Hello Andy.
I wanted to know if you could post something on greensborosports.com to receive feedback about the current situation with Greensboro Parks and Rec. My problem is that after the week of June 23rd, 2008 the city PONY league will not have any more baseball to play. With the emergence of gang activity and the high crime rate what other opportunities do our kids have this summer. I know with a struggling economy most cannot afford to play on traveling teams. My question is what was Greensboro Parks and Recreation thinking was when they discontinued their All-Star programs? Being a player who participated in the All-Star program for PONY, I can tell you that it was something that we all looked forward to back then.
Ray Crawford formed the AGGIES traveling team years ago for this exact reason. He did not want to see kids not have the opportunity to play baseball late in the summer. Mr. Crawford has done more behind the scenes to make this happen than most people know. He does not ask for the recognition that others would but rather he ask the kids to show their appreciation by doing well in school and being respectable young men in the community.
Mr. Durham, this issue really has me upset because I look at the news daily and it continues to show Gang prevention and Gang prevention meetings. They should really start with our Parks and Recreation and ask, “What are you doing to help� I understand that we cannot save all the kids but I can give you my word that I along with others in the Dudley Community will do our best to try and save them all. Thanks again.
Larry Farrer,
Head Baseball Coach
Dudley High School
*****Those were great days when teams from Hagerstown, Maryland; Falls Church, Virginia; and places like Virginia Beach, Virginia would come to Greensboro for those PONY baseball tournaments. It is very hard to uderstand how the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department could discontinue these programs. Don Tilley or Bonnie Kuester or someone else shoud contact us and let us know the reasoning behind these decisions. I thought people like Don, Bonnie, and Jean Jackson were standing behind and supporting our community, I guess I was wrong!!!!! Andy Durham*****