The Winthrop community is mourning the loss of one of Winthrop Baseball’s biggest fans, Bert Black, following his death on Oct. 15 from COVID-19.
Black spent much of his time around the Winthrop baseball field talking with the coaches and players, watching the games and practices, and loved chasing down foul balls.
“Bert was a true hustler,” said Scout McFalls, a former Winthrop baseball player. “He would chase down every foul ball hit out of the stadium so that he could sell the balls to people. No kid wanting a foul ball at the ballpark [had] a chance because Bert was there before anyone.”
In addition to chasing down foul balls, Black would come to practices, summer camps, and summer tournaments because he loved to be involved with baseball and Winthrop’s program.
Winthrop’s Director of Baseball Operations, Eddie Hill, explained that he had been friends with Black for many years. Their friendship started during Hill’s time as head baseball coach at Rock Hill High School.
“There stood this young man with a big smile on his face wanting to help,” Hill said. “I was not sure what he wanted to do, but when a foul ball occurred, he was fast to get it back, and the games went smoother when he was around. It seemed that he was a part of the team. The players would always ask about him.”
After Hill began working at Winthrop, he would always see Black eating a meal at the picnic table, getting ready to chase down the foul balls.
“He would bring his friends David and Will to the games. He cared about them a lot and made sure they would get a hat or t-shirt to wear,” Hill said.
“It was tough to hear that he lost his battle with COVID,” Hill said. “He’s a special angel and in heaven chasing foul balls for the Lord’s angels.”
Garrett Gainey, a pitcher for the Winthrop baseball team, was impacted by the love of baseball Black expressed.
“I actually got to see Bert a lot being a pitcher for Winthrop,” Gainey said. “Bert parked right behind the pitchers’ bullpen, and it was always great to see Bert every gameday walk through the gates with that infectious smile. He enjoyed the game of baseball so much, which made me appreciate him and the game that much more.”
Before games, the team would get good luck from Black, and he was always excited to be close with the team.
“We appreciated him for loving the team the way he did,” Gainey said.
Head baseball coach Tom Riginos described Black as “a breath of fresh air and a happy-go-lucky guy.”
Riginos and Black met in 2010 when Riginos started working as head baseball coach at Winthrop. Since then, the two would always talk in the press box about baseball and trains.
“He was a train guy,” Riginos said. “He loved everything about trains and could tell you anything about them.”
When the baseball season begins, Riginos plans to have stickers placed on the back of the players’ helmets that display the initials of Bert Black.
“Everyone at the ballpark loved Bert and the spirit he brought forth,” McFalls said. “Winthrop family is all we knew him as.”
