Larry was a colorful character who kept it real

Larry McLaughlin lived on my street since we both went country, and before that outside of Philly we were raised about a mile from each other. We shared 30 years of Lewes history from Little League to Punkin Chunkin - I was emcee the first 10 years - to all things local in between. His daughter Mandy was a student of mine, and stepson Chris Miller played baseball with my sons.

	Larry McLaughlin story »

Larry was a colorful character and community player who knew how to do all kinds of things and could play hard at times but always work harder. The accident July 4 on that treacherous, dumbly designed stretch of highway where Route 1 old and new merge together before Old Mill Road had everyone in my family trying to reach everyone else, as we were all unaccounted for. Once checked in and verified as safe the first thing we said was, “Pray no one we know was hurt or no one we don’t know.” Hearing Larry went down on his Harley was just shocking, because the man was a survivor who had taken lots of hard hits in his life.

Larry was talented, tireless and seemed invincible. Most days that I would drive into my sports beat Larry would be standing at the end of my road with his dog Shortie on a leash. I always thought that was funny, like Shortie was going to slip the collar and go “cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.” Almost forgot that contrary to all homeowner’s covenants and codes Larry had a freaking school bus parked in his back yard. It was painted white with a wide reddish-brown stripe and used once a year at the Chunk, and for me it represented a connection to people from a culture who “kept it real.”

Larry was sometimes loud - he could argue - but mostly softhearted. I know he loved all the many characters in his life, and if you are one of them take a minute to feel better about yourself. Larry left suddenly on Independence Day and as Bob Seger sang 30 years ago, “Against the wind, I’m still runnin’ against the wind. I’m older now but still runnin’ against the wind.” Larry McLaughlin was always independent and running against the wind.

Still staggered - Last Wednesday night I was on the Cape campus and like every other night it was teeming with athletic activities from soccer to field hockey, volleyball and basketball and weight training. The wrestlers were in Virginia at a tournament, but most nights that room is packed with athletes. Monday and Tuesday Cape is lacrosse central. Hundreds of aspiring to be fit and successful student athletes have found an answer to the question “What is there for our kids to do around here?” I’m sure there is still the “burnouts under the boardwalk gazebo crowd,” not a bad final destination but hardly a starting point.

Snippets - Bill Collick, John Parker and sons are part of the new Cape football staff as are Todd “Kentucky” Hatchell and Ken Hardy.

Mike Gallagher, most recently at Delaware State, is close to confirmed, but his brother is a priest so that should be easy. And Herky Billings has been approved as a coach but has yet to accept without a teaching position.

Head baseball at Cape remains open, and I’m hearing the job has generated little interest as capable candidates remain crouched deep in the dugout of personal uncertainty.

Andy Gardner, the younger half brother of Bret who quarterbacked Cape to the 1984 state title game behind such players as Tony Sposato, Dan Sponaugle and Jeff Lawton, placed 21st in the recent Coeur d’Alene Ironman in Idaho in a total time of 9:21.53. Andy ran a 3:17 marathon to finish off his day. That qualifies Andy for Kona - the Ironman, not the coffee.

Been a year since my total hip replacement surgery and last Wednesday Dr. Choy asked how I was doing and rather than respond, “Fine except for unrelated to the surgery medical issues in my life,” I bragged, “I am king of the girlie machines at 24/7 Fitness; no one should think of challenging my title.”

Mike Wardian, the owner of more oddball endurance records than anyone in the history of “what’s the freaking point” activities is the nicest, friendliest and most congenial seemingly normal crazy person on my sports beat.

The great thing about Mike is he doesn’t have to win all the time; he just has to try.