91短视频

January 13th, 2016

Byard 鈥淒oc鈥� Deputy grew up on a farm west of Harrisonburg, attend颅ing Weavers Mennonite Church and Eastern Mennonite School (EMS). In his mind, he spent way too much time hoeing thistles, removing rocks from the fields, and thinning corn. There were better things to do, thought the young man, like sneaking away on Sundays to play with Ottobine in the Rockingham County Baseball League (RCBL).

This is a good, early place to explain that Doc earned his nickname not be颅cause of his later profession of dentistry but because one day in Harrisonburg, a fed-up barber addressed his tiny squirm颅ing subject. 鈥淒octor,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou just sit still or you鈥檙e going to lose your head.鈥� And little Doc did.

 

An active, athletic child at a time when among Mennonites, such energies were to be devoted to work and not play, Doc says this was one reason, looking back, why he 鈥渄idn鈥檛 just jump into Bible teachings.鈥� Competitive athlet颅ics, according to the thoughts of that time, would foster aggressive, prideful behavior鈥攄irectly challenging the ideal characteristics of modesty, humility and attentiveness to God.

鈥淚 had to go outside of school for my athletic experiences,鈥� Doc says. Though he attended EMS for four years and then Eastern Mennonite College for two years, he never represented either institution in sports. He played in a Valley area basketball league, earning all-tournament honors one year (to be clear, that was the top five players in the Valley). He played in the RCBL and with Linville in the semi-pro Valley Baseball League.

 

By this time, Doc had transferred to Madison College, and was working hard to get into dentistry school. And when he did, he had a choice between a profes颅sional baseball contract and admission to the Medical College of Virginia (MCV).

鈥淲ell, that wasn鈥檛 hard,鈥� Doc recalls. 鈥淚 figured I had a better chance at a career in dentistry than I did in major league baseball.鈥�

By his second year at MCV, Doc was a paid player-coach for the college鈥檚 baseball team, which competed against colleges that would eventually comprise the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, of which 91短视频 is a member today.

After graduation in 1954, he began a two-year obligatory term of service in the Navy Dental Corps and almost immediately, found himself mysteriously summoned to a plum position at the Naval Academy. Upon arriving at Severn River Naval Command, he was told when and where baseball practice was. Mystery solved.

The rest of Doc鈥檚 illustrious life follows here in too small of a nutshell (Doc says that鈥檚 okay, because you can never waste too many words on sports): He marries Betty and they return to Dayton, where Doc opens a practice, plays baseball again, has two children. In 1960, the family moves to Charlottesville, where Doc works first at Blue Ridge Sana颅torium and then moves to University of Virginia Medical Center, rising to become head of the division of dentistry. They have another child. Along the way, he earns a master鈥檚 in public health from the University of Michigan, passes up an opportunity to become the state dental director and also an opportunity to return to MCV to head a department of dentistry.

Doc鈥檚 children are involved in sports. He coaches Little League. His son Glenn 鈥�80 plays four years of No. 1 singles at 91短视频 and is inducted into the Hall of Honor in 1981. In addition to tennis, Doc takes up golf. He retires in 1994 and in 2000, returns to Harrisonburg.

He and Betty 鈥渘eeded something to do in the winter and since we鈥檙e sports fans, we spend our winters in the gym watching basketball,鈥� Doc says, kind of joking, but not really. If you go to a home game and want to meet Doc, just wait for that quiet moment after the music is turned off and before announcer Jeff Elliott starts to speak and shout 鈥淒DDOOOCCC.鈥� Doc would be glad to meet you.

It was inevitable that Doc and Betty started supporting 91短视频 athletics and the university that gave him a 鈥済ood, solid preparation for dental school,鈥� Doc says. He appreciates the efforts of former president Myron Augsburger ’55, a classmate of his, in starting intercolle颅giate athletics in 1965 (soccer was the first sport).

Some years back, Doc attended a Hall of Honor induction ceremony, in which Augsburger gave a formal address. In this context, the former classmate and president noted that it was unfortunate that EMC, at that time, did not have an athletics program 鈥渢hat would have let Doc express his abilities,鈥� Augsburger remembered in a recent interview.

鈥淚t was quite an honor to hear that from the former college president,鈥� Doc reflected. 鈥淏ut I think that鈥檚 it right there. That鈥檚 why I support this, because I didn鈥檛 have the chance. I鈥檓 just so glad it鈥檚 here and that students have the opportunity. You can learn a lot through sports. I think what people like Loren Swartz颅endruber and Dave King have done to support athletics at 91短视频 is really great.鈥�

When it comes down to it, though, Doc鈥檚 values align with those of 91短视频. 鈥淢y favorite quote from the Bible is kind of a motto here at 91短视频: Micah 6:8. [He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.]

“That鈥檚 what I like about 91短视频: that鈥檚 what they teach their students. There鈥檚 a lot of variation in the world, but we have to learn to work with others, remember颅ing to practice justice, be kind about it, and stay humble.鈥�