RINGGOLD, Ga. — One of these days a father-son whiffleball game is going to break out at Bill Womack Field, and for once this year, all eyes will be on the old guys instead of the kids.
This won’t be just your run-of-the-mill game, either. While on one side will be a group of talented prepsters, the other side will feature a collection of the greatest names in one of the most tradition-rich programs in the area: Jesse Cross, Roger Hackett, Chad Jones, David Crownover and Mike Lance.
For the sons of those legends, the stories of past deeds have been told (and, no doubt, embellished) since they could first hold bat and gloves. The five current Tigers — Colton Cross, Matthew Crownover, Wright Hackett, Caleb Jones and Zack Lance — have had to deal with being legacies for so long that it’s now old hat.
“We don’t really talk about it much, but we do have some pretty good dads on this team,” said Colton Cross, a junior pitcher who is drawing a lot of interest in college scouts. “It meant a lot to be Jesse Cross’s kid. He taught me a lot growing up, and having those guys in the dugout really helps.”
That all five of the former greats have stayed in the area or come back and kept their prodigies in their former school hasn’t been lost on coach Brent Tucker.