Father and son find a friend on Buccaneers
By Brian Hoffman, staff writer
From the March 16, 1994 edition of The New Castle Record
Cole Huffman just wanted a baseball, but wound up with a good friend.
Huffman, a 10-year-old Craig County resident, doesn’t miss many Salem Buccaneer baseball games. He knows if he doesn’t come to the game his favorite player, Chance Sanford, might have to go without sunflower seeds.
Cole is Sanford’s biggest fan, and vice versa. Huffman picked him out among the minor league players at Salem Municipal Field because he took a particular interest in the young fan.
“I was sort of a ball hog,” said Cole, one of many youngsters who stand along the edge of the fence and beg for the players to toss them a Carolina League baseball.
“He said I was always asking for a ball and I asked him how he knew, and he said he never forgets a face,” said Huffman, “He’s given me several balls.”
Now Chance is Cole’s favorite player.
“His favorite player used to be Tony Womack, but he switched to me,” said Sanford. “He comes just about every night and gives me seeds. It’s kinda neat.”
Cole and his father, Sonny Huffman, also took Chance out to eat at Mac & Bob’s Restaurant in Salem. It’s the kind of player-fan love affair you rarely see on the big league level, and that’s what makes it special.
“I’d much rather come here than go to a big league game,” said Sonny, sitting on the uncomfortable cement bleachers of Salem Municipal Field. “These players still have time to stop and talk to the kids.”
Sonny recently attended his first big league game. His dad gave him tickets to take Cole to Pittsburgh to see the Pirates and Braves for Sonny’s 40th birthday. They had fun, but the Salem Buccaneers will do just fine, thank you.
“You’re just another spectator at the big league games,” Said Sonny. “We’d rather come here.”
Sonny must love it, because he puts a lot of miles on the car when the Buccaneers are in town. He works the late shift at Yokohama Tire in Salem, just a couple of blocks from the ball park. However, that couple of blocks turns into two hours of driving for home games.
Huffman lives about six miles on the Salme side of New Castle in Craig County. He drives to the game early so Cole can talk to the players, then drives Cole after the game. After dropping off Cole, Sonny turns right around and drives back to Salem to work the late shift.
“it’s not that big a deal,” said the likeable Huffman. “Most everyone in Craig makes one trip a day, I just happen to make two. Some people think I’m a little off to doing that, but I’s Make amore if it meant being about to watch these games. It’s my valium. We love coming here.”
Sonny grew up in Craig County when there was no Little League program there, so he’s used to driving for ballgames. He played in the Salem league and it was a 30-minute drive, one way, every time he has a game or practice.
Cole is lucky to have a local program, and his little league team, Kessler Masonry, opened play last week. Cole played is first game at catcher and he has a bruise on his shoulder to prove it.
Before this year Cole was a second baseman, explaining his affection for middle infielders like Womack and Sanford. Now, however, he’s starting to feel comfortable wearing the tools of ignorance; at least when he remembers to wear them.
“That’s h ow he got the bruise,” said Sonny. “He got so excited he ran out there without his chest protector and the first warmup pitch hit him right on the shoulder.”
Cole would like to be a pro ball player himself one day, but right now he’s happy to be a special part of the Salem Buccaneers’ family. And his biggest hope is that his favorite player, Sanford, leaves town. That would mean Chance is climbing toward the big leagues.
“I’ll still be his fan when he’s in the big leagues,” said Cole. “I’m positive of that.”
How long a drive is it between Pittsburgh and Yokohama?
*For those wondering, Chance Sanford made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 30, 1998, and appeared in his final MLB game on June 9, 1999 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
-Prepared by Shelly Koon
