Hartland's Version of Opening Day Honored 'Mr. Softball'

Friday's Detroit Tigers home opening day includes a special flag raising for the late Sparky Anderson to honor the Hall of Fame manager.

Hartland's version of paying tribute in a home opener came a week ago when the high school girls softball team recognized Ron Erickson — known as "Mr. Softball" — by having him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before a doubleheader vs. Linden.

But the modest and soft-spoken Erickson walked the pitch to team captain Kayla Gustitus, instead.

“It was funny because Kayla (Gustitus) who started with me four years ago, wanted to catch the ball and I said ‘OK,‘” said Erickson, who currently is the freshman coach. “She told me that she didn’t have any gear. I told her that I’ll just walk it up. She laughed and said ‘great.’”

Varsity head coach Carl Gabrielson joked Erickson wasn't taking any chances.

“He didn’t want to throw that ball over the catchers head,” Gabrielson said.

That light-hearted mood was a good start for the Eagles, who went down early in the first game of the March 31 doubleheader, but battled back to win in extra innings. They took the momentum into the second contest and swept the series against Linden.

Many attribute Erickson with playing a key role in shaping the success and consistency the Eagles have had over the recent years. Erickson started the Eagles fast pitch team back in 1995 after retiring from General Motors. The team was then known as the Hartland Devils and the team of “misfits” according to Erickson soon did something no team in Michigan has ever done, win the National Softball Association's Michigan tournament held at in Hartland. The team had just four players on the roster not from Hartland and one player not from Livingston County.

“Winning that was quite an accomplishment,” Erickson said.

That same year, Erickson took over the freshman team in 1995 by then head coach Jack Peters; however, has been involved in the team since 1979 after moving to Hartland.

“The girls wanted to work during the winter and wanted to get a travel team together with the Hartland (Area) Youth Athletic Association,” he said.

The next season after the Devils won the NSA tournament the high school girls varsity team won the state title.

He's been heavily involved ever since and Gabrielson wouldn’t have it any other way.

“What a wonderful man. He’s been through the trials and tribulations,“ Gabrielson said. “He was here when we won the state championship. He was here for the good times and the bad he’s enjoying what’s going on now. He’s a great man.”