To the Editor:

Last week Harvard baseball coach Joe Walsh, a fellow OFD (“Originally from Dorchester”), was called up to the Big Club. With Joe’s passing, the college baseball world lost a great coach and the world in general lost a great guy.

Four decades ago I had the pleasure of playing baseball with Joe at Dorchester Park where we both learned how the game should be played from a mutual mentor, Ray “Jake” Sheridan. All who came under Jake’s tutelage gained a greater love for, and knowledge of, baseball— and Joe was the teacher’s prize pupil.

Two decades later Joe and my son Hal began their Harvard baseball careers in the same year, 1996. Hal enjoyed four very good years playing for Joe, an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and positive coach. There’s no doubt in my mind that Hal’s career would not have been as good nor as enjoyable had he played for any other coach.

Coach Walsh was buried last Saturday in Cedar Grove Cemetery close to his old coach, Ray Sheridan, and just a long toss from Dot Park where it all began. Now that Joe has left us to play for the Heavenly Nine, I’m sure that Jake is taking him under his wing again, as they take turns throwing batting practice to each other on a field where there are never any bad bounces.

Requiescat in pace!

Richard Carey, OFD.
Needham