R.I.P. Darlyn
The advent of the 2011 high school baseball season seems an appropriate time to pay respects to Darlyn Gonzalez, the star-crossed former slugger for the Norman Thomas High School baseball team.
I first met Darlyn when I was coaching the Thomas Junior Varsity. He arrived at tryouts with a friend, a catcher whom I knew from my P.E. class. Darlyn's friend was an undisciplined, immature boy who had caused some problems in school. I hadn't known Darlyn in school. What I saw at first look was a tall, well-built boy with a big smile on his face and a somewhat cocky attitude. "These two guys will never make the team," I remarked to myself. "Obviously, they're trouble-makers." I was wrong. The catcher was pretty good. He made the team and appeared in a few games before he failed off. Darlyn turned out to be much better than I'd expected. Not only did he make the team but he immediately won the starting job in left field and a permanent spot in the middle of the batting order. Unlike his friend, he remained academically eligible throughout his career (in fact, he proved to be an excellent student.) His big smile and cocky attitude were not the earmarks of an obnoxious wiseguy, as I'd originally thought, but those of an intelligent young man with a winning personality.
The team was pretty successful, losing only one game the entire season. Darlyn was a huge part of that success. He played a flawless left field and led the team in home runs. I never coached him after that season as, naturally, he moved up to Varsity in his sophomore year.
As a Varsity player, he had an excellent career, culminated in Norman Thomas' first-ever City Championship. Darlyn was one of the heroes of the championship game, driving in the team's first run.
After graduating from Thomas, Darlyn entered Clarendon College in Texas where he and fellow NTHS hero, shortstop Alberto Morales, played on the baseball team. On Saturday, September 11, the Bulldogs played an early doubleheader. The doubleheader ended at about 2:00 PM and Darlyn and Alberto stopped at the cafeteria for a bite and then headed back to their dorm room. Both guys were tired and decided they were going to take a nap. At the last minute, Darlyn decided to forego the nap and go with some teammates to Greenbelt Lake.
The players were swimming out to an
island in the middle of the lake when Darlyn began to tire. The lake had become much deeper than he'd expected and he began to struggle. His teammates hurried to his aid and tried, in vain, to save him. He went under and drowned, ending, at the unacceptably young age of 20, a shining life.
Darlyn may be gone but he will never be forgotten. His RBI single in the championship game has served to indelibly carve his name into Tigers baseball lore. This year's team has dedicated it's season to him, as have the Lady Tigers softball team whom I currently coach. More importantly, anybody whose lives were touched by this quality young man will remember him forever.
R.I.P. DG 27.
I first met Darlyn when I was coaching the Thomas Junior Varsity. He arrived at tryouts with a friend, a catcher whom I knew from my P.E. class. Darlyn's friend was an undisciplined, immature boy who had caused some problems in school. I hadn't known Darlyn in school. What I saw at first look was a tall, well-built boy with a big smile on his face and a somewhat cocky attitude. "These two guys will never make the team," I remarked to myself. "Obviously, they're trouble-makers." I was wrong. The catcher was pretty good. He made the team and appeared in a few games before he failed off. Darlyn turned out to be much better than I'd expected. Not only did he make the team but he immediately won the starting job in left field and a permanent spot in the middle of the batting order. Unlike his friend, he remained academically eligible throughout his career (in fact, he proved to be an excellent student.) His big smile and cocky attitude were not the earmarks of an obnoxious wiseguy, as I'd originally thought, but those of an intelligent young man with a winning personality.
The team was pretty successful, losing only one game the entire season. Darlyn was a huge part of that success. He played a flawless left field and led the team in home runs. I never coached him after that season as, naturally, he moved up to Varsity in his sophomore year.
As a Varsity player, he had an excellent career, culminated in Norman Thomas' first-ever City Championship. Darlyn was one of the heroes of the championship game, driving in the team's first run.
After graduating from Thomas, Darlyn entered Clarendon College in Texas where he and fellow NTHS hero, shortstop Alberto Morales, played on the baseball team. On Saturday, September 11, the Bulldogs played an early doubleheader. The doubleheader ended at about 2:00 PM and Darlyn and Alberto stopped at the cafeteria for a bite and then headed back to their dorm room. Both guys were tired and decided they were going to take a nap. At the last minute, Darlyn decided to forego the nap and go with some teammates to Greenbelt Lake.
The players were swimming out to an
island in the middle of the lake when Darlyn began to tire. The lake had become much deeper than he'd expected and he began to struggle. His teammates hurried to his aid and tried, in vain, to save him. He went under and drowned, ending, at the unacceptably young age of 20, a shining life.
Darlyn may be gone but he will never be forgotten. His RBI single in the championship game has served to indelibly carve his name into Tigers baseball lore. This year's team has dedicated it's season to him, as have the Lady Tigers softball team whom I currently coach. More importantly, anybody whose lives were touched by this quality young man will remember him forever.
R.I.P. DG 27.
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Rick Friedman