Olan Cunningham Camp quickly approaches
In 10 days, 50 lucky young people from Franklin County will get the chance to meet four former Major League Baseball Players at the Olan Cunningham Youth Baseball Camp.
There are still a few spots open for the first-time camp according to coach Richard Maggerise, Red Bay High School’s baseball coach, who is in charge of organizing the camp.
“To see Red Bay respond the way it has has just been incredible,” Maggerise said.
The 200 total participants will be working with former Major League players Dave Stapleton, Josh Willingham, David Weathers and Randy McGilberry.
Stapleton is from Fairhope and played for the Boston Red Sox in the ’80s.Willingham is from Florence and recently retired from the Major Leagues two years ago. He played for the Kansas City Royals, among other teams. Weathers is from Tennessee, where he is now an assistant coach. He played for several teams but most notably the New York Yankees, with whom he won a World Series ring.
McGilberry is from Mobile and played for the Kansas City Royals.
“We’re fortunate to have these players come to the camp. It’s an honor,” Maggerise said.
Maggerise said the Major League Baseball Players Association reached out to these former players because when they do these camps, they try to select professionals who are from or have connections with the area.
“It’s great to be in a city like Red Bay, where the mayor and city are doing everything they can to make this a first-class effort,” he said.
And that effort and this camp are much-appreciated by community members who will get the chance to participate, such as Jody and Sheri Farris, whose son Eli, 11, is dedicated to baseball.
“It’s great to have such an important opportunity like this in a city as small as Red Bay,” Sheri said.
Eli plays travel baseball and has attended camps before, but Sheri said this is his first time doing something of this caliber, and he’s really excited about it.
Maggerise is also in the process of lining up local coaches to come to the camp and help out for the day.
