Contributed by Tammy L. Sherwood, president, Richford Historical Society —
On Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, friends and family of the late Edward Brind gathered to celebrate the dedication of the Edward Brind Field at Rawley Park in Richford, N.Y. A display of photos, hats, and jerseys archived a long avocation in baseball.
Ed played an instrumental role in the Richford Baseball program as a pitcher and first baseman for the Richford Town Team until 1966, and as a little league coach in later years.
Pictured is Ed, as a toddler, with his father, Frank Brind. Provided photo.
Ed earned multiple MVP and All-Star awards while playing for the Richford Baseball Team and was voted Tioga County Athlete of the Year.
In 1954 the Detroit Tigers sent Ed a one way ticket to come play for their team. Ed asked for two tickets so he could bring his wife, Dora, with him. They wouldn’t send another ticket so he didn’t go.
Fellow ball players Charles Yaple and Erwin Clark were in attendance to share stories about their baseball days, as were former ball boys Bob Marshall and Rod Birdsall.
Many guests spoke of how the baseball field looked prior to the change in the highway and reminisced about the snack hut, the crowds, and the spirit of the game.
A pitch thrown by Ed. Provided photo.
Back in the day kids would gather to collect stray balls to earn change for soda and chocolate bars. Foul balls were 10 cents, and balls that were fished out of the creek were a quarter.
Former Public Relations Director and Record Keeper, Jim Raftis, who did many of the game write ups, also came out to enjoy the day.
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