Former HiTom Donald Baity to celebrate at Finch Field

High Point/Thomasville, N.C.– Finch Field is a special place to many people in the area but it’s hard to top Donald Gray Baity who on Sunday, August 7 just a day ahead of his 90th birthday is celebrating at historic ballpark. Baity is better known by his high school nickname “Coffee” and his family thought of no better place to be on his birthday than watching baseball at Finch Field.

It didn’t matter what sport it was, Baity was a star multi-sport athlete at Thomasville High School from 1941-1944 before being drafted into the army during World War II where he served US Army rank E-4, 10th Mountain Division. Just because he was drafted it didn’t stop his love for sports as Baity played football, basketball and baseball while stationed in Italy and Germany.

Duke recruited Baity to its football team after he finished high school in 1947 and after a short stint in Durham; he transferred to Pfeiffer while still excelling on the baseball diamond.

The road brought Baity back to Thomasville in 1948 to play summer ball for the HiToms and he was drafted by the Braves. Baity suited up alongside baseball legends such as Eddie Matthews before he journeyed across the country in the minor leagues. A trade to the Pirates led Baity to meet his wife Nancy in Butler, Pa. then the couple got married in 1954, had five children and still live in Thomasville to this day.

In six seasons of professional baseball, Baity hit 18 career home runs and went undefeated as a pitcher. He ended his baseball career in Thomasville playing for the HiToms and returns to Finch Field on Sunday to throw out the first pitch of the second game of a doubleheader against the Martinsville Mustangs.