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2006 BELLAIRE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME BANQUET A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
The evening began with a silent auction, the proceeds of which went to support Bellaire Cardinals baseball. And what an auction it was. Under the ever vigilant eye of the Houston Independent School District's finest law enforcement officers, the Cardinal baseball coffers were replenished with the proceeds of lavish and exotic vacation trips, rare sports memorabilia, and other valuable gifts and merchandise that were donated by the wonderful community supporters of Bellaire Baseball. Judging by the missing digits in your checking account this morning, the silent auction must have been a roaring success. Many thanks to the hard working and diligent members of this year's auction committee - Lee Ann Moore, Roman Reed, Steve Robinson, Linda Mendeloff, Patty Edaburn, Donny McCaleb, Cheryl McCaleb, Lori O'Connell, Sally Rohrbach, and Jim Mercurio. Once the silent auction was under way, the formal portion of the night's festivities began. Our own Bellaire High School Reserve Officer Training Corp Color Guard presented the colors to honor America with the Pledge of Allegiance. Bellaire Baseball Booster Club President Mark Silberman welcomed past, present and future Cardinals to the Banquet with his introduction of the honorees and others at the head table, as well as the members of the Bellaire Baseball Booster Club board. Bellaire High School Principal, Tim Salem, proudly introduced several H.I.S.D. administrators, Bellaire Counselors and staff members, and his predecessor, Past Bellaire High School Principal Bill Lawson and his wife, Susan. Present Cardinal varsity players, Joey Satriano and Todd Staller, continued the program with their brief and dignified invocation, presented in both English and Hebrew. Bellaire Baseball Coach Rocky P. Manuel briefly commandeered the podium to honor his long time and cherished friend, mentor and colleague, and 2005 inductee into the Bellaire Baseball Hall of Fame, Marty Levy. Levy (a licensed attorney and professor of law at the Thurgood Marshall School of Law for the past one-third of a century) has freely given thousands of hours of his time to support Bellaire Baseball in his capacities as Booster Club President, summer baseball coach, and friend, advisor and confidante of Coach Manuel. Coach Levy summed up the sentiments of all present with his brief, but stirring acceptance speech, reprinted here in its entirety: "I love Bellaire Baseball with all of my heart. Thank you." And just that fast, it was time for dinner. This year's Hall of Fame Banquet committee outdid itself, presenting a lavish and sumptuous dinner that included Garden Green Salad, Sirloin Steak with Ginger Teriyaki Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Warm Assorted Breads with Butter, Chocolate Mousse Cake and Freshly Brewed Tea and Coffee. A round of thanks to the hardworking members of the Banquet Committee - Natalie Lamont, Pam Moore, Deirdre Mercurio, John Coles (who was responsible for the producing the wonderful videos we were treated to throughout the night), and Bellaire Booster Club Vice-President, Michael Moore. After an inspirational introduction and tribute by Booster Club Past-President Scott Bormaster, Coach Rocky P. Manuel resumed his rightful place at the podium to introduce his 2006 coaching staff, noted celebrities from all over the country who were present, and two Special Guests for the evening– former Bellaire High School Principal Bill Lawson and longtime Little League and High School baseball umpire, David Gray. Just like that, it was time to hear from, and about, the evening's seven distinguished honorees. Carroll Bonneau was a hard-hitting third baseman who wore uniform number 4 when he played baseball for Bellaire High School in the early-to-mid 1960's. A three year letterman, Bonneau was also a three-time selection for the All-District team, as well as being named All-City Zone 1, in 1964 and 1965. Bonneau is remembered for one particularly well-timed hot streak in which he hit five home runs in six games during the Cardinals' quest for the state championship. The first honoree of the evening, Bonneau noted that he was not used to leading off,but would do the best he could. And that he did. Bonneau charmed the audience with stories of how he and his teammates would play baseball from 9 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon, when our mothers would come get us to put our uniforms on because we had a game that night. Most memorable about Bonneau's acceptance speech was his heartfelt and loving tribute to his high school baseball coach Ray Knoblauch. Next to the podium was the first of the members of the 1999 Bellaire Cardinals State and National Championship team, third baseman, Marc Coles. Coles, a two-year letterman for the Cardinals, hit 8 home runs his senior year as a leadoff batter. Coles attended Blinn Junior College and Texas State University, where he achieved All-Conference status. During his senior year at Texas State, Coles hit 12 home runs, while driving in 60 runs. His single up the middle set a strongly positive tone to lead-off the 1999 State Championship game. Coles was named to the All-District team for two years, and All-Greater Houston in 1999. After thanking his coaches, family and supporters, Coles noted that his parents often drove 6-7 hours to see him play during college. As a result, Coles felt that he had a duty not to walk, since that was a long way to drive just to see your kid take a walk. Coles advised present Cardinal players to cherish these days, and shared with them the importance of team unity. Matt Laird was the next of the evening's honorees. Laird brought with him to the podium a remarkable lifetime Cardinal pitching record of 29-1. A four-year letterman, Laird was named to the All-Greater Houston team, and pitched 40 consecutive innings without giving up an earned run. He was the first Bellaire baseball player to play at Notre Dame, and was named to the All-Big East team. Wearing uniform number 10, Laird earned several distinctions as a pitcher at Bellaire High School most shutouts (9), most no hitters (4), and most consecutive innings pitched without an earned run. Laird is #4 all-time in Cardinal Baseball history with 114 strikeouts in one season, #5 all-time with 14 wins in a season, and #4 in career Cardinal pitching wins with 29. Laird led the 1999 pitching staff with a breathtaking record of 14-0 and a microscopic earned run average of 0.97. First team, All-Greater Houston, Laird had 69 pitching appearances at Notre Dame. He pitched a complete game victory as Notre Dame won the Big East Championship. In his tour of duty in the Arizona League, Laird earned the Rolaids Relief Man award before succumbing to a career-ending shoulder injury. After regaling the assembled crowd with humorous stories about Coach Manuel, Laird noted that his parents sacrificed by moving into the Bellaire district so that he could get a great education. It just so happened that they had a pretty good baseball program. In a very emotional moment, Laird encouraged the current Cardinal players to cherish each at-bat, and each pitch, because they never know when it might be their last. Laird is currently enrolled in law school in Houston, Texas, and works at the world-renown Hendricks Sports Management. Following Matt Laird was Cardinal pitcher-outfielder, Heath Owsley. Owsley, who wore #23 as a Cardinal, was a three-year letterman and had an excellent 11-0 lifetime pitching record at Bellaire. In 1999, Owsley was 4-0 as a pitcher with an ERA of 0.84. His .365 batting average also contributed mightily to the Cardinals' success during that remarkable season. Owsley was named to the All-District team and had four multi-hit games during the Cardinals championship run. Owsley attended Concordia University where he earned honors on the All-Freshman and All-Conference teams. Owsley noted that most of the players on the 1999 championship team had big egos, but that they were all driven toward a common goal of winning a state championship. After lavishing well-deserved kudos on the Cardinals coaching staff, Owsley advised current players to listen to what the coaches say, not how they say it. Next up to the podium was Corbett Parker. Parker (only the second baseball manager ever selected into the Bellaire Baseball Hall of Fame) was a three year letterman for the Cardinals in the mid-to late 1990s. Parker wore many hats in support of Bellaire Baseball statistician, web-site originator, publicity director, office manager, and assistant to Coach Manuel. Parker received his Bachelor of Business Arts degree in Finance and Economics from Baylor University. In the coming year, Parker anticipates receiving a Masters Degree in International Studies, as well as his Juris Doctor (law) degree from Pepperdine University. Parker credited and thanked many members of his immediate and extended family, as well as his Bellaire Baseball family, for his success in life. He challenged current Bellaire baseball players to make proper and wise choices in their lives, and to work hard to achieve their goals. Parker's departure from the podium meant that it was time to honor the first Smith of the evening - Bellaire Cardinals outfielder, #9, Kyle Smith. Kyle Smith was a four-year letterman at Bellaire High School from 1996 through 1999. A rocket on the basepaths, Smith was noted for scoring from first base on more than one occasion on a ball thrown into the outfield by an opposing catcher. Among Smith's accomplishments at Bellaire are single season marks including 19 home runs, 67 runs batted in and 27 stolen bases. Kyle Smith was named to All-District, All-Greater Houston, and 5A All-State Teams as well as Baseball America's All-American Team. While attending Oklahoma State University and Houston Baptist University, Kyle Smith achieved All-Conference, All-Region and All-American status. He was drafted in the 18th round by the Cincinnati Reds organization, and is presently playing at the High A level in the Florida State League. Kyle Smith advised current Cardinal players to work hard, find something you're passionate about, stick with it and have fun. The last, but certainly not least, honoree of the evening was Cardinal outfielder Marcus Smith. Wearing uniform #8 for the Bellaire Cardinals, Marcus Smith was a two-year letterman who played both rightfield and leftfield on the 1999 State and National Championship Bellaire Cardinals baseball team. Coach Manuel remembers Marcus Smith for his excellent work ethic, power, speed and incredible throwing arm. Marcus Smith batted .413 in 1999 with 5 home runs and thirty stolen bases. He was named to the second team All-District team and the 5A UIL All-Tournament Team. In the 1999 championship game, Marcus Smith went 3-3 from the plate with a second inning home run and two runs batted in. Smith credited his many coaches from Bellaire High School and elsewhere for his success in life. Quoting hitting coach Wayne Tedder, Smith said "the best way to hit the curveball is not to miss the fast ball." After playing baseball in the Rookie Ball level of the Atlanta Braves organization, Marcus Smith received his college degree in 2004. He noted that the best thing about being on the 1999 State and National Championship Bellaire Cardinal baseball teams was the fact that he accumulated a group of lifelong friends amongst the players, coaches and supporters of the team. Among his favorite Bellaire memories was one certain foot race between Eddie Lucio and outfield Coach Mike Walker. Marcus Smith challenged the current players to be the very best they could be. And after a few brief closing remarks, the evening's official activities concluded. I say, official, because long after the final words were spoken and the last plate cleared from the tables, groups of past, present and future Cardinals players, coaches, supporters and family members were gathered in various groups in and around the Grand Ballroom. If you will permit the author a brief observation or two, it was these spontaneous and long-lasting late night meetings, conversations and reunions that were the very heart of the evening. Make no mistake about it. One of the goals of the evening was to honor several very special people who sacrificed long and hard to contribute to the success of the Bellaire Cardinal baseball dynasty. Another of the goals was to help refill the program's financial coffers so that the players and their families could focus on their academics and long hours of baseball practice instead of worrying about the financial viability of the program. But when it comes right down to it, the real deal that packed the Grand Ballroom of the J.W. Marriott Hotel and Convention Center with hundreds of people resplendent in Cardinal red was their common love for Bellaire Baseball, past, present, and future. Where else would one see a man honored for his on-field baseball achievements on the same night as six other men who were not even born when the former took off his baseball cleats for the last time? Where else would one see people spending tens, hundreds or thousands of dollars on a dinner and auction spread out over four hours, only to want to stay and share their common love of Bellaire Baseball, past and present well into the night and early morning hours? Those who are outside the program suggest that its success is insured by geographic, demographic and economic advantage. Those who were present on one very special Friday night in Southwest Houston know that the success of the program is the one common binding thread that brought those assembled together last night - an abiding love for the tradition, reputation and commitment that is Bellaire Baseball. By Scott Rothenberg
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