Saturday, January 6, 2024
Mr. Dugan has a special place in my memory bank. He was my coach in Little League, the farm division 8 + 9 year old. We had practices at Kiwanis Field on Lake Valley Rd in Morris Township.
We were having batting practice one evening in the spring of 1970. Mr. Dugan was warning the other kids waiting to bat to stay on the bench so as to not get hit by a foul ball. Precisely at that moment I fouled a ball off that hit him in the face on the right cheek. I was scared that I had done something wrong.
Funny, that night we were to go to the Dairy Queen ( Mr. Dugan promised us if we won a game he would treat) on Speedwell Ave next to Sanders Street (which was replaced by First Morris Bank). I thought I wouldn’t be allowed to go because I fouled off a ball that hit him. What I remember most is he didn’t get mad and yell at me for doing what he warned the others might happen. He was a good guy.
We lived in the same neighborhood. One time after some function at Fairchild Firehouse ( when it was located on the corners of Raymond Rd and Sherman Ave) after the Little League season he told my mom he was losing his best player because I was going up to the next division at the age of 10. Nice memory for me and maybe for the Dugan family.
God bless and God speed.
