Not even the heat could dissuade the Lady A’s from having a good time!
Mitchell Huntley has worked hard behind the scenes to bring the Lady A’s triumphant return to Anson County about
WADESBORO — The crack of the bat filled the air Saturday April 26 at Anson Middle School as the Lady A’s softball team took to the field in their triumphant and highly anticipated return to the county.
Several Lady A’s returned to play for the event, including Josephine Collins, Deloris Grace and Mary Little.
As so often is true of legends, the exact start date of the Lady A’s is murky, but the team and Coach Calvin Grace say they began playing in 1978 or 1979 and ended sometime in the late 1990s. The Lady A’s season usually runs from September to September, with roughly eight or nine tournaments held for their division within the year.
Bonita Grace says she started out a Polkton Lady Pirate, before becoming a Lady A in the ninth grade. “I started playing softball in the seventh grade,” Grace remembers.
Grace says the team is currently for ages 55 and up but they expect to be moving up to the 60 and up category in October.
Shawn Mungo, who played initially for Union County, says “It feels really good to be back in an organized way.”
An original Lady A, Josephine Collins started playing when she was in ninth grade.
Collins said, “To play at home is such an awesome, really good feeling. To be here and spend time with the community, play, and do something to give back, is amazing.”
She added, “I’m almost 66-years-old and I feel so blessed to be out here still playing and having a good time.”
All the ladies seemed to share her sentiment as a reoccurring theme throughout the day was the idea of community, fellowship, and good old -fashioned backyard fun.
The genesis behind the idea of bringing the Lady A’s back to Anson County lies with Mitchell Huntley. He explained, “It isn’t just about having the Lady A’s back in the community. This is about bringing it back to remember. We, the older generations, are our children’s library. If we don’t share it, they will grow up not knowing it. This is how ancestry is shared,” he said, gesturing towards the crowd who had gathered despite the heat to enjoy the sense of camaraderie that always results from partaking in America’s favorite pastime.
