Paul Roe's
Hall of Fame Speech
John
�Stray� Corrados' Introduction Speech for Paul Roe:
Paul Roe, Virginia Sluggers Owner, General Manager, and
Manager, American League, 1997 - Present. Considered
by many to be the best drafter and developer of talent in
the Mid-West Baseball League. He was a model of consistency
with an invariable accuracy both at drafting and developing.
Respected by all Mid-West Baseball League owner for his
renowned ability to build from within. Roe effectively
combined authority, tact, and a sense of humor. He was
lauded for his willingness to lend an ear to objections. His
illustrious career included All-Star Coach in 1998, Manager
of the Year in 2001, & the 2002 All-Star Manager for the
American League. He served with great dedication to the
league, and has been a valuable asset to the Mid-West
Baseball League since it's inception. It is my
pleasure to introduce Paul Roe, and welcome Paul to the
Mid-West Baseball Leagues Hall of Fame.
Paul Roes' Speech:
To say I feel honored is quite the understatement.
To put me in a class with Chris and Stray is like telling me
I get to play catch with Mickey Mantle and Babe Ruth. I just
hope I don�t drop the ball.
I would like to begin by thanking the Mid-West Baseball
League Veteran�s Committee for selecting me as the newest
member of the MWBL Hall Of Fame. Any one of them could just
as easily be here. They have humbled me with their
selection. I would also like to thank Stray Corrado for
giving me the opportunity to join the league at its
inception. Stray has been a major influence in my
participation in this league. With his strong leadership,
the Mid-West Baseball League has become the premier league
in the APBA/BBW community. This is a fun league. Period. I
enjoy playing the games and I appreciate all the hard work
Stray and others have contributed to keep this league as
enjoyable and exciting as it is. Without Stray�s dedication
to excellence, I would not be so honored today.
I would also like to thank the remaining original managers,
Chris Douglass, Lou Solomon, Mike Roberts, Wally Walczak,
Jason Kerns, Michael Fauntleroy, and Lee Welch. You guys are
outstanding managers. Your continued participation in this
league is one of the many reasons it is as successful as it
is. Thanks also goes to all the other current managers who
have stepped in to give of their talents. I enjoy playing
against each and every one of you. You truly make this fun.
I would like to give a special thanks to �Slug� Morgan, the
manager of the Virginia Sluggers. His ability to draft
quality players in the initial draft and to compliment those
players with young, budding stars was first and foremost the
reason for the Sluggers success over the past nine years.
The players also deserve my thanks. Abreu, Nomar, Vlady,
Helton, Thome, Pettitte, Cameron, Guillen. Those guys have
worked hard to make the Virginia Sluggers a team to be proud
of.
Finally, I would like to thank my sons Michael and Shawn.
They endured those days and nights when Dad would lean over
the computer and lose himself in his little own world of
baseball. They never resented my time playing the games
because I never let it interfere. They both played baseball
from tee ball to college, and I never missed time with them
because of this game. Eventually, they learned to play the
game themselves and started leagues with the neighborhood
kids with Dad as the commissioner. Their support has been
unparalleled.
I have been a fan of baseball for most of my life. I
remember my Dad showing me box scores when I was 5 or 6 and
explaining to me what all the names and numbers meant. I
remember buying my first pack of baseball cards at Beany�s
Soda Shop in 1957 for the un-precented price of five cents.
And I remember playing the game morning, noon, and night.
Day in and day out. And when there weren�t enough people to
play, we made up games and used ghost players and gave them
the names of our favorite players, Mantle, Mays, Snider. And
we kept statistics. As I grew older, my fascination with the
players and their stats grew. To simulate the feel of
playing the game of baseball with my heroes, I began to play
baseball board/card games. All-Star baseball, the one with
the spinner and circular discs, was one of the first. Then,
in the mid 1960�s, a good friend introduced me to
Strat-O-Matic. We would rush home from school and play until
our parents threatened us to come to dinner. Then, in 1967,
I saw the ad that changed it all. It was in the Street and
Smith baseball magazine. I ordered the game from APBA the
next day. I�ve been playing ever since. When the computer
game hit the market, I bit and paid whatever APBA asked.
Add-ons?�I bought them. Price? Didn�t matter. Having played
in numerous mail leagues for years, I was excited when
computer leagues began to form. I joined immediately. While
in the ICBL, I learned of Stray�s new venture, contacted
him,�and the rest, well, you know.
I look forward to each week-end when I can sit at my
computer and play the games for that week. It�s a feeling
that most people will never �get.� To be recognized by my
fellow managers who �get it� is simply overwhelming. You are
the best. Thank you .
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