I Miss My Dad-Mr. Baseball

I Miss My Dad

Eugene (Jimmy) Berlando was born October 26th, 1933 in the heart of the Canadian Badlands, Drumheller. When he was 3, his father passed, leaving the rearing of the family to a single mother, Santina. Raised by a hard-working Italian mother, the values she instilled in Jimmy reflected outwards in his charming personality and love for sport and family. Raised with two other brothers and a sister, Roger, Angelo, and Noemi, his younger years were filled with hockey, baseball, and all the things a small town had to offer. In 1958, Jimmy started his own family when he married Norma Bibeau, who he had three children with, Brenda, Angelo, and Leslie. Although busy with family, business, and reputation, Jimmy had a true passion for baseball like no other.

This passion carried him through many games, teams, and tournaments all over the province, and Jimmy had the opportunity to share that passion with his son, Angelo, who traveled to many games with his father. Angelo fondly recalls hanging on in the back seat on top of baseball equipment on the way to the next game with his dad, eager to watch and help the team as a bat boy. Through 1967 and ‘68, Jimmy played for the Calgary Cascades. Then, in 1969, Jimmy stayed closer to home by playing for the Drumheller Miners, a team he would stay with for 2 years. Intermittently, Jimmy would travel up north to play for the Cold Lake Cardinals, truly squeezing in baseball where he could. After the Miners, Jimmy would play for the Red Deer Elks, M & K Generals, and the Lethbridge Lakers through 1971 to 1974.

We all have special memories and thoughts.

I thought one day…Boy! Am I ever gonna see dad again on this earth?

And then I thought again…That’s not right, because I see my dad nearly every day.

We traveled a lot together and there’s few roads that I drive where there isn’t a place or a friend or an incident that doesn’t remind me of my dad, and I’ll get the picture of him in my mind. I’ll get a picture of dad when I watch TV and see Mr. Bean…because he was a favorite of dad’s. His capacity to enjoy good humor gave him many favorites.

And when I see Rodney Dangerfield, I will laugh and be with dad.

When I see Arte Johnson with his crazy German war helmet, I’ll see dad doing his imitation and hear him say, ”very interesting” lol.

When I look on the downtown streets of Drum, I’ll see him stopping to talk with friends, both young and old, because he loved to visit and he was always able to share time and a friendly visit with everyone.

I’ll see dad

When I think of Kinsmen, or the Elks, I’ll see dad.

When I think of volunteer Firemen, I’ll see him.

And when I eat spaghetti, I always see him! 

He had so many friends….and when I see them, his name always comes up, one way or another. 

When I see difficulty or trouble in my life, I’ll think of my dad.

He knew trouble…but he didn’t know quit.

He knew that one bad play didn’t mean you lost the game; that one bad game didn’t mean a lost season: or even that a poor season didn’t mean that there wasn’t a new season coming soon.

I guess dad always thought that if he failed today, he would have to look forward to a new game and maybe a home run tomorrow.

But most of all…for me, I’ll see my dad when anything comes up about baseball, especially when watching the Jays with my dear friends the Colbergs.

Outside of family and friends, Baseball was his first love.

He played it fair and hard, and with enthusiasm…like he lived.

I was looking for famous baseball quotes on the internet and came across this fellow named Grantland Rice, and had my dad in mind when reading one that said;

“FOR WHEN THE ONE GREAT SCORER COMES TO WRITE ABOUT YOUR NAME, HE MARKS NOT THAT YOU WON OR LOST, BUT HOW YOU PLAYED THE GAME”

So now my dad plays for God’s team…and every trip to the mound, he’ll pitch a shutout.

And when he’s playing second (as he usually did) all the bounces will turn into double plays.

And when he’s at the plate, he’ll get hanging curve balls, or fastballs, right down the middle.

You can count on him having a great battling average.

And God will smile and think to himself “I’ve recruited well ”

And often, when I close my eyes at night…I always know…

He’s safe…at home ?

Toot a loo

Ang

Sharing is caring!