Confessions of a 30 Something Chatham Memories

BY LEE VOGLER

PHOTO BY LEE VOGLER

Chatham holds a special place in my life as it has been the site of many great memories for me. As a child, some of my best sports memories happened on a football or baseball field in Chatham. I can still remember diving into the end zone of Chatham High School’s football field for a two-point conversion on a very rainy and muddy Saturday afternoon.

A little over a decade later, on a hot Saturday evening in August, I’d be standing in the backyard of a beautiful historic home on Main Street in downtown Chatham, about to marry the love of my life, Blair. I still smile every time I ride past that gorgeous bed-and-breakfast, although I don’t believe they allow weddings there anymore. Whether our soiree was the culprit behind

Some of my memories in Chatham are a little more humorous, like the time my varsity baseball team (Westover Christian) was losing quite badly at Hargrave Military Academy. To add insult to injury, the sprinklers popped up, like a gopher, from under the ground and began showering us as I stood at 2nd base. I will point out that we got the last laugh, beating them in dramatic fashion at WCA the last time I ever played against them just a few weeks later, but I digress.

In more recent years, I’ve watched my son create his own sports memories on a ball field in Chatham, racking up strikeouts on the mound and some nice hits at the plate. I’ve also enjoyed watching friends of mine, Will Pace and Matt Bell, serve in elected capacities for the Town or enjoying some Italian Ice from the Sunset Slush Cool Bus. And Blair and I have relaxed at a few Flip-Flop Fridays at Homeplace Vineyard over the years.

Though I’ve never lived in Chatham, it has played a big role in my life and, I suspect, will continue to.