|
Deceased in 2019
Mary Clarke, better known as "Baseball Mary" throughout Virginia Babe Ruth and the SoutheastRegion, joined the Greater Manassas Baseball League (GMBL) in 1972 and served continuously until her death in March 2019. Her 47 years of service to Babe Ruth baseball included 17 years as GMBL President as well as service in every league capacity short of fields and grounds. Mary was the tournament director for many District, State, and Regional tournaments and was instrumental in starting the Manassas Memorial Day Tournament, an event that has continued for over 25 years. Throughout her many years of service to Babe Ruth baseball, Mary always held the interest of the kids, both those playing on tournament and recreational teams, as her foremost priority.
Having had eight children and five grandchildren participate in the league, Mary contributed many times as manager and commissioner in the T-Ball, Rookies, Minors, Majors, and Babe Ruth divisions, winning several league championships during those years. She was an extremely knowledgeable coach and a fierce competitor with a winning record. She was a standout in the 1970s when female coaches were very uncommon. She helped mentor countless children both on and off the field and gave so much of herself volunteering and giving back to the community.
Mary was well known to be a very persistent and persuasive fundraiser. She served as GMBL's primary sponsorship chairperson for many years and consistently performed above expectations in that role during both strong and weak economic conditions. In the early 1980s, when the league had outgrown its facility at the time and had nowhere to go, Mary was instrumental in coordinating a door-to-door effort looking for a benefactor to donate some land to build new fields. After partnering with the Mayor and local city government officials, they were able to convince IBM to donate the land that the current GMBL complex now occupies. Then, partnering with many area merchants and construction companies, they were able to complete the site preparation and facilities enhancements to make the complex a reality in 1983.
In more recent years, Mary spent a large amount of time pursuing donations to support The Ann Clarke Dollard Memorial Foundation, a nonprofit started in her late daughter’s name to provide direct relief for individuals with cancer living in northern Virginia and the surrounding area or towards supporting community health programs. When not at the fields, taking care of her grandchildren, volunteering, being Woman of the Year, organizing fundraisers, serving on the city’s Safety Advisory Board, or a host of other altruistic pursuits over the years, she enjoyed spending time yelling at the TV during Redskins games, watching Judge Judy, and texting her older granddaughters her uncensored opinions of various Bachelor/Bachelorette cast members.
Baseball Mary attained incredible levels of accomplishment and recognition—her tenure, contribution, and desire to provide for the greater community continue to provide inspiration to her fellow volunteers. She was a Lifetime Board Member and a fixture at the GMBL complex. She truly loved the game and there was no bigger fan of the kids who played the game!
|
