It was a gift from a London Majors star of the present, to the son of one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
Current first baseman Cleveland Brownlee, with Majors alumni by his side, presented Richard Anderson an Intercounty Baseball gold bat.
“It’s quite an honour,” says Anderson. “I know the alumni went through a lot of work to get the bat, and to accept it on behalf of my dad is special. He'd be pretty proud.”
Anderson’s father Stan ‘Gabby’ Anderson was named posthumously as one of the IBL’s top 100 players last year.
“To come here originally from Atlanta, GA, and be able to present his son with a gold bat is special,” says Brownlee.
“The league wasn’t going to give bats to those who had passed away or didn’t attend the banquet,” explains Majors alumnus Barry Boughner.
Boughner fought hard to get a piece of hardware for the spouses or children of those who had died. The senior Anderson was his teammate in 1966.
“In the history of the Majors, ‘Gabby’ Anderson would be one of the starting outfielders,” adds Boughner.“It’s my honour to be here today. Stan was not only a fantastic athlete, but an even better person.”
The arrival of the bat couldn’t have come at a better time. Brownlee and Anderson are two of the best black athletes ever to play for the franchise, and February is Black History Month.
“For me it’s a heritage thing, where we are striving for a better future,” says Brownlee. “I always tell people that London is a city like no other. It opens its arms to all races and walks of life, and I’m glad to be here.”
Anderson has great memories of his father telling stories about his time playing all over the U.S. in the 1950s.
He recalls hearing amazing tales of his dad being in the U.S. Army and playing ball in the States.
While he claims his dad didn’t really like much attention, he feels his father would be happy today.
“I didn’t get to see my dad play, but heard a lot of stories about my dad’s career, and he left a great legacy. A lot of people are proud to hear what’s going on today.”
