Much has been made of the gregarious moments that highlighted Chad's life but he had a heart as big as his love of sport. This was especially evident in his support of the 'other' softball league, the one played in Tai Tam at Hong Kong International School.

Now Chad loved softball, but you see the games in this league were played on Sundays... No small matter considering how tough it was to rouse anyone to play in this league mere hours after Saturday night. The magic incentive here was the fact that HKIS field had a real fence; and one thing Chad loved more than sleep was hitting home runs!

As any of you who have played out in Tai Tam know, its a real hike to get there. Being on the other side of the island meant a travel time of 40 mins from Central via cab sometimes.

Well around early 2006 Chad got his drivers license in HK and quickly became the proud owner of a 1994 Mazda MPV. Before long I would get a call early Sunday morning from Chad saying that he wanted to take folks to the game in his 'whip' and needed me to meet him at the Star Ferry Pier in Central because that was the only place in Central he knew how to get to from the Eastern Tunnel. He had some fresh Hip Hop CDs he bought in 'the GZP' (Chads slang for the Guangzhou - Panyu area) and he would blast them from the speakers of that MPV which clearly had seen better days. First he would pick up Dave Trunzo in Li Chee Kok Because Trunzo lived near him at the time and they would haul through the Eastern Tunnel and meet the rest of the Braves team at the Star Ferry. I can still remember remarking how Chad and Dave reminded me of Shrek and Donkey in that car with Chad as the grumpy enterainment and Dave his trusty sidekick.

Most weekends he would cram 7 ppl (including gear) in that Mazda; which would severely strain the suspension to Chads delight becaues that made it 'ride low'. It didn't matter to him that we had to remind him each week the route through Chai Wan to Tai Tam because 'Sunday Softball means one thing: Hitting Bombs'.

You can imagine the scene each when we were rolling up to the pristine confines of HKIS in that beat up MPZ with Lil Jon and the East Side Boyz blaring through the speakers!! Nearly every car out there was a new BMW or Benz and Chad would love it that he was 'rolling up there like a bunch of Mexicans to Waffle House' and nearly every time leaving the field victorious.

Chads last trip as carpool king was on a Sunday in late April in 2009. We had to play 3 games and were in the final game for the Championship. He had announced earlier that day that this would be his last season playing in the HKIS league because he was 'too old to get up so early on a Sunday just to hit bombs'. Our opponent was up on us by 3 runs and we were the home team in going into our final at-bat in the 7th inning. After a couple of walks, fielders choices and 2 fly outs Chad came up to the plate with the bases loaded. First pitch was a called strike and the second he fouled off. With the third pitch of the at-bat and in literally his last swing at Tai Tam, Chad hit a moonshot to Right Center Field for a walk off grand slam! Upon crossing home plate he declared 'That's how we do it in Sunday Softball!!' And then disappeared into a sea of high fives and hugs.

Rest in Peace Big Country. And may we all remember to Hit Bombs on Sunday.

-Preston Powell