step further, writing an extensive manuscript detailing the impact the game has had on his life.
“Whatever Happened to Baseball” is based on Potter’s experiences and observations, from his childhood discovering the game in western Pennsylvania, to his role of parent and coach, from Little League to the high school ranks.
Potter is self-publishing the book, which was inspired by a former high school classmate who wrote a book about Potter’s high school baseball coach, Bill Spellman.
Potter grew up in Ellwood City, PA., the same hometown as legendary slugger Hack Wilson.
While Potter’s love of baseball shows through in the book, he also laments the current state of the game; the lack of respect shown between players, coaches, and fans; the missing feeling of community; the disappearance of the bunt; the lack of discipline, work ethic and patience.
“Today’s generation wants results now,” Potter said. “I don’t see the same selflessness, hard work, teamwork, or respect. baseball is kind of a microcosm of society.”
Supporters of Gambrills Athletic Club and Arundel High Baseball will recognize many of the names and games Potter writes about in his book. Prominent among them is Potter’s son, Eric, formerly Arundel High player who is now a freshman pitcher for the University of Maryland baseball team.
While disillusioned with much of what he sees nowadays, Potter isn’t throwing in the towel on baseball.
Potter runs the baseball program at Gambrills Athletic Club, long considered the top youth program in the county. Even Peter Angelos, owner of the Baltimore Orioles, has taken note. A mutual friend of Potter and Angelos arranged a meeting between the two, and Angelos presented Potter with a donation check of $25,000 for the Gambrills program.
According to Potter, approximately 30 percent Gambrill’s players actual reside in Crofton. That has been an issue between the neighboring baseball programs for several years. The high level of competition and instruction offered in Gambrills has resulted in many Crofton kids switching leagues, causing some friction between the Crofton and Gambrills programs in recent years, Potter said.
“No one’s right and no one’s wrong,” Potter said. “We’re just trying to bridge some things.”
Potter has tried to initiate better relations between the leagues, and said he and Phil Rollinson, President of the Crofton Athletic Council, have made great strides this spring.
The programs will team up next month for a Hits for Kids fundraiser. In addition, Potter is trying to organize a joint summer baseball camp.
Crofton teams recently competed in the Gambrills Tournament; in fact, half of the games were played on Crofton fields.
Said Rollinson: “A lot of these kids know each other and go to school together, and our goals are to provide them with the baseball experience regardless of where they’re playing.”
