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.

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  

Lil Lion 2013

 Lil Lion Drawing

Lil Lion Drawing in progress

Did this drawing for a friend of one of my hunting buddies. I dont even know the name of the little boy, but what a great picture! Queen Anne's High School is the rival high school of Kent Island High School where my son now plays Junior Varsity Baseball. GO BUCS!!