He's #1 in your programs and #1 in your hearts and today is his birthday! New Market Rebels hitting coach Mo Weber turns 86 today. This makes Mo 12 years younger than the rest of the coaching staff--collectively that is, for adding together the ages of Head Coach Lucas Jones and coaches Corey Paluga, John Combs,and Dan Rollins nets 98 years.
The first time that I ever met Mo was before my very first Rebels game. Becky and I saw the sign along Congress Street proclaiming, "Rebels Baseball Tonight" and we wandered in, not really knowing what "Rebels Baseball" was exactly. In the parking lot was a distinguished looking gentleman, pulling a jersey out of the trunk of his car. It was Mo, of course, and we asked him what level of baseball this was. Mo began extolling the virtues of the Valley League and of the Rebels and it was as if this diminutive man in the baseball uniform had suddenly transformed into a larger than life prophet, preaching the Word of Baseball and exhorting us to believe! (He was preaching to the choir, but we enjoyed the exhortation nevertheless.)
I have had many conversations with Mo since that time and have even taken a hitting lesson from him. Mo has given me insights to a game that I have been following faithfully for over 40 years and I am indebted to him for taking me to a higher level of understanding about the game I love.
Mo has been a coach and manager, of course, but he has also been a combat infantryman in WWII, a teacher, and a stock broker. I feel most privileged to say that he is also my friend.
Happy birthday, Mo!
A dapper looking Mo Weber in his days as the General Manager of the Peninsula Pilots, a former Chicago White Sox affiliate in the Carolina League in 1987.
"...and we wandered in, not really knowing what "Rebels Baseball" was exactly."..."They'll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they'll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They'll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they'll watch the game and it'll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they'll have to brush them away from their faces."
Funny how those two quotes seem to go together...like peas and carrots or Mo Weber and baseball!
Posted by: Melissa Dodge | June 24, 2009 at 02:45 PM
Good observation, Melissa! I think I'll go out back and plant some corn . . .
Posted by: Austin | June 25, 2009 at 08:37 AM