Rockledge Little League coach leads 900th game
Richard Chapman arrived at Rockledge Little League’s draft in 1977 with the sole intention of signing his son up for tee-ball. But he left that day with something much more.
“They had a team layin’ on the table and they didn’t have no manager for it,” Chapman said. “Some guy came out and asked me would I be interested in it. I’ve been doing it ever since. I ain’t missed a year.”
Tonight, Chapman will coach his 900th little league game in a career spanning 39 years.
Chapman is no stranger to longevity, having owned and operated D&D Paint and Body Shop on Clearlake Road in Cocoa for the past 42 years. The 73-year-old values commitment and will stick with something for as long as he feels capable, an ethic he’s applied to his coaching career over the decades.
“I just do it year by year to tell you the truth,” Chapman said. “As long as I can do it and do it the right way. If it becomes where I can’t do it the right way, then no. I won’t do it just for the numbers.”
Chapman’s son, Heath, grew up playing on his dad’s team and remembers feeling let down when he grew too old for Little League and his dad stayed behind. But Heath was also inspired by his father’s commitment.
“He’s in it for the duration,” Heath said.
Heath is now an assistant coach for his father, and said watching his dad’s stamina for the game over the years has been “surreal.”
It’s especially surreal because Heath’s 12-year-old son plays first base and pitcher for their team. Heath and his son, Zander, know they have a huge legacy to live up to in Richard.
“His thing is always do it the right way and hustle. He instilled that in me,” Heath Chapman said. “Once you’re out there, respect the game and hustle. He doesn’t want any excuses; just make it happen. That always stuck with me.”
Not only does Richard Chapman have the work ethic for baseball, his son said, but he has the mind for it as well.
“I’ll go over to his house and he’ll say ‘You remember No. 12?’ from a certain year,” Heath said. “He just remembers the craziest stuff from the past.”
Not only does Richard Chapman remember the kids he’s coached and their statistics and accomplishments, but they remember him, too.
“I’ve got kids all over this country,” Chapman said. “They come back and see me and say that was the most fun time in their life.
“I’ve got some up in their 40s. I’m coaching some of their kids,” Chapman said, reflecting his own situation with his son and grandson.
Heath can attest to his impact on the community, too, saying that kids routinely come home from college and make a pit stop at the body shop to visit Chapman and reminisce.
“I don’t know how to put his legacy into words,” Heath said. “But every time I’m out I’ll run into people and he’s the first thing they’ll ask me about.”
“I don’t know how he does it. I can only imagine how many baseballs that guy’s picked up.”
After multiple practices a week for almost four decades and 900 games, nobody needs a calculator to know it’s in the many thousands, and no calculator could measure Chapman’s impact on Rockledge baseball or the many lives he’s touched.