Orioles Pitcher, Father Help The Village at Marymount Residents Warm Up Baseball Hot Stove

Residents of The Village at Marymount stoked the fires of the baseball hot stove on Jan. 28 by participating in a fun round table discussion with Baltimore Orioles pitcher Adam Russell and his father, Bill Russell, a retired attorney and noted baseball expert. The Russells are former North Olmsted residents, and the cousin and uncle of Sue Nall, executive director of The Village at Marymount.

“We are all very pleased that Adam and my uncle Bill were able to spend an hour talking baseball with our residents,” Nall said. “It’s not every day a major league pitcher stops by to tell some stories about what life is like for a professional ball player.”

Bill Russell hosts a baseball round table discussion at The Village at Marymount every April before Opening Day. This time, with his son in tow, he shared stories of meeting his idol, St. Louis Cardinals and Hall of Fame legend Stan Musial, on several occasions. Russell and his wife, Gail, recently flew to St. Louis to attend the funeral of Musial, who died on Jan. 19. More than 5,000 people attended Musial’s funeral.

Russell also asked residents several trivia questions with the winners receiving baseballs autographed by his son. Adam Russell signed baseball cards of himself for each resident while telling them a story about former Cleveland Indians star Jim Thome being one of the best teammate he’s had during his career.

“As a kid I went to Jacobs Field with my dad to watch Jim Thome when he was with the Indians,” Adam Russell recalled. “When I was called up to the White Sox, I remember being star struck when I saw him in the lockerroom and my locker was right next to his. He couldn’t have been nicer. He took me to dinner and helped me to feel welcome and more comfortable with being in the big leagues.”

The Orioles are Adam Russell’s sixth major league team. Russell, who has an 8-3 career record and a 3.95 earned run average, has pitched in the major leagues for the White Sox, San Diego Padres, and Tampa Bay Rays. He spent the 2012 season in the minor leagues with the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He signed with the Orioles during the past offseason and reports to Baltimore’s spring training site in Sarasota, Fla., on Feb. 12.

“Meeting Adam and his father was a real treat,” said Marymount Place resident Sally Davis. “I love baseball and I really enjoyed listening to their stories.”