Steve Lombardozzi Jr. 2014

Steve Lombardozzi Drawing

Being a die hard Baltimore Orioles fan, and having a Father and Sons who are Washington Nationals fans, I have followed the career of Steve. The Nationals picked him in the Major League Baseball Draft in 2008. He was called up to the big league on Sept. 6,2011. At the end of last season, the Nats traded Steve to the Detroit Tigers, who then traded him to the Orioles before the season started. He is currently playing for the Orioles AAA team, the Norfolk Tides. Joshua saw him play in Norfolk this summer while on the Potter Tour. 

Joshua Bardsley 2014

Joshua Drawing

Joshua catching in PNC Park, Pittsburgh

Knowing what a baseball nut I am, people frequently ask me who my all time favorite player is. My answer for the last seven years has been my son Joshua. Joshua just completed his second season on the Kent Island High School Baseball Team. He also just went on the first ten days of the Potter Baseball Tour again. Last season he went on the entire 25 day Potter Tour, and played in the minor league stadiums for the Bowie Baysox, Frederick Keys, and the York Revolution. He also got to play in PNC Park, home of the MLB Pittsburgh Pirates. He has been splitting time between catching, and playing the outfield.

Isaiah Lucas 2013

Isaiah Lucas Drawing

Myself with Meghan Lucas, her Daughter, and Coach Potter

As mentioned in the last two posts, Joshua will be going on a Potter Baseball Tour this summer. Coach Potter is running two tours this summer. Joshua will be going on the first tour. Isaiah will be going on the second tour. Isaiahs mother Meghan is the Director of Operations for Potter Baseball Tours. Coach Potter asked me to do this drawing for her. Monday night the Potter Tour 2013 was launched with a meet and greet, and Coach Potter and I presented Meghan with the drawing.

Potter Baseball Greeting Cards 2013

 Greeting Card 1

 Greeting Card 2

Promotional Flyer

As seen in my last post, Coach and Author Jeff Potter came to see my son Joshua play baseball for his high school team. The conversation came up regarding Joshua going on a Potter Baseball Tour this summer. Coach Potter puts summer baseball tours together for 13-15 year old boys. The tour will be twenty five days long, the boys will have the experience of being on the road like a minor league player. They will play in a number of minor league ball parks in addition to doing community service projects and tour hosted events along the way. Each player, along with his parents, are responsible for raising  his own tour fee. Joshua will be doing this by selling these greeting cards that I designed for the exclusive use of Potter Baseball.
Check out jeffpotterbaseball.com

Author/ Coach Jeff Potter 2013

 Author/Coach Jeff Potter's new book

 My Eric Potter Drawing on Pg.331 of Saving Baseball

Coach Potter and Joshua after one of his KIHS JV games

In November of 2011, I posted a drawing that I had done of a left handed pitcher named Eric Potter. He had just finished his pitching career at the University of Maryland, and been drafted by the Oakland A's. I had done the drawing of Eric who I had never met, as a gift for his Father and Mother. His father Author and Coach Jeff Potter has been, and continues to be a huge mentor to me coaching youth baseball. I presented the drawing to Coach Potter, his wife Sheryl, and Eric, at a Potter Baseball clinic that both of my sons attended. 

I ran into Coach last weekend at a baseball tournament with my younger son. He gave me a copy of his new book, Saving Baseball,  which includes my portrait of Eric. In addition to writing, Coach Potter runs summer baseball tours for 13-15 year old players. He remembered Joshua from the 2011 clinic. At the time,he called Joshua "Hockey Hair". Last night Coach Potter came to see Joshua play in a  Kent Island High School Junior Varsity game, for the possibility of Joshua playing on one of his tours.

For more information about Coach Potter, his books and baseball tours, check out www.jeffpotterbaseball.com  

Josh Bard and Joshua Bardsley (2009)

Josh Bard Drawing

Joshua Bardsley drawing

In 2009 my son, Joshua Bardsley, played little league for the Kent Island Youth Baseball and Softball Club. He Played middle infielder for the Zussman Hooks. The team went undefeated in the regular season, and steamed through the end of the year double elimination tournament without a loss, winning the championship. Joshua went the entire regular season without a strikeout, and had an on base percentage of .827. That same season, the Washington Nationals had a catcher named Josh Bard.