The Back-up Plan

At some point in my life... probably around fourth or fifth grade... my dad talked to me about life, careers, and my future.  That's when I told him about my plans to play baseball.  He explained the importance of having something to fall back on... just in case I got injured or wasn't good enough.

Well if I couldn't play second base for the A's, I'd follow in my father's footsteps and become an engineer.  By the time high school rolled around, I struggled to hit a fastball and my baseball career was over.  Thankfully... I had a back-up plan.  Actually... I had chosen a few of them.  Fast forward a few years and it was time to pick a major in college.  That's when I made the life changing decision to become a teacher.

Three decades later and I'm still living the dream as a middle school teacher... but I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I'm thinking I'll stay in the classroom another eight or nine years.  Believe it or not... I already have two potential back-up plans to help supplement my income and keep me busy, but that's a story for another post on another day.

Today's post features seventy-five gentleman who had the opportunity to play a professional sport.  They also had another thing in common.  They all had a very similar back-up plan... which was to become educators or work in education.

However before we get to these courageous champions of the classroom, let me explain where these cards came from.  Back in December, Bo over at Baseball Cards Come to Life! wrote a post about Skip Nelloms.  He was an outfielder in the New York Yankees organization who went on to become a teacher and school administrator.  I left a comment about being interested in athletes who eventually became educators... and half-jokingly talked about the possibility of starting a new PC.

That same day, he emailed me offering to help me out by putting together a list.  After thinking about it, I told him to not worry about it.  Christmas was only three days away and there was no way I could ask him to do that for me.

A few weeks later, five PWE's arrived in the mail and the rest is history.  Here's the newest PC in my collection:  Educators on Cardboard 

Chuck Abbott (HS PE), Jamie Athas (Elementary PE), & Don August (HS Social Studies)

Rod Bair (HS Economics), John Baker (Elementary PE), & Kevin Bearse (MS PE)

Chris Begg (HS Business/PE, Sean Bergman (Elementary PE), & Larvell Blanks (HS)

The first nine guys feature a solid mix of elementary and high school teachers with the majority specializing in physical education.  John Baker's teaching gig was an off-season side hustle.  And Don August is the only name I recognize.

Brent Brede (HS Government), Brad Brink (2nd Grade), & Andrew Brown (Elementary Math)

Mike Campbell (HS PE), Cris Carpenter (HS Social Studies), & Tom Carter (HS PE/Driver's Ed)

Travis Chapman (HS Social Studies), Randy Choate (HS Substitute), & Nathan Culp (HS Health/PE)

Carpenter and Choat are the two names that stand out on this nine-pocket page... which was dominated by high school teachers.  

Pete Dalena (HS), Joel Davis (HS Health), & Adrian Devine (MS PE)

Jeff DeWillis (MS Social Studies), Steve Dreyer (Elementary PE), & Steve Dunn (HS Humanities)

Brad Duvall (HS Physics), Robert Ellis (HS PE), & Chris Enochs (HS Social Studies)

High school teachers continue to be the majority with a couple of middle school teachers and an elementary teacher sprinkled in for variety.  Unfortunately, I didn't recognize any of these guys.  I'm kind of surprised that I don't remember Mr. Enochs.  He was a first round pick for the A's back in 1997 and spent seven seasons in their farm system.

Nate Espy (Assistant Principal), Frank Eufemia (HS PE/Health), & Bryan Farson (Superintendent)

Dave Fleming (5th Grade Math), Nate Frese (HS ELA), & Mike Gardellla (5th/6th Grade)

Dave Gassner (Science/Math Substitute), Tim Harkrider (Superintendent), & Dusty Hughes (MS PE)

This page gives us a look at our first administrators.  One of them is/was an assistant principal and the other two are/were superintendents.

I remember Dave Fleming, because he had a really solid sophomore season with the Mariners.  Card companies rewarded him with a few inserts cards back in the early 90's.

Terry Jorgensen (HS PE), Pat Keedy (HS Principal), & Joe Kmak (HS Math)

Jerry Kutzler (MS PE), Bob Lacey (HS History), & Jim Lindeman (HS PE)

Bill Long (6th Grade Social Studies), Mike Magnante (HS Math), & Jason Maule (MS PE)

Magnante and Lacey are the two familiar names on this page.  Magnante pitched in the 90's and was with the A's for a few years in the early 2000's.  As for Lacey, I don't remember him pitching... but I do remember that 1981 Topps card.

Shawn McCorkle (HS Health/PE), Bob McCreary (HS AP Psyc/Socio), & Alvin Morman (MS Guidance Counselor)

TJ Nall (HS PE), Brian Nichols (HS PE), & Todd Pridy (HS History)

Charlie Puleo (HS PE), Mario Ramos (HS Math), & Robert Ramsay (HS Math)

Alvin Morman represents our only non-high school teacher on this page.  He's also the first sighting of a guidance counselor.  I'd like to point out that the guidance counselor at the school I'm at is one of the hardest working people I know.  Huge props to her for working with a bunch of kids while assisting our administration team.

Eric Reichenbach (HS Special Education), Dan Schatzeder (HS PE), & Mike Schooler (MS PE)

Tony Sheffield (HS Driver's Ed), Jacob Shumate (HS Math), & Mark Sims (HS PE/Health)

Scott Stahoviak (MS PE), Joe Strain (Substitute), & Mark Swope (HS PE)

None of these names ring a bell.  I'm kind of surprised that I don't recognize Mr. Strain.  I sorted my 1981 Fleer set over and over and over again... and the Giants would often get extra attention.  Bo pointed out to me that he would often sub during the off-season.

P.S.  I doubt we're going to come across a better "teacher" name than Schooler.

Dave Telgheder (HS Assistant Principal), Roy Thomas (MS Science/Math), & Terry Tiffee (HS Social Studies)

Billy Traber (HS Science), Tom Veryzer (HS PE), & Joey Vierra (HS Special Education)

Wesley Walker (Elementary PE), David Walsh (HS English), & Jim Wilson (HS PE)

This page features the lone non-baseball card... and arguably the biggest name in the post.  Wesley Walker is one of the New York Jets greatest receivers in the history of their franchise.  Can't tell you much about Tom Veryzer, but I do remember seeing his cards back in the 80's.

Steve Wojciechowski (MS Social Studies), Jim Morris (HS Science), & Dan Wheeler (MS Social Studies)

I've saved the coolest card for last.  What are the odds that a combo card would feature two guys who would go on to teach after baseball?

2000 Skybox Dominion #282

Thank you Bo for taking the time to put together this list of educators, pulling cards of each of them, and then sending them my way.  Any of these things by themselves would have been overly generous.

I went out to my LCS and grabbed one of those special nine-pocket folders to store this unique collection:

I'll start working on a return care package.  I'll start digging through my stuff for some Yankees and vintage that you might be able to use.

By the way... I was suppose to meet up with the PDX Blogger Crew today, but I had to postpone my trip due to a winter storm advisory.  It was definitely a last minute decision... as I cancelled my flight an hour before I planned on leaving for the airport.  The good news is I have credit towards a future flight, so I'll look into returning in the spring or summer.

My back-up plan is to catch up on some hobby stuff.  I have plenty of care packages, stacks of cards, and a pair of COMC shipments cluttering my office that need to be scanned and organized.  If things go according to plan, you'll see a few posts published on here over the next week or so.

Until then....

Happy Valentine's Day and sayonara!